LoL Players Launch Ahri Perma Ban Boycott - Here's Why

LoL Patch 14.12 is here, launching an event dedicated to Faker's achievements in esports. The Hall of Fame event introduces four controversial skins and a battle pass. League of Legends players are gearing up to boycott Riot's launch by perma banning Ahri's skin once it's out, preventing anyone who buys it from playing her. Here's everything you need to know.

Against the New Skins

The three new Ahri skins have sparked controversy among League of Legends players due to their high price and new skin tier. The full Ahri bundle costs around $500, leading many players to criticize Riot Games for greediness and audacity in asking for such high prices. This pricing has left many in the community feeling frustrated and unheard of, as they see this move as another example of the company prioritizing profit over player experience. Keep in mind that $500 is a whole salary in many countries. 

Knowing that some influencers and streamers will buy the skin regardless, LoL fans are teaming up to ban Ahri in every single game. This coordinated effort aims to send a clear message to Riot Games and render the skin purchase useless for those who bought it. By perma banning Ahri, players hope to force Riot to reconsider their pricing strategy and show that the community won't stand for such blatant cash grabs.

Nonsense

The strange part about this whole situation is that Riot Games is asking for $250-$500 to celebrate Faker, a player known for never using skins.

Faker has only used skins in a professional game by accident when a technician on stage accidentally locked in a skin for him. Faker used his own SKT Zed skin during Season 4 All-Stars, and that's the extent of his use of cosmetics in his professional esports career. This makes the skin launch quite ironic and raises questions about Riot's understanding of their own champions’ legacies and player preferences.

Many players feel that this skin launch is a tone-deaf celebration of Faker's career, missing the mark on what truly honors his legacy. Faker's success is built on skill, strategy, and a deep understanding of the game, not on flashy cosmetics. By pricing these skins so high, Riot risks alienating the very community that supports and celebrates Faker's achievements.

Community Reaction

The backlash has been happening very fast in the LoL community. Social media is filled with discussions about the perceived greed of Riot Games and the irony of the situation.

This protest is a testament to the power of the League of Legends community to come together and push back against practices they find unfair. It remains to be seen how Riot will respond to this boycott. We sure hope there is a reaction and this type of pricing doesn't turn into something 'normal' for Riot Games.

Ahri's current ban rate is at 16%, going up to 17% in Diamond and Platinum. She's the 7th most banned mid laner, despite not being that strong in the meta. We'll keep an eye on her ban rate.

Will you be joining the Ahri ban protest? The outcome of this boycott could set a precedent for how game developers approach pricing and player engagement in the future. Or maybe you'll be one of the lucky few to actually buy this skin?