Key Highlights:
- Ability to honour opponents returning to League of Legends in September.
- Players will be able to honour multiple teammates in addition to opponents.
- Part of a larger overhaul of the game’s Honour system.
Riot Games has announced a significant update to League of Legends‘ Honour system, set to launch in September 2024.
The most notable change is the return of the ability to honour opponents, a feature that was removed from the game years ago.
As first noted by ComicBook, this announcement comes as part of Riot’s ongoing efforts to improve player interaction and reduce toxicity in one of the world’s most popular online games.
The return of opponent honouring was confirmed by Riot Games’ Andrei “Meddler” van Roon in a recent developer update video which can be viewed below:
This change addresses long-standing requests from the League of Legends community, who have been asking for the feature’s return since its removal.
In addition to honouring opponents, the update will allow players to honour multiple teammates after a match.
This is a significant shift from the current system, where players can only honour one teammate per game.
The ability to recognise more players per match aims to create a more positive gaming environment and encourage sportsmanlike behaviour.
Expanding the Honour System
Riot Games shared a work-in-progress image of the new post-game honour screen, which suggests players might be able to honour up to four players per match. However, the company noted that details could change before the final release.
These changes are part of a larger overhaul of the Honour system. Riot stated in a blog post:
“We’re making changes to the system that let players identify and reward others who are truly honorable, not just cracked at the game.”
This indicates a shift in focus from rewarding skilled play to encouraging positive behaviour and sportsmanship.
The original Honour system in LOL allowed players to give an “Honorable Opponent” status to enemies after a match. It was often used to recognise fair play, impressive performances, or friendly banter in All Chat during matches.
Addressing Toxicity and Community Impact
Its return, along with the ability to honour multiple players, represents a significant step in Riot’s ongoing efforts to combat toxicity in the game.
League of Legends has faced challenges with player behaviour since its inception, often being cited as having one of the most toxic gaming communities due to its team-reliant gameplay.
These upcoming changes to the Honour system are part of Riot’s broader strategy to improve the title’s social environment, which includes adjustments to “behavioural systems” and addressing longstanding issues like “stream sniping.”
While the full details of the Honour system overhaul are yet to be revealed, the community’s initial response to the announcement has been largely positive as you’d expect.
Many long-time players are excited about the return of a feature they fondly remember from the game’s earlier days.
These changes promise to not only recognise skilled play, particularly in ranked but also promote a more positive and respectful gaming environment.
Riot Games has indicated that more information about these updates will be shared in the coming weeks, giving players a clearer picture of what to expect when the new Honour system goes live.