Doublelift sparks debate over League of Legends' popularity
The League of Legends community has grown increasingly upset with Riot’s perceived handling of balance patches this year.
On July 12, Peter “Doublelift” Peng published a video on YouTube called “The Downsides of a Constantly Evolving Game.” In the video, Doublelift discussed the inherent issues in Riot’s active balance philosophy in Season 8, provoking widespread discussion of the topic among fans and pro players alike.
The video discussed how Season 8 had brought a number of changes that far exceeded previous years. Patches this year had dramatic effects on the jungle, mages, and marksmen. These changes often came without warning.
Professionals like Doublelift argue that these fast changes are too quick to adapt to, and are part of why League of Legends has suffered in North America.
Separately, Fnatic’s Martin “Rekkles” Larsson explained in an interview his reasons for voluntarily benching himself from competitive play. Rekkles felt that due to recent changes to marksmen, he could no longer reasonably contribute to his team. He stated that he simply did not have the time to learn the latest meta champions that had replaced the classic marksmen.
Rekkles’ reputation as a skilled ADC led many to be concerned about how such changes might endanger the careers of other veterans in the bottom lane. But Riot heard the grievances of the community.
In patch 8.15, zeal items and other ADC staples were either buffed or made cheaper, propelling traditional ADC champions back to viability at the top level.
Additionally, Riot Games employee “New001” publicly addressed the community’s concerns in the “Riot Pls” video series. He stated that Riot plans on dialing back the rate of change for the remainder of 2018, and apologized for any miscommunication of the developer’s intentions.
Read Also
Esports Betting
MLBB is the most-watched game from the EWC, and it’s hard to see another game beating it
Michael Hassall
The Esports World Cup 2026 has officially passed its midway point and viewership figures for the tournament have surpassed many expectations so far, as per Esports Charts. The viewership tracking site revealed new statistics for the event on Aug. 6, showcasing just how many games had set new records in viewership, including one name leading the way in views: Mobile Legends: Bang Bang. MLBB leads the viewership charts with the ...
League of Legends
LCK 2026 Rounds 3–4 Preview, Schedule, Predictions, and More
Hannan Mundia
2026 LCK Rounds 3-4 are slated to start soon, and this preview highlights the schedule, our expert predictions, and everything else you need to know before watching. The LCK has been upside down recently. Teams that were considered absolute powerhouses are seemingly falling off, while previous underdogs have been causing upset after upset. 2026 LCK Rounds 3-4 are starting soon, and the big question here is which team will reign ...
League of Legends
LEC 2026 Summer split preview, schedule, predictions, and more
Hannan Mundia
The 2026 LEC Summer split will be the deciding split to determine which teams can make it to the World Championship, and this preview aims to highlight everything you need to know about it. It isn’t a stretch to say that the LCK and LCP are the only two competitive League of Legends regions actually pulling their weight currently. The LEC did show potential at the start of the year, ...
League of Legends
How is League of Legends Classic different from the modern version?
Hannan Mundia
League Classic brings the classic League of Legends gameplay and design from when the game first came out, but how is it different from the modern version? The modern League of Legends mode is arguably in its best state in terms of popularity, with a study even reporting that playing LoL can improve brain function. Over a decade of gameplay and multiple marketing tactics by Riot Games have bumped up ...
League of Legends
Best Champions for every role in League of Legends Classic mode
Hannan Mundia
League Classic sees the return of League of Legends Season 3, but which champions were deemed the best during that time? League of Legends has gone through a lot of changes since it first came out. While the map and item-related changes naturally impacted the game's state, so did the many champion nerfs, buffs, and reworks. Multiple champions played completely differently in Season 3 than they do now. Since League ...
Valorant
OBS Game Capture isn’t working on Valorant and League of Legends? Here’s why and how to fix it
Khizar Mundia
Several reports suggest that OBS Game Capture is broken, with Valorant and League of Legends streamers only being able to broadcast a black screen. OBS has responded to the issue, confirming that it exists and also provided a way to fix it. Valorant and League of Legends are two of Riot Games’ most popular titles, and they are being streamed on streaming platforms by creators regularly. On July 21, 2026, ...
League of Legends
Dplus sweeps Karmine Corp to win the 2026 LoL EWC grand final
Hannan Mundia
The League of Legends Esports World Cup 2026 grand final just concluded, where Dplus absolutely swept Karmine Corp to win it all. The League of Legends Esports World Cup may only have been taking place since 2024, but it has already become a key international event for fans and professional players. With a large prize pool and consecutive matches with little delay, fans have a blast seeing their favorite teams ...
