How Riot Games’ April Fools’ prank using 9-year-old patch notes fooled League of Legends players and what we can learn
The Great Patch Note Deception
A clever April Fools’ Day stunt orchestrated by a League of Legends developer successfully tricked numerous players by circulating fabricated patch notes that actually dated back nearly a decade.
Lead champion designer August at Riot Games executed a masterful troll by publishing counterfeit patch notes for April Fools’ Day, successfully deceiving countless fans through strategic social media deployment.
April Fools’ Day consistently reminds the gaming community to maintain healthy skepticism toward online content, particularly during this annual tradition of digital trickery.
The yearly celebration of deception consistently captures widespread attention, with gaming circles proving particularly susceptible to believing elaborate practical jokes and fabricated announcements.
Despite the transparent nature of the prank, Riot August managed to convincingly deceive a significant portion of the League of Legends player base with his carefully crafted fake update notes.
Anatomy of a Perfect Gaming Prank
On April 1st, Riot August shared on Twitter what appeared to be upcoming patch notes, though they were actually identical to those from patch 3.6 released nine years prior.
“Here’s the patch preview. Some cool stuff in this one,” August stated with deliberate deadpan delivery to enhance the prank’s authenticity.
Here’s the patch preview. Some cool stuff in this one. pic.twitter.com/7f457Q9f46
— August (@RiotAugust) April 1, 2022
Even though the page header clearly displayed “Patch Notes 3.6,” many enthusiasts overlooked this crucial detail and fell completely for the deception.
Popular Twitch streamer ioki joined in the fun, tweeting: “Buffing Karma??? It’s like you guys haven’t played your game in 9 years.”
Buffing Karma??? It’s like you guys haven’t played your game in 9 years 🙄
— ioki (@i0ki_LoL) April 1, 2022
Another community member in the tweet responses expressed frustration, pleading: “My brother in Christ please say April fools.”
Riot August maintained character persistence by refusing to acknowledge the prank, which gradually convinced additional players that the notes represented legitimate upcoming changes.
What Gamers Can Learn From This Prank
This incident provides valuable instruction for gaming enthusiasts navigating online spaces during April Fools’ Day, emphasizing the necessity of cautious content consumption since many announcements may represent elaborate jokes.
Verification Techniques Every Gamer Should Master:
Always check patch version numbers and dates carefully – outdated version numbers like “3.6” should immediately raise suspicion when current patches are in the double digits.
Community Cross-Referencing Strategy:
Before believing any surprising game changes, consult multiple official sources and community platforms to verify consistency across channels.
Historical Context Awareness:
Familiarize yourself with typical patch note formats and recent update patterns to better identify anomalies that might indicate prank content.
Common Pitfalls to Avoid:
Don’t trust social media posts without official confirmation, especially from individual developers rather than official game accounts. Avoid making emotional reactions to unexpected changes before verification.
Additional Gaming Insights
League of Legends patch 25.17 will turn several champions into viable junglers
League of Legends patch 25.16 notes aim to make LoL less balanced
LoL patch 25.15 notes deliver a huge list of champion nerfs
No reproduction without permission：SeeYouSoon Game Club » League of Legends players fall for outrageous April Fools patch notes How Riot Games' April Fools' prank using 9-year-old patch notes fooled League of Legends players and what we can learn