What could be more controversial than WASD?
The one feature League never had. Will this be the biggest change ever?
Now On PBE
The YouTube channel SkinSpotlights has found the settings to activate voice chat on the test server, and some content creators have apparently already been able to try it out. The new feature comes as a surprise, as the idea of voice chat has been hotly debated for many years. Unfortunately, we don't know any more about Riot's intentions to launch the feature, as they have not yet commented on it.
League and Voice Chat?
First, it must be said that voice chat has been around for a while. However, it wasn't with your random teammates, but only with your friends who you started the game with. But why was there never any REAL voice chat? Back when the client looked a little different and there were a variety of third-party programs that gave you a few quality-of-life features, there was already a program called Curse Voice that allowed you to join a group call directly from the champion selection screen. However, with a change in attitude towards client plugins, Curse Voice has fallen into obscurity.
Years ago, Reddit claimed that the reason for no official voice chat was the general toxicity in League. This is not unlikely, as many gamers agree that it is the game with the meanest player base. Reddit threads from several years ago also claim that Riot has already conducted surveys that showed that the majority of players do not want voice chat at all.
The Community's Reaction
Understandably, players are divided over such a major change. Shortly after the news became public, Reddit was flooded with threads either asking why voice chat was being rejected or expressing skepticism about the new feature.
As a female jungler, I'm worried about voice chat being added
by u/setaphil in leagueoflegends
The top Reddit thread comes from a female player who plays jungle, of all things, and is therefore understandably doubly concerned about voice chat. Jungle is a role that is often blamed for defeat anyway, and the concern about misogynistic comments is justified: 87% of players identify as male, and female players can often tell tales of insults in voice chat in other games.
In Valorant, Riot's hero shooter, several studies (including one on ResearchGate) have been conducted on sexism in online games. These highlight what many female players experience on a regular basis: not only verbal hostility, but also deliberate disruption of their gameplay.
An "Optional" Feature?
One argument that is repeatedly put forward in favor of voice chat is its voluntary nature. However, this assumption is deceptive, as the more competitive the game becomes, the less voluntary the feature is. In a Reddit thread asking why players don't want voice chat, one answer is described as the most objective and generally best explanation. Reddit user JispGames explains:
1. When added, the game is now balanced around voice chat usage. Not using it hurts your chances of winning by a non-zero amount. Some people enjoy focusing on themselves in a game of soloq or listening to music. They don't want to have the official disadvantage of not using voice. There are also other ways to enjoy comms, like premade 5v5 and recreational tournaments.
2. The level of toxicity in other competitive games with voice chat is unacceptable. This one I understand both sides of. It sounds like you accept the level of toxicity that other competitive voice chat can bring, but not everyone agrees. Also, this toxicity disproportionately hurts women and queer people who are targeted higher in gaming spaces.
Voice chat is therefore expected when you have a team that wants to win. This assumption is by no means unfounded, as other Reddit users report the same problem in other games.
My own experience matches that of other players in the comments section. For me, it was almost impossible to continue enjoying competitive mode in Overwatch because insults and blame based on my gender became overwhelming. It didn't matter if I was the best player on the team; in the end, we lost because I'm a woman. League of Legends is a safe space for me where I can communicate with pings without being at a disadvantage. And yet, out of fear, I never let anyone know that I am female.
What Are Riot Games' Intentions?
Some speculate that the reason for this massive but sudden change could be Discord's new guidelines. Discord recently announced a measure to protect minors, which allows you to confirm that you are of legal age using AI-powered facial recognition or your ID. Massive resistance could be the reason for the alternative in the game itself.
Others think that's nonsense, because such a big change must have been planned for a long time. They believe it's a ploy by Riot to attract new players. However, since we know from statistics that the majority of players are veterans who have been playing for a long time, it remains to be seen how voice chat could completely transform the game.