League of Legends Cracks Down on Smurfs
Riot Games has outlined new measures to address smurfing in League of Legends, aiming to reduce unfair advantages in competitive play. The updated policy focuses on activities such as account boosting, intentional deranking, and other behaviors that disrupt matchmaking balance.
Developers also addressed long-standing ambiguities around alternate accounts, clarifying how these rules apply to different forms of account use. These changes are part of a broader effort to maintain fair competition and improve the overall player experience.
League of Legends targets smurfing and automated accounts
Riot Games is implementing stricter measures in 2025 to address smurfing, account boosting, and the use of bot accounts. These actions aim to reduce disruptive behavior and improve match quality. Enforcement will focus on players who create alternate accounts to gain unfair advantages or bypass penalties.
Key updates include:
- Enhanced detection systems in Patch 25.18 to identify suspicious activity faster.
- Vanguard security improvements to combat automation and unauthorized account use.
- True Skill 2 (TS2) matchmaking updates for more accurate player placement.
The TS2 system has already shown measurable results:
| Metric | Before TS2 | With TS2 |
|---|---|---|
| Matches to correct skill placement | ~15 | ~5 |
Testing began in North America and later expanded to unranked queues in Korea. By identifying player skill more quickly, high-level players are matched with appropriate opponents sooner, limiting the impact of smurf accounts on lower-ranked games. These changes are designed to make competitive play more consistent and fair.
Understanding Smurfing in League of Legends
In League of Legends, smurfing refers to experienced players using alternate accounts, often at lower matchmaking ratings, to compete against less-skilled opponents. This can occur for various reasons, but it often disrupts fair matchmaking.
Common related practices include:
| Term | Description |
|---|---|
| Boosting | Playing on another person’s account to raise its matchmaking rating (MMR). |
| Hitchhiking | Queuing with a higher-skilled player, often a booster, to gain rank faster. |
| Purchased/Botted Accounts | Accounts obtained through buying or automated leveling, which break the game’s terms of service. |
Creating an alternate account for personal use is not automatically against the rules. However, deliberately lowering its rank or using it to dominate lower-skill matches is discouraged. Riot Games continues to refine systems to place such accounts at an appropriate skill level, aiming to reduce mismatched games and maintain competitive balance.
