Ribbons in League of Legends were special, legacy cosmetic honors awarded to players who consistently demonstrated exceptional positive behavior in matches. Visible as colored borders around a player’s portrait on the loading screen, these ribbons served as a direct, public signal that the player was recognized by their peers for traits like teamwork, friendliness, or honorable sportsmanship.
The ribbon system was a precursor to the modern Honor system, existing as a highly coveted and often difficult-to-earn badge that celebrated positive conduct over raw skill.
How Players Earned the Ribbons
Earning a ribbon was not a one-time achievement; it required sustained positive conduct over a large number of games.
Players received honor ribbons by accumulating a high number of endorsements in a specific category:
- Consistent Honor Endorsements: After every match, players could honor one teammate (or the opponent team) for positive conduct. Each honor category corresponded to a different ribbon color:
- Great Teamwork (Green Ribbon)
- Helpful (Blue Ribbon)
- Friendly (Yellow Ribbon)
- Honorable Opponent (Red Ribbon)
- Repeated Recognition: The system was not based on raw numbers, but on the rate and consistency of honors received relative to the total number of games played. A player needed to receive a consistently high percentage of honors in a single category over many games to qualify. This signaled that their positive behavior was the norm, not the exception.
- Game Modes: Ribbons could be earned in almost any game mode, including bot games and regular Summoner’s Rift matches, though playing with other human players in PvP modes offered the most frequent opportunities for recognition.
The Legacy Status of the System
The original ribbon system was retired when Riot Games overhauled the Honor mechanic.
The spirit of recognizing positive play remains strong in the modern Honor System, which uses a level progression (up to Honor Level 5) and rewards players with special emotes, key fragments, and Honor capsules containing loot. However, the visual and public distinction of the colored loading screen border is no longer present.
While the ribbons themselves are gone, the criteria for success remain the same: players who focus on positive communication, good sportsmanship, and helpful team interactions continue to be the ones rewarded by the current Honor system, maintaining the legacy of those classic honors.
Written by:
Christian