Riot Games will ban content creators for comments outside of the game

From January 3, 2025, Riot Games will enforce their behavior around their games more strictly: they can now be banned for statements that content creators make outside of their game. This applies to statements they make, for example, in the flow of the game, without communicating in the game.

Riot Games reports this the official Valorant YouTube channel. In it, studio head Anna Donlon discusses the current situation, saying that misconduct outside of in-game communication will also be enforced. This mostly applies to threats, discrimination and other insults that are thrown around in an intense game of Valorant. The rule applies from 3 January 2025.

In the rules that all players must agree to, a new clause has been added that explains the new rule. It’s simple language: if you make hateful statements towards another player on your stream or in your video, they can hold you just as accountable for it as you do in the game, leading to a penalty such as a temporary or permanent ban.

Although the new rule has been shared on Valorant’s channels, it has always been clearly stated that it relates to behavior in ‘Riot games’ – it is not yet clear if this will be placed the action strictly in League of Legends. However, if the Guardian makes its best guess, it is highly suspected that this will apply to all games from the developer from January 3rd.

De Wacht believes that it is almost childish that this should be dealt with in this way by Riot Games, but he understands the need very well. If you belong to the small group that wants people dead online, the Guard would like to remind you, even Gandalf is sure that was never the intention (from 01:06). Well, and if you don’t even follow Gandalf’s advice, the Guard will be lost.