Due to a new EU regulation, Riot must modify a popular champion in the game. Will the hero Gragas soon be drinking soda instead of beer?
It sounds like a belated April Fool’s joke, but it’s not. A Riot employee announced on Twitter a few days ago that adjustments to a champion were necessary to comply with EU youth protection guidelines. Specifically, it concerns Gragas’ ability to unlock special powers by drinking alcohol. Initially, Riot employee ‘Meddler’ announced that the term “drunk” had to be removed from Gragas’ abilities. As a result, the W ability “Drunken Rage” was temporarily removed from the game.
An update followed shortly thereafter. The term “drunk” can remain. Instead, only text passages describing that Gragas becomes stronger through his alcohol intoxication and empties a glass of beer must be removed. Adjustments to the official website are also planned. So, all clear. Gragas can continue to enjoy his beer and does not have to switch to soda.
Beer as the essence of life?
The announcement of the changes did not go down well with fans at first. After all, Gragas’ entire story is based on beer: his journey through Runeterra, the world of League of Legends, began with the sole aim of brewing the best beer in the world. He even cooled his drink with “true ice,” which, according to lore, never melts. Gragas also has his own skin that sends him to Oktoberfest in style, wearing lederhosen.
Before it became clear that the changes were due to EU guidelines, fans speculated on Twitter whether the eSports World Cup could be behind it. Last year, when T1 won, there was already criticism of the event.
A large part of the community also questioned why the EU was cracking down on beer in the game, but Riot was still allowed to operate gacha systems similar to gambling. The developer released a Jhin skin in 2023 and Sett and Jinx skins this year, which were only available through such a system. Together with the abolition of free Hextech crates, this led to a major boycott. Riot then backtracked and reactivated the free crates.
Not just Gragas censored
Other champions have also had to undergo changes in the past. For example, Briar’s splash art was adjusted after release because fans found her bare feet too provocative. In the new image, she now wears shoes. Graves, who appears as a smoker in most countries, was also changed in Turkey and no longer has a cigar. This is because different rules apply to the depiction of tobacco products there than in the EU.
