Riot Games is quietly changing another emote designed by one of its professional League of Legends teams, but this time, the change isn’t sparking any backlash from players.
Unlike previous instances where Riot’s adjustments were met with criticism, this latest modification involves only the emote’s name. The emote in question was created by the Vietnamese organization Vikings Esports and features the character K’Sante wearing a breathing mask.
Originally, the emote was named “Lemme Breathe.” However, this phrase carries different meanings in the United States compared to Vietnam, where it was developed. Specifically, the phrase “Lemme Breathe” can evoke sensitive associations with real-world events in the U.S., particularly in relation to social justice issues.
According to Spideraxe, Riot is renaming it to “Cope’Sante.” The new name avoids any unintended references to real-world issues and better reflects the first intended meaning.
This adjustment is the third time Riot has had to change an emote from its initial reveal to its official release. The first two changes were not well-received by players, who felt that the original was some of the best in the collection.
However, this latest change has been met with relief and surprise by the player base. Many were shocked that the original name made it into the game at all. One fan expressed their disbelief on social media, asking if it was actually called lemme breathe. Another player responded positively to the update, simply stating, “Good,” in support of the change.
Riot has allowed teams to create their own emotes for League of Legends as a way to generate revenue through in-game item sales, similar to how Valorant’s team capsules work, where teams earn a small percentage of the sales. While the release of Valorant cosmetics has generally gone smoothly, the rollout of League’s has become a source of controversy for both the teams involved and Riot as the developer.