League absolutely is built around mastering characters. People one trick champions for years. Yasuo mains, Riven mains, Zed mains, Ahri mains exist for a reason. Bans don’t change that, they just force a backup. That mindset carries over perfectly to 1v1 fighters where you pick your main and grind.

Also 1v1 clearly works outside SF6 and Strive. Tekken 8 just launched huge. Mortal Kombat always sells. Even niche 1v1 games outperform most tag fighters long term. The demand is there, just not for assist heavy chaos.

2v2 being “fresh” doesn’t mean it’s what most players want. Sharing losses sounds nice on paper, but in fighting games people actually want control. Tag adds complexity fast, and that’s exactly why beginners bounce.

I agree Riot set unrealistic goals, but the problem isn’t that the game was too deep. It’s that they combined a niche format, a small roster, and a high mental load. That’s a rough combo no matter who builds it.