Incorrect "Last Edited" Date
We are currently experiencing a bug that may erroneously list the "last edited" date for this and other Player Support articles as "today." In truth, this article has not been changed for over four years. We apologize for the confusion and are working to fix this issue.
Riot's Stance
No software should interfere directly with the in-game player experience, from when you press “Play” to the end-of-game screen.
Competitive games work because each player is afforded the same amount of information about the game and other players. Third-party applications are programs or files that aren’t part of League of Legends. Applications we take issue with are those which impede the competitive nature of League of Legends.
We don’t like applications that provide measurable player advantage. We’d like to set fair expectations by calling out some features that definitely aren’t okay. Some examples of measurable player advantage:
- Exposing information that’s intentionally obfuscated (cooldowns or timers)
- Taking actions on your behalf (botting or scripting)
- Drawing conclusions for you (predicting enemy positions)
- Altering your field of intelligence (zoomhacks or global ult alerts)
Custom Champion Models and Artwork
For now, custom models and artwork sit firmly in the “use-at-your-own-risk” category, but we’re keeping an eye on them. We can’t optimize for assets we don’t develop, and if they do become a concern for any reason in the future (ie. they provide measurable player advantage), we’ll take action based on the stance we just laid out.
Gray areas aside, there are definitely applications which are just not okay, and while the number of players in this space are very low (think a fraction of a percentage), we remain vigilant and hand out punishments to those who show patterns of consistent abuse.
We reserve the right to take action against applications that allow the use of our assets for free (often referred to as skin hacks).
Detection
We want to share the thinking behind our detection process and the care we take in maintaining accuracy. While we can’t reveal the specifics, we can say with confidence that we’re looking at the right data and maintain a strong commitment to accuracy.
First, we look at each individual’s playstyle and performance history, and examine reports that come in through the in-game reporting system. Suspicious accounts are then queued up for review and, if found guilty, punished.
Punishments
Suspensions for the use of third-party applications can vary in length depending on the severity of the offense, up to a permanent suspension for consistent, blatant use. If these applications were used to gain rating in ranked, we may also remove the account’s ranked rewards for the season.
Guideline for using Third-Party Applications
Some third-party applications offer multiple services, some of which may fall within acceptable territory. If that application offers any unauthorized services, using it at all will still result in the loss of your account.
Because there are so many third parties working on League applications, we can’t continually audit and approve applications that may be safe to use. That’s why we offer the guideline above: if it directly impacts gameplay in any way, it’s not acceptable. If you have any concern that an application might fall under this umbrella, better to be safe and not use it.