Riot-created pro player accounts to be disabled after unfair MMR gains

Professional competitors and League Partner Programme content creators frequently receive specialized accounts directly from Riot Games. However, abnormal LP acquisition rates detected since Season 11’s commencement prompted immediate administrative action. The development team identified irregular matchmaking rating advantages that compromised ladder competitiveness.

These specially provisioned accounts typically initialize with Diamond-tier MMR positioning, enabling established professionals to accelerate their climb without resorting to traditional smurfing tactics. Veteran high-tier competitors observed numerous top-ranked profiles were Riot-distributed, maintaining elevated standings despite displaying comparable victory percentages to regular accounts.

Former EU LCS champion and elite streamer Mike “Wickd” Petersen conducted extensive research on this phenomenon. His comparative analysis between official Riot accounts and standard profiles revealed significant discrepancies, noting that “Riot accounts appear to provide approximately 500+ LP advantages relative to actual skill calibration.”

Was bored and checked the entire top 50 Ladder and looked at the Accounts that I think are new Riot Accounts.

They’re definitely new accounts.

I also looked further down in Challenger and it only gets worse. I have found plenty of Diamond players in Challenger.
pic.twitter.com/eLBak3d4DO

— Wickd (@Wickdlol)
February 21, 2021

Wickd’s methodology involved systematic examination of the top 50 ranked positions, identifying patterns suggesting artificially inflated progression. His investigation extended deeper into Challenger tier, uncovering multiple Diamond-caliber players occupying positions typically reserved for elite competitors.

The core issue stemmed from miscalibrated LP gains that failed to properly adjust based on performance metrics. Unlike standard accounts where LP acquisition slows as players approach their skill ceiling, affected Riot accounts continued receiving maximum LP rewards regardless of winrate consistency or opponent difficulty.

This created a cascading effect where the ranked ladder’s upper echelons became populated with players whose demonstrated ability didn’t match their standing. The system failed to self-correct, allowing these accounts to maintain artificially high positions that distorted competitive representation.

Riot-created accounts to be disabled in quick update

Riot Games implemented emergency measures through a mid-patch update to version 11.5, announcing immediate disabling of all affected accounts. These profiles will undergo natural decay processes, gradually falling from high-elo tiers as their inactivity affects standing.

The corrective action specifically targets accounts generated after January 7th, coinciding with Season 11’s launch on January 8th. While the technical root cause remains undisclosed, Riot acknowledged the bug “created unfair competitive advantages for professionals over standard players in reaching ladder summit positions.”

This official confirmation validated community suspicions that many top-ranked accounts wouldn’t have achieved equivalent standings using conventional profiles. The incident highlights the delicate balance between facilitating professional play and maintaining equitable competitive environments for all participants.

Why does Riot give pros new accounts?

When elite competitors require fresh climbing profiles, Riot typically supplies pre-configured accounts beginning with enhanced Diamond MMR ratings. This strategic approach enables accelerated progression to upper ladder tiers, authorized based on demonstrated historical performance at equivalent skill levels.

The system serves dual purposes: conserving valuable practice time for professionals while protecting lower-ranked communities from unbalanced matchmaking experiences. Without this system, professionals creating new accounts would inevitably dominate beginner and intermediate games during their climb, creating negative experiences for developing players.

Properly calibrated Riot accounts should theoretically reach equilibrium at their appropriate skill brackets faster than standard accounts. However, the recent bug disrupted this delicate calibration, creating permanent advantages rather than temporary acceleration.

This account distribution program represents Riot’s commitment to maintaining competitive integrity at all skill levels while supporting professional player development needs.

The recent incident exposed critical vulnerabilities in Riot’s ranked system architecture. While the immediate issue involved miscalibrated LP gains, the broader implications concern verification systems for special account types and their integration with standard matchmaking algorithms.

Future prevention measures likely include enhanced monitoring of LP acquisition patterns for Riot-distributed accounts and stricter calibration validation during account initialization. The development team must balance accessibility for professionals with preservation of competitive fairness for the entire player base.

For players looking to improve their competitive performance, understanding proper account progression is crucial. Our Complete Guide offers comprehensive strategies for ranked improvement that work within the intended system parameters.

Similarly, weapon mastery plays a significant role in competitive success. The Weapons Unlock guide provides essential information for optimizing your loadouts. Combined with effective Class Guide strategies, players can develop well-rounded approaches to ranked competition that don’t rely on system exploits or artificial advantages.

No reproduction without permission：Game Guides Online » Riot-created pro player accounts to be disabled after unfair MMR gains Understanding Riot's account system for pros and the recent MMR bug that disrupted competitive integrity