Normal and ranked games have become so exhausting for League of Legends players that many are now ditching the Summoner’s Rift for less stressful game modes like the Howling Abyss (ARAM), Swarm, Arena, and even League-adjacent Teamfight Tactics.
The toxicity in League has always been one of the biggest downsides of playing normals and ranked games. As the years wear on, players have grown tired of the constant battle that is ranked and are opting to enjoy—as many agreed today—the pure chaos that is ARAM, while others are embracing League’s other modes.
Seeing as they’re permanent modes, ARAM and TFT have become what players called “the retirement home” for League players. These modes are generally less stressful and toxic and can be a lot of fun for such quick modes. And, as many players pointed out, some are at the stage in their lives where they only have enough time for a few ARAMs and simply can’t make time for competitive grinds anymore.
On top of these evergreen modes, Riot Games has been steadily introducing new ones as well, including Arena and Swarm, to reduce staleness in the world of Runeterra again.
These modes in particular have been absolute hits among players, with many claiming they “haven’t had so much fun” in a long time. The resounding enthusiasm and the hype of these modes have shown Riot there’s a thriving, casual community that desperately wants something other than League ranked to play; which is why the game’s development team is already looking at building even more game modes in the near future.
These other modes might not be permanent like ARAM, but their success is a clear indicator many long-time players are burning out on League’s competitive five-vs-five map and are now looking for more casual modes to play.
For now though, we only have until Aug. 19 to enjoy Swarm. The Arena playlist won’t last much longer either, with it’s latest run expected to end in mid-September.
