Catching Up With Riot

Riot has posted a handful of multimedia and not-exactly-game related news today, so I just wanted to give everyone a quick catch up. There is also a particular rumor floating around regarding a recent now hiring post and certain drama that unfolded last week, as well as a rumor about some upcoming changes to ranked queuing.

Also, I usually don't cover things like the Summoner Showcase but I have been getting an odd number of requests for me to repost them so why not wrap them up into a nice little package?

1) Inactive Summoner Names Cleared


Riot has finally completed its clear of inactive summoner names today. An official post on the matter assures us over 860,000 summoner names are now available for.. uh.. our naming pleasure. If you'd like to take advantage of these new names, be sure to check it out under the "other" tab in the store.

2) Matt Marcou is not fired.

It seems the general forums are buzzing with a rumor about the possible firing of Riot's E-sports manager Matt Marcou after Riot posted that they seeking an E-Sports Manager, Poor Matt has been facing a lot of criticism lately after the fiasco that was the WCG Qualifier and his brief appearance on last week's State of the League. In a reddit thread about the matter, Travis from State of the League ( by way of Rinoa ) confirmed that "Nothing has changed with Matt, they're just expanding their eSports department."

3) That Survey about Season 2 Ranked Is just that - A Survey.
Another sort of rumor that is floating around the general forums is that being able to queue with two players into the 5v5 Ranked Solo Queue is on its way out the door. This rumor originates from the survey above that myself, as well as many other summoners, recently received about season 2. Phreak stated the following on the forums in relation to the future of duoing:

"This is merely a question being asked. We often send out polls like these to gauge how much players would enjoy or dislike a potential upcoming feature.

Additionally, these types of polls are sent out in conjunction with other, similar questions. For example, while the question, "What if we removed duo queue?" is something you got, other players got a different set of questions with different circumstances for Ranked Games in Season Two. Again, this is to get a wide variety of opinions on a number of potential ideas.

Finally, I want to reiterate that this is not a certainty. This is a question being asked. This is something we're considering, and if player opinion is significantly in favor or opposed to it (or anything we ask about), we have a pretty obvious answer"

4) Harrowing Masquerade Contest Winners Posted


Riot's League of Legends costume contest has concluded and the winners. as well as the honorable mentions, have been posted.Each grand prize winner received a staggering 15,000 Riot Points and a pair of fashionable "gamer glasses". The honorable mentions ( all 21 of them )  will receive 4,000 Riot Points for their efforts and if they make it into the top 10, by way of a community vote entitled the Summoner's Choice, they will receive an additional 3,000 Riot Points and a $50 J!NX.com gift certificate.

I won't waste your time reposting every amazingly awesome Halloween costume, but I will post my favorite. I'm a sucker for the true underdog's of League combat - the minions!

You can check out the official mini site for the contest and peep all of the costumes here or vote for Summoner's Choice winners here.

5) Summoner Showcase #51 - The Spice of Life.

This week's display of League of Legends fan art and creativity includes a fan art of "Chameleon" Cho'Gath, an origami Skarner, a Lux fan art, a Teemo and Tristana Cake Centerpiece, a comic rendition of Ashe, a musical composition about the Fields of Justice, and a set of Mordekaiser and Urgot figurines.