Riot Games launches Season 2023 cinematic to fan backlash

Riot Games kicked off their thirteenth competitive season with what should have been an exciting annual tradition, but instead the Season 2023 cinematic triggered immediate and widespread community disapproval. Players quickly identified what appeared to be a significant reduction in production values compared to previous years.

League of Legends enthusiasts have grown to expect exceptionally polished cinematic experiences that showcase the rich universe of Runeterra and its ongoing narratives during each seasonal launch. This expectation became established practice starting in 2018, when Riot intensified their efforts to build out the game’s fictional world and character development through these visual showcases. The current year’s offering clearly missed the mark in this crucial area, leaving the player base deeply frustrated by the unexpected quality regression.

Season 2023 Cinematic: A Departure from Excellence

The Season 13 cinematic represented a noticeable deviation from Riot Games’ renowned high-quality production standards and their established formula of featuring champions within the game world. Titled ‘The Brink of Infinity,’ this year’s presentation remarkably excluded every playable character from making any appearance, nor did it situate itself within the familiar Runeterra setting. Instead, viewers experienced a deliberately paced, sweeping camera movement traversing Summoner’s Rift accompanied by motivational narration discussing overcoming obstacles and other broadly inspirational messages.

As the viewpoint progresses toward the Baron Nashor arena, the sequence abruptly concludes without resolution. The complete absence of recognizable champions, notable events within the game universe, or any familiar characters transforms the experience into merely a slow traversal through Summoner’s Rift culminating in a screen fade to black. League of Legends community members expressed significant dissatisfaction, communicating their frustration extensively through various social media channels.

The YouTube upload accumulated substantially more dislikes than positive reactions, with comment sections clearly indicating that players rejected Riot Games’ attempt to present what many perceived as essentially a map terrain technology demonstration masquerading as the anticipated seasonal cinematic experience. The glaring omission of League of Legends’ iconic roster prompted community members to humorously suggest that stealth-based champions like Akshan, Twitch, Evelynn, and similar characters actually featured throughout the cinematic, just permanently invisible throughout the duration.

Community Backlash: From Casual Players to Content Creators

Regular community members weren’t alone in their disappointment with Riot Games’ choice to release such a minimalist cinematic presentation. Prominent League of Legends lore expert Necrit published analytical content expressing his frustration with the developer’s abandonment of their previously successful approach. Mere hours following the video’s publication, the three most popular discussion threads within the League of Legends subreddit all addressed player disappointment with the cinematic, concerns that Riot Games might be deprioritizing League of Legends development, and general anxiety about the apparent reduction in developer attention.

Numerous community members anticipated a cinematic centered around the Darkin narrative arc, portraying the corrupted celestial warriors engaging in combat with equally powerful champions throughout Runeterra. Instead, receiving what amounted to a relaxed aerial tour of the game map they’ve experienced through countless matches represented precisely what they hoped to avoid. Combined with the LCS schedule transition to weekday broadcasts, reduced frequency of Visual Gameplay Updates, and absence of announced upcoming events for 2023, players expressed growing concerns that their preferred game might be receiving diminished support in favor of competing development initiatives including Valorant, Project L, and the forthcoming Runeterra MMO. This convergence of factors suggests a potential strategic shift in Riot’s resource allocation that warrants monitoring by dedicated players.

No reproduction without permission：Games Guides Website » Riot Games launches Season 2023 cinematic to fan backlash Analyzing Riot Games' controversial Season 13 cinematic and the community backlash it generated