Riot Games Changing Champions Queue After Criticism
With Worlds 2022 already in action, the North American Champions Queue has regained some attention. Big streamers, like Nemesis, have had some issues with the newly reintroduced Champions Queue, but it now looks like Riot is finally addressing the problem.
We are already done with the first stage of the League of Legends World Championship, the Play-In Stage. Since Worlds 2022 started, Riot Games decided to reintroduce the Champions Queue. Even though it gained a lot of hype, some players were still not happy...
But what is the Champions Queue all about, which problems is it having this time, and what is Riot doing to fix it? Let’s take a look at it together.
What is Champions Queue?
We have probably all heard about the Champions Queue at this point. But if you, for some reason, haven’t, we got you covered. So, the Champions queue is a “competitive matchmaking experience open for top NA players.”
The matchmaking system launched in February 2022 and was the next big thing in the NA servers. The queue would be for players focusing on tryharding the meta and drafts. The Champions Queue would also allow players to play on low ping and using voice comms.
Even though many professional players were excited about the new competitive matchmaking system, the Champions Queue did not live up to its hype, and NA players stopped playing it. This resulted in ridiculously long queue times and generally a bad time for everyone.
As a result, the matchmaking system has been pretty much dead since its release and was even disabled for a while before being finally reintroduced again for Worlds 2022.
During the ongoing Worlds Championship, the Champions Queue regained a lot of traffic, and players started to show some previously lost interest. But this time, the Champions Queue is facing other issues. So let's take a look at them.
What Criticism Did Riot Get this Time?
One of the main points of criticism came from the former Fnatic mid laner, Nemesis. Nemesis is now a content creator for Gen.G, LCK's current top team, and he wanted to join his team in New York to play in the Champions Queue.
Unfortunately for Nemesis, it was just to unpack his luggage for NYC. Just before traveling, Riot Games told him he would not be able to participate in the Champions Queue.
- Want to read more about the problems of Champions Queue? Click here
As a result, Nemesis came out with a video talking about Riot Games’ missed opportunity when disallowing pro players not in the LCS to join the fun. He thought it strange that one-trick sub players could join the queue that was supposed to match a pro-playing environment, whereas actual professional players from other regions could not.
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Riot Games Changes Player Criteria
After the criticism from the players and content creators not being able to attend the Champions Queue, Riot Games will now expand the access while adding more criteria on who can join.
With the new changes, in order to join the Worlds Champions Queue, you have to be either a:
- Competing Worlds Player
- Bootcamping Player from an Active Roster in a Worlds-Qualifying League
- A former pro player from a Worlds Qualifying League (Ex: LCS, LEC, LCK, etc.)
- A former player from LCS Academy
In addition to these qualifying requirements, Riot Games also added some new criteria to make the Champions Queue as close to professional play as possible:
- Reached Challenger in Solo Queue this season
- Located in North America
- Approved by the CQ Council after a thorough review
With these updated Champions Queue requirements, Nemesis could travel to New York and join the fun. But, of course, that is if he still wants to...
In addition, coaches, retired pro players turned casters (Caedrel), and LCS Academy players will be able to join if the CQ Council approves them.