Riot Games Faces Backlash After Mass Layoffs and Monetization Changes
Riot Games is under fire from the community after a series of controversial decisions under Ceo Dylan Jadeja’s leadership. Following a recent Reddit post that amassed over 10,000 upvotes in just 8 hours alongside a Twitter storm with 35,000+ likes, players are voicing their frustration over drastic changes to League of Legends and Riot’s ecosystem.
What’s Happening?
500+ Employees Laid Off – Riot Games recently announced mass layoffs, affecting a significant portion of its workforce. Many fans worry about the impact on game development and support.
Riot Forge Shut Down – The publisher’s initiative for third-party Riot-based games, such as Ruined King and Song of Nunu, is officially dead. This raises concerns about the future of League’s extended universe.
Predatory Monetization Increases – Limited-time skins are now being used to create FOMO (Fear of Missing Out), and the game is shifting further towards gacha-style mechanics, something fans have long dreaded.
Reward System Nerfs – Level-up capsules, mythic essence, and Hextech chests are getting gutted, making progression and free rewards much harder to obtain.
Skin & Battle Pass Quality Drops – Players are noticing a decline in skin detail and overall battle pass value, with more grind and less meaningful rewards.
Honor System & Clash Downgraded – Honor orbs and capsules are being removed, while Clash events a once-beloved competitive feature are reportedly worsening.
"Your Shop" Removed – The personalized skin discount system is gone, reducing opportunities for players to grab skins at a lower price.
The Community Response
Fans aren’t holding back. Many see these moves as prioritizing aggressive monetization over player experience. While Riot insists changes are necessary for long-term sustainability, the overwhelming sentiment online is frustration, disappointment, and outright anger.
With League of Legends already facing criticism for its balance issues and stagnation, these changes could push more players away. Whether Riot will respond to the backlash remains to be seen.
