Riot’s nonchalant attitude towards smurfing in VALORANT has drawn criticism once again, this time for discouraging a harmless account giveaway. Popular YouTuber WestJett announced his plan to give away his valuable account through a raffle, with all proceeds going to charity. However, Riot Support reminded him that account transfers violate the Terms of Service and could result in a ban. This sparked outrage among players who feel that Riot is prioritizing minor infractions while ignoring the rampant issue of account-selling websites and popular content creators who openly smurf in low Elo lobbies.
In a follow-up video, WestJett called out Riot for its hypocrisy, pointing out that while his charity raffle is deemed against the rules, hundreds of account-selling websites are easily accessible on Google. He also accused Riot of protecting popular content creators who engage in smurfing. The community, tired of facing smurfs in their games, rallied behind WestJett’s criticism.
A Reddit post further highlighted Riot’s biased approach to account buying and selling. The user questioned whether Riot lacks the resources or technology to address this issue, as account sellers and users seem to go unpunished. They also raised concerns about Radiant players in Bronze, suggesting that they either bought the account or intentionally threw matches to lower their rank, both of which should warrant a ban.
Players expressed frustration with Riot’s alleged hypocrisy, questioning whether breaking the Terms of Service is acceptable as long as it remains discreet and profitable for Riot. The post received numerous comments from players who are fed up with Riot’s handling of the smurfing problem.
VALORANT’s ranked ladder is plagued with issues that negatively impact the player experience, but smurfing is particularly detested. While it may be challenging to completely eradicate smurfing and account-selling, Riot’s inconsistent treatment of the issue only exacerbates the problem.
It seems that smurfs in VALORANT will continue to be a persistent issue until Riot takes more decisive action.
Table: Riot Faces Backlash for Discouraging Account Giveaway
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Sept. 8, 2023 | WestJett announces plan to give away his VALORANT account through a charity raffle |
| Sept. 8, 2023 | Riot Support reminds WestJett that account transfers violate the Terms of Service |
| Sept. 13, 2023 | A Reddit post highlights Riot’s biased approach to account buying and selling |
Source: DOTESPORTS
