Now, let’s take the road back on the story of how League of Legends Challenger Jacket suddenly ends. They first introduced this back in 2016, which was immediately loved by many of the players for prestige. Yet a few years later, they decided to discontinue this special reward that most eyed for.
The Birth of Physical Rewards for Challenger Players
So how did this one really begin for League of Legends? 2016 has been special for their community since Riot Games implemented a new reward approach. What they did at that time was to incentivize the players in the highest ranks of League of Legends.
Instead of distributing in-game rewards like skins and such, they came up with physical rewards. It is mainly for those players that worked hard and achieved their Challenger status until the end of the season. The center of attention in all rewards was Riot’s exclusive Challenger jacket.
Not only that, it is also accompanied by a special 2016 Challenger Collector’s Medallion. However, this medallion is only for those that succeed in entering the top 10 players in the solo queue.
The Challenger Jacket’s Fall from Grace
But where did it go wrong for the League of Legends Challenger jacket? Simply put, its value quickly decreases after sales emerge on shopping sites like eBay. This made the hype die down since it became easily available.
Some players that received the exclusive reward listed up the exclusive reward for sale on eBay. The prices even went up to $500, which many found absurd in amount. So the commercialization of the reward system spoils everything for the community.
It diminishes its value to recognize the player’s achievement and dedication. Moreover, they also receive complaints about the quality of the jacket reward. According to these reports, it did not meet their expectations after the questionable quality. This instance led to some instantly reselling these items on second-hand selling platforms.
With these, Riot thought to reevaluate the program and eventually came to the conclusion of halting these incentives.
The Final Days of Physical Rewards
However, the jacket wasn’t really the last physical reward that Riot Games distributed. In 2018, they still had this special Challenger backpack as a last attempt at this program. Its design is comparable to the aesthetic of the 2016 jacket, to keep the same prestige.
On its distribution, they also try their best to address the previous issues they encounter. Yet in 2019, they officially announced the discontinuation of the physical rewards program in their community. The Challenger players can no longer get these since they also made changes in the ranked system and number of Challengers.
Despite the program only lasting for three years, it still created an impression on the League of Legends community.
Why Riot Ultimately Pulled the Plug
What really made Riot tell the game’s over for League of Legends physical rewards like jackets? One of them being the shipping logistics of the exclusive items, which can cost a lot. There were approximately 200 players across multiple regions that received the exclusive rewards. This alone serves as an operational challenge to the sustainability of the reward program.
Then comes the devaluation of League of Legends Challenger jackets from prestigious items to commercial goods. Instead of celebrating the win, players find it as another item to trade off on platforms like a marketplace.
Also, as they have emphasized before, the ranked system. Since they change the ranked system and Challenger tier, it’ll be more difficult to determine eligibility for the reward.
Conclusion
The League of Legends Challenger jacket is one of the iconic items to come, despite some of its launch failures. These special items definitely switched on the competitiveness of the players as well as their interest. Now, if given the chance, would you like to have physical rewards back?
