Riot shuts down ‘unhealthy’ win-rate data through updated API policy in TFT Patch 13.12

Riot Games is set to limit the data that third-party organizations can access within Teamfight Tactics Set Nine Runeterra Reforged and future sets, allowing the meta to develop organically. 

Over the past couple of TFT sets, an increase of third-party sites showing win-rate data for Augments at each Stage has increased. Data mined this way isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it can skew the set meta while discouraging player choice, according to Riot in the Patch 13.12 notes. The API change will go into effect on June 19 and will affect Legend win rates as well at each Stage. 

“We’ve seen an increasing number of sites showing data on win rates for Augments at each Stage,” Riot said. “We’re huge fans of community-developed comp guides, discussion, and debate, including Augment recommendations, but we feel that relying on win rates to make decisions at these crucial stages is unhealthy for TFT overall.”

Related: TFT Set 9 Cheat Sheet: All champions, traits, updated stats, and abilities

The Patch 13.12 API changes to third-party apps will remove what players perceive is the best option based only on data stats, potentially allowing the meta to evolve organically. Devs also hope removing these win rate data stats for Augments and Legends at each Stage will alleviate multiple players within a lobby chasing down the same end-game comp on the ranked TFT ladder. 

Riot will continue to provide data to third-party sites that highlights other aspects of the game, like best comps, positioning guides, and Augment/item recommendations. 

“We expect this change to encourage deeper experimentation and flex gameplay of TFT, which is a core pillar of our design philosophy,” Riot said. “While we’ve significantly grown our live balance team over the past year, we know at the end of the day, a meta will always develop, but we want that to happen naturally over time as the community gets to explore that together every set and every patch.”

The API change Riot is implementing is different from the Reddit API policy changes that are taking place. 

Players can immerse themselves in TFT Set Nine Runeterra Reforged starting on June 14 through Patch 13.12. All API changes will take effect on June 19.