'League of Legends': Developer Blames Brexit for Riot Points Price Increase in UK
The prices of the in-game currency in "League of Legends" will increase for players in the United Kingdom, and developers are blaming Brexit for it.
"League of Legends" is one of the most successful multiplayer online games worldwide. Though it is a free-to-play title, players will need to pay for in-game contents with the game's currency called Riot Points. These items add power to their character, thus giving them more chances to advance.
"League of Legends" was developed and published by Riot Games. A few days ago, it posted a statement which explained that Brexit caused the value of the pound sterling to drop compared to other currencies, especially with the U.S. dollar.
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Last year, the British government initiated a referendum on whether or not the United Kingdom should leave the European Union. A majority of the voters - 51.89 percent - chose to leave the EU, which then greatly affected the country's economy.
Riot Games added: "This change meant that while UK players were spending the same number of pounds on RP as before, players elsewhere in the world were paying a lot more in comparison."
"It's been over a year now and we feel we've reached the point where a price change is necessary to restore parity," said Riot Games.
With the current price, players in the U.K. were virtually getting a discount compared to those paying in other currencies, especially in North America. For example, for 10 pound sterlings (around $12), players in the U.K. gained 1,650 RP. Meanwhile, players in the U.S. could only get 1,380 RP with $10 — the minimum purchase available.
The discrepancies showed that the current pricing, especially in the U.K., somehow entitled them to buy more RPs for a lesser amount when converted to U.S. dollars.
To "restore balance in RP pricing around the world," starting Tuesday, July 25, at 11:59 p.m. British Standard Time, prices of Riot Points will increase by 20 percent. However, the developer assured players that purchases made before the given time will not be affected in any way.
Riot Games is also removing the option for U.K. players to buy RPs for two sterling pounds since their data showed there were very few gamers purchasing at that price point. The developers will also introduce a new purchasing tier of 15 sterling pounds for 2,525 RP.
The developer also revealed that as a company, they have been monitoring the changes in the U.K. pound value for several months prior to arriving at a decision to charge U.K.-based players more.
