Riot Games is charging headfirst into its big 2025 plans for League of Legends, but the community is more divided than ever. The new LoL Seasons system is extremely ambitious and lore-rich, but many players are frustrated with the changes to free-to-play rewards and the new Battle Pass system. A large portion of the player base is unhappy with the direction Riot is heading in, claiming the new changes are designed to milk more money out of players rather than focus on a fun experience. These complaints are nothing new to League of Legends, and it remains to be seen if Riot can win back the trust of its player base as the game moves into this new era.
Seasons: A United Experience or A Sacrifice of Freedom?
At the center of Riot’s 2025 plans for League of Legends is the new Seasons format. Seasons will combine gameplay, storytelling, and visuals into a single, cohesive experience. Each year will be divided into three seasons that focus on different parts of Runeterra and its many conflicts. Champion skins, limited game modes, and events will all be tied to these chapters.
Some players are excited about the potential narrative depth that Seasons could bring, while others are concerned that it will sacrifice the thing that makes League so great: its competitive nature. For many, League is a competitive game at its core, and the heavy theming could feel like a distraction rather than an addition.
The Battle Pass Problem
The new Battle Pass system has sparked a lot of debate, especially among the free-to-play crowd. Here’s a quick rundown of what players can expect:
- Free Pass Rewards: Two skins per Act, for a total of 12 skins per year. One of those skins will be a unique Seasonal skin, and the other 1350 RP skin is random.
- Paid Pass Rewards: Additional rewards, including thematic skins, Prestige skins, and more.
Many are upset about the removal of mastery chests. In the old system, players could earn up to 93 chests per year through great gameplay. These chests would often dispense skin shards that could be crafted using Orange Essence. Now, players are locked into a set number of skins and have much fewer customization options.
Many feel Riot is being dishonest about the reasons behind the change. As one player said: “Riot is always spinning these changes as quality-of-life things, but we’re literally getting less for the same amount of work.”
F2P Is Broken
The reward changes have also left the F2P crowd feeling frustrated and without direction. With fewer ways to get meaningful cosmetics and the removal of mastery chests and tokens, the ability to earn high-end skins like Legendaries and Ultimates is all but gone. Many feel this is a huge step backward and a complete reversal of the sense of progression and agency previous systems provided.
The lack of crafting materials and emphasis on fixed rewards is also a problem. Many players enjoyed rerolling shards or saving up for a skin they wanted. That flexibility is gone, and one disappointed community member said: “Hextech Chests weren’t perfect, but they gave f2p a chance. This system has no chance for us.”
Paid Pass Is a Bust
Even players who plan on buying the Battle Pass are unhappy with the changes. In the old system, players could grind tokens to earn more orbs and increase their chances of getting the cosmetics they wanted. Now, rewards are capped, and the value of the paid pass is much lower than similar systems in other games.
Fortnite’s Battle Pass is a popular example, and for good reason. In Fortnite, dedicated players can earn enough of the game’s premium currency to buy next season’s pass. This gives them something to work toward and provides a sense of progression. League’s system offers nothing similar, and one player said: “It’s amazing how Riot completely ignores the key to successful battle passes in other games. Other games reward your time; Riot just wants your money.”
The Broader Community Is Divided
The larger League community is divided on these changes. Some players are excited about the narrative potential of Seasons, while others hate the focus on lore and feel it’s at the expense of what made League great. This frustration is amplified by Riot’s framing of these changes as quality-of-life updates, which many feel is dishonest.
One Redditor summed it up: “Riot always touted itself as a player-focused company, but these changes reveal that it’s all about the money. It feels like they’re milking us dry while telling us it’s for our own good.”
League’s Uncertain Future
As Riot Games moves League of Legends forward into this new era, the tough part is finding a way to balance the competing demands of its player base. Seasons and the new reward systems are a huge step forward, but they’ve also driven a large portion of the community away.
If Riot can address these concerns—perhaps by adding back in some of the flexibility of old systems or increasing the value of free and paid rewards—it might be able to win back some of that trust. As it stands, however, the 2025 updates are a harsh reminder that even the most popular games need to tread carefully when messing with the things players care about most.
Regardless of how you feel about the recent changes, one truth remains: League of Legends is an incredibly engaging game. Whether you’re climbing the ranked ladder to Diamond or bashing your head against the Iron queue, there’s just something about League that keeps you coming back. Some people are even ready to spend big bucks on Diamond LoL accounts to have a better start at the brink of the new season.
Even if you’re upset about the reward and monetization changes, many players are still willing to spend time and money climbing the ranked ladder and exploring whatever new things each Season brings. As Riot charges forward into League’s future, the game’s inherent addictiveness is a guarantee it will remain a staple in many players’ diets for years to come.
