Riot Games is stepping up efforts to create a more respectful and enjoyable atmosphere within League of Legends. In a recent message, Lead Gameplay Designer Matt Leung-Harrison described the company’s new strategy to combat in-game toxicity, calling for a balance between punishment and behavioral change.

Traditionally, Riot’s response to misconduct was strict penalties. Yet Leung-Harrison identified a shift towards “timely nudges”. Real-time feedback systems are intended to signal to players where they are behaving improperly. Internal data has informed this approach as a way to show that players are far less likely to reoffend if they have an awareness of misconduct, and that reoffending can fall below 10% if players are quickly reminded of their misbehavior.

Augmenting the Reporting Ecosystem

The credibility of the reporting system plays a central role in Riot’s disciplinary system. Leung-Harrison encouraged players to make appropriate use of reporting mechanisms, noting that wholesale reporting tends to devalue the usefulness of the system. Riot algorithms evaluate the merits of reports, and false-reporting patterns decrease a player’s standing within the system. Helpful and considerate reports increase the system’s efficiency in detecting and dealing with genuine instances of impropriety.

Although most players react well to corrective feedback, a very small percentage, less than 0.1%, continue with egregious behavior. In such instances, Riot implements permanent bans to maintain the health of the community. The company recognizes the difficulties presented by account swapping and the utilization of alternate accounts to evade bans and is working diligently to address these issues.

Technological Innovations in Behavior Monitoring

Riot has incorporated sophisticated machine learning models into its monitoring systems, allowing for real-time analysis of in-game chatter. The models are capable of recognizing and silencing offensive language in real-time, stopping hurtful messages from being received by other players. The capabilities of the system reach all types of in-game chat, including party and team chat, and are constantly updated to ensure higher accuracy and responsiveness.

Aside from punitive measures, Riot is taking proactive steps to assist players impacted by harassing behavior. The “Disruptable Behavior Repair” initiative provides rewards, i.e., autofill safeguarding and consolation LP, to players whose games are detrimentally affected by leaving or purposefully feeding teammates. The move is designed to recognize and dampen frustration felt by players in these circumstances.

Riot’s dedication to building a positive gaming community goes beyond deterrence. The company has retooled the Honor system to reward players consistently showing sportsmanship, collaboration, and respectful communication. Players who earn consistently high Honor levels are eligible for special rewards, such as special skins and in-game content, that reinforce the importance of positive behavior.