At the beginning of the 2024 League of Legends season, Riot Games made a significant alteration to the game’s items by removing Stopwatch from the in-game shop entirely.
This change forced players to invest more gold into items like Seeker’s Armguard and Zhonya’s Hourglass if they wanted to utilize the stasis effect previously provided by Stopwatch.
Recently, players on the League subreddit discussed the impact of this removal after living with it for a few months. The consensus among the community is overwhelmingly positive, with many agreeing that the absence of Stopwatch has improved the game.
The original post of the thread highlighted that the reduction in “get-out-of-jail” options has increased skill expression in the game. In previous seasons, Stopwatch would often provide crucial time for players to escape sticky situations, but now, players must rely more on their skills and decision-making.
Riot Games removing Stopwatch has been particularly noticeable in professional play. In the past, players would strategically purchase Stopwatches to prepare for upcoming team fights. With the stasis effect now tied to Seeker’s Armguard, which costs 1,600 gold, professionals are more cautious about making this investment.
Some players in the discussion expressed concerns about the stasis effect being attached to Seeker’s Armguard, suggesting that it should only be available as part of a complete item. They proposed increasing the armor bonus granted by Seeker’s Armguard as a compensatory adjustment.
Additionally, players were relieved that Perfect Timing, the rune in the inspiration tree that granted a free Stopwatch, was also removed from the game by Riot. While there was never a specific “Stopwatch meta” in League, the item’s presence was always significant, especially in high-level gameplay.