Hey there, summoner! Have you been wondering about the big change that hit the Rift recently? The one that brought a new, powerful guardian to your PC? You've heard the whispers, seen the discussions, and maybe even had a few of your own friends disappear from your ranked queue. We're talking, of course, about the implementation of Riot Vanguard in League of Legends.
It’s the question on everyone’s mind: How many people actually quit League of Legends after Vanguard? This is a complex topic, and getting a clear-cut number is like trying to land a perfect Zed ult – difficult, and the results can be a bit messy. But let's break it down and see what the data and community sentiment tell us.
Step 1: Understanding the Vanguard Impact
First things first, let’s get on the same page. Do you know what Vanguard is and why it's such a big deal? If not, no worries! Let's explore its purpose and the reasons behind the community's strong reactions.
What is Riot Vanguard?
Riot Vanguard is Riot Games' custom-built anti-cheat software. It's a kernel-level program, which means it runs with a very high level of access to your computer's operating system. Think of it as a super-powered security guard for your PC, but one that's on duty 24/7 as long as you have the Riot Client installed, not just when you're playing League. This deep access allows it to monitor for and prevent cheating in real-time, making it incredibly effective at catching scripters, botters, and other nefarious players.
Why the Controversy?
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The main points of contention for players revolved around a few key issues:
Privacy Concerns: The kernel-level access raised major concerns for many. It was a significant leap in the level of control a game company had over a user's machine, leading to fears of data collection and privacy infringement.
Performance Issues: For some players, Vanguard caused performance issues, including a drop in frame rates, stuttering, and even conflicts with other software. This was a particularly frustrating experience for players with older or less powerful PCs.
The "Always On" Nature: The fact that Vanguard runs from system startup and is active even when you're not playing a Riot game was a deal-breaker for many. They felt it was an unnecessary and invasive intrusion on their system resources.
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| How Many People Quit League After Vanguard |
Step 2: Analyzing the Data (Or Lack Thereof)
So, with those concerns in mind, let’s talk numbers. This is where it gets a little murky. Riot Games, like most game developers, doesn't release precise, daily player count data. We have to rely on a combination of official statements, third-party tracking websites, and anecdotal evidence from the community.
The Riot Games Perspective:
Riot has been pretty transparent about Vanguard's effectiveness. They've stated that since its implementation, they have seen a significant drop in the number of scripters and botting activity. One developer post even mentioned that their Ranked scripting rate fell below 1% for the first time in nearly four years. They also stated they've banned over 175,000 accounts for cheating and cleaned up 3.5 million bot accounts since the release. This is a huge win for competitive integrity. From their perspective, the trade-off is worth it to create a fairer playing environment.
The Third-Party Perspective:
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Looking at data from tracking websites can be insightful, but it's important to remember they are estimates. Here's what we can see from various sources:
Player Count Fluctuations: League of Legends' monthly active users have seen a downward trend in 2024 and 2025. While it's difficult to attribute this solely to Vanguard, it's a notable trend. For example, some sources report a drop from ~143 million users to ~128 million in the months surrounding Vanguard's announcement and release.
A Significant Drop on Release Day: There are anecdotal reports and some community claims that on the day Vanguard was made mandatory (April 11, 2024), there was a sharp drop in concurrent players. One Reddit user claimed to have seen a drop of 22 million players on the day of release, from 144 million to 122 million. While this number is debated and likely includes bot accounts, it paints a picture of a notable exodus, even if temporary.
The Community Perspective:
This is where the anecdotal evidence is strongest. You can find countless threads and posts on Reddit, Twitter, and other forums with players detailing their reasons for quitting. Some common themes include:
"I've been playing for 10 years, but this is too much." Many long-time players, especially those with privacy concerns, felt this was the final straw.
"My PC can't handle it." A significant portion of players reported performance issues that made the game unplayable.
"I got a false positive ban." While Riot claims the false-positive rate is extremely low (sub 0.01%), for those who were affected, it was a frustrating and game-ending experience.
"I moved to another game like DOTA 2 or Smite." Players who were already on the fence about League's direction (e.g., skin prices, game balance) saw Vanguard as a good reason to switch to a competitor.
Step 3: Calculating the Quitting Player Base (The Impossible Task)
So, let's try to put a number on it. How many people quit?
A "Sizable" Number, Not a "Mass Exodus"
QuickTip: Focus on what feels most relevant.
Based on the available information, it's not a complete collapse of the player base. League of Legends still boasts an incredibly large player count, with over 100 million monthly users. However, it's clear that a significant and vocal minority has quit.
Riot's Banned Accounts: The 1.7 million banned accounts for cheating are a clear win for Riot, and these were players who were likely to be removed anyway.
The "Bot Purge": The 3.5 million bot accounts that were cleaned up also contribute to the player count drop, but these aren't "players" in the traditional sense.
The True Quitters: This is the hard part. The numbers from third-party sites show a decline. If we take the most cited figure, a drop from 143 million to 128 million, that's a 15 million user drop. While Vanguard is likely a contributing factor, it's important to note that the player base was already trending downwards. Other factors like the end of the "COVID boost," controversial skin prices, and game balance changes all played a role.
In conclusion, it's not a single number, but a combination of factors. It's safe to say that hundreds of thousands to a few million users, including bot accounts and genuine players, stopped playing for various reasons, with Vanguard being a major one for a portion of them. Riot has successfully reduced cheating, but it came at the cost of alienating a segment of their player base.
10 Related FAQ Questions
Here are some quick answers to common questions about Vanguard and League of Legends.
How to uninstall Riot Vanguard? You can uninstall Riot Vanguard just like any other program on your Windows PC through the "Apps & features" or "Add or remove programs" settings in the Control Panel. Remember, however, that you will not be able to launch League of Legends again until you reinstall it.
How to fix Vanguard issues in League of Legends? First, try restarting your PC and the Riot Client. If that doesn't work, you can try uninstalling and reinstalling both Vanguard and the game. For specific error codes (e.g., VAN 1, VAN 57), Riot Games has a dedicated support page with solutions.
QuickTip: Repetition reinforces learning.
How to check if Vanguard is running on my PC? Look for the Riot Vanguard icon in your system tray (the bottom-right corner of your taskbar). A small red icon with a "V" in it indicates that it's running.
How to temporarily disable Vanguard? You can right-click the Vanguard icon in your system tray and select "Exit Vanguard." However, you will need to restart your PC to play League of Legends again, as the game requires it to be running from system startup.
How to know if I'm banned by Vanguard? If you are banned by Vanguard, you will receive a specific error code or notification when you try to launch the game. A hardware ID ban (HWID ban) will prevent you from playing on that specific computer.
How to get a Vanguard false positive ban reversed? Riot Games states their false positive rate is extremely low. If you believe you were unfairly banned, you can submit a support ticket to Riot Games to appeal the decision.
How to avoid Vanguard conflicts with other software? Vanguard can sometimes conflict with other programs that require deep system access, like certain anti-virus software or RGB lighting programs. It's recommended to update all your drivers and software to the latest versions and to check for known conflicts online.
How to check if my PC meets Vanguard's requirements? Vanguard has specific system requirements, including the need for a 64-bit version of Windows and a compliant BIOS mode (UEFI) and TPM 2.0 on Windows 11. You can check these settings in your PC's system information.
How to play League of Legends without Vanguard? You cannot. As of April 11, 2024, Riot Vanguard is a mandatory requirement to play League of Legends.
How to improve game performance after installing Vanguard? If you're experiencing performance issues, ensure your graphics drivers are updated, close unnecessary background applications, and check your in-game settings to see if you can lower them to improve frame rates.
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