Why Riot should never implement voice chat

5. Voice chat will enable ragers

The voice chat system would give a disproportionate amount of influence to pre-mades (in flexQ and normals) and duos in soloQ, as players are more likely to feel comfortable talking to a familiar voice than they would be interacting with all strangers. It can also create an echo-chamber effect where those players who queue together will force the others into following their call, even if it is incorrect. This reflects a lot of the concerns raised during the course of Season 6 when DynamicQ was prevalent; solo players argued that their influence in games was being overshadowed by teammates who queued together.

Voice chat would exacerbate that problem because the divide in influence would not just be between those in parties and solos, but also between aggressive personalities and more neutral/passive players. Players who are naturally talkative and aggressive will be able to take over lobbies, attempting to be the “shot caller” of their teammates.

In a purely solo game, one player stepping up to make calls can be beneficial if the rest of his team agrees and trusts him. If that player makes questionable calls, however, conflict can emerge if another teammate steps up to challenge him. When that conflict arises, the more aggressive/talkative player would likely lash out, which would discourage more reserved teammates, who might have more optimal calls, may not speak up for risk of being talked over or shouted down.

Even if a player doesn’t try to shot call for the rest of the team, if a player begins to rage in voice chat, it is difficult to mute or ignore him without the shot caller’s flow being interrupted. Even if every other player mutes him, the shot caller in voice will now have to take into account one player who will not be able to, or be willing to, follow his calls.