Riot Games Updates Policy To Issue Penalties For Hateful Speech Outside Of In-Game Comms

Riot Games is upping the game to keep games more peaceful with players. I’m sure you have heard your share of hateful comments in-game. It can be easy to ignore for some, while others are hurt by what was said. As a result, we’ve seen more focus over the years to penalize those sharing hateful speech and content in-game. But it looks like Riot Games is trying to make their content friendlier whether you’re playing the game or watching a stream.

Thanks to Valorant News on X, we’ve learned that Riot Games is adjusting its conduct and ToS policy. Before, players caught using hateful speech in-game were penalized, or players could report the player after matches. But that’s not the case for what is said off comms. On the likes of streaming platforms, those who say something hurtful off comms but on a stream or video could actually not get the same punishment as if you were speaking in-game comms.

It’s noted that this is only for content where Riot Games is in the background of the content produced. While Riot Games is trying to reduce the amount of hateful content, it’s noted that not everything can be monitored. So there’s no telling just how much of an impact this could make compared to the speech said in-game. Regardless, this is a warning to those who might say something hurtful on streams or in their video uploads.

The new policy will be implemented soon. Players will find that it officially takes effect on January 3, 2025. It will be interesting to see if other studios opt for a similar policy in the future.