Competitive gaming is a universal language for gamers, we all speak it and we all unite in the pursuit of skill, mastery and the thrill of climbing the ranks. But with great competition comes the question: how far is too far when it comes to bypassing the grind?
Grind seems to be a common place design mechanic. From MMORPGs, to MOBAs and even FPS games game developers add elements that will keep gamers in the loop longer, even at the expense of fun.
The introduction of ranked systems first with ELO systems and later with visual ranks in games like League of Legends (LoL), DOTA 2, CS2 and many others has brought about debates about skill, hard work and fairness. But not everyone approaches the grind the same way. Some skip it altogether through smurfing, boosting or even buying higher ranked accounts. These practices raise ethical questions about the impact on other players, the community and the competitive spirit itself.
This article explores the ethical implications of skipping the grind and compares it to speedrunning, is there a common theme?
Why do people skip the grind?
By grind, I'm referring to the repetitive tasks that game designers put in place to stretch out gameplay or test our mettle. While some players enjoy the methodical gathering of in-game resources and experience. Most find it a chore and seek ways to bypass it altogether. In the world of MMORPGs, it's not uncommon to see bots harvesting gold and resources in virtual worlds like World of Warcraft. At the very least, players turn to third-party add-ons that allow them to collect multiple nodes of ore and textiles at a time. Others simply join servers with giant stat multipliers that allow them to level up quickly.
The thing is, all of these behaviors are perfectly natural. Players are individuals, and we all have different preferences when it comes to how we want to experience a game. Catering to one type of player (usually the hardcore type) means designing a game in a way that keeps you in the game through artificial means. Many developers are left looking for ways to keep you in the game loop longer, sometimes through artificial means such as mindless grind. The problem is that that time and effort can be a double-edged sword.
I'm not here to judge gamers for seeking ways to bypass the grind in their games of choice. Instead, I'd like to explore some ways that designers can validate the time of players who do enjoy a good challenge while also providing options for those who don't want to camp dino eggs or harvest crafting resources for 20 hours.
We are not talking here about grind that prevents you from improving such as cheats or hacks that help you avoid learning to shoot or learn the maps. The trend pokes its head into first-person shooters as well, where games like Call of Duty and Counter-Strike 2 have long featured hacks that allow players to shoot better (aim hacks) or see through walls (wallhacks) and other cheats. These are particularly prevalent on peer-to-ping dependent games like CS2, where the amount of time and practice required to develop proper crosshair habits and mechanics is considerable.
In the world of mobas, games like Dota 2 and League of Legends feature thriving communities centered around boosting services, where weak players purchase "high-rank" accounts from sellers or hire better ranked players to carry them up the ladder. While we "legit" players enjoy the challenges of lower elo, many of these players view the low-elo teams they encounter as "foregin" or "unfairly" composed.
In single-player land, I've always been aware of the grind-skips shortcuts, whether it was purchasing strategy guide books in the 16-bit era to skip the annoying puzzles in The Legend of Zelda or The Final Fantasy games, or simply ignoring the mediocre 3D versions of Golden Axe.
This is a long-winded way of saying that I understand the grind. While I don't think it's the most engaging gameplay, I'm aware of how it can be calming and meditative, a way to relax and listen to podcasts or music while still making progress in our virtual levels.
At the same time, I'm not naive; I know that applying any kind of pressure to a game, whether it's loot, leveling, or resource gathering, is not fair to most people. If there's one thing I've learned from my time playing and watching others play, it's that people have different preferences, and what can be tailored to one type of player (the hardcore type) can be overly punishing to another.
The problem is that time is a sensitive balancing act in gaming; add enough and you're left with a grind, while subtract too much and you're left with a shallow experience. The thing is, I'm okay with people skipping the grind. I'm okay with them applying pressure, and I'm okay with them not trusting it to fare them well. What I'm not okay with is lying and cheating each other out of time and enjoyment. If the grind is not your thing, whether it's because it's boring or it's too difficult, there are many ways to customize your experience and make your favorite games more enjoyable. I'm just glad that, in this era of online gaming, that "your way" no longer means that you simply can’t play the game, because it’s not for you.
Truth be told not everyone has time to climb back to their rank over 200+ games 3 times a year just to play at their level…
What Does Skipping the Grind Look Like?
Skipping the ranked grind takes many forms, each with its own methods and controversies. League is perhaps one of the most grindy competitive games in existence. With over 170 champions in the game, dozens of items, runes and other mechanics only learning the kits of champions will likely take you hundreds of games at the bare minimum.
It gets better.. when you start playing ranked mode. First you have to play at least normal games for the system to evaluate your skills. Afterwards you play 5 sweaty placement games which depending on many factors including KDA, vision score, objective control and the ultimate outcome of the game get you seeded in one of the ranked tiers. For all ranked tiers and divisions explained check this guide.
Now after you have had some fun and climbed to a rank that is currently your main rank. Well here comes the kicker after few months your rank is reset and you have to start over from about 8 divisions lower than your previous rank. This is an equivalent of about ~100 games to climb back to your main rank. Do you think that you can do it faster? Perhaps but even Agurin the rank 1 player on EUW needed over 100 games to climb to Master from Diamond…
I believe that without further explanations it can be understood why League players have become champions (pun intended) in cheating the ranked system and bypassing the grind.
Here are 3 main methods how League players skip the grind:
Smurfing
Smurfing is when a high skilled player uses a low ranked account to dominate opponents, often to speedrun their way back to higher tiers. Streamers like TFBlade popularized the "Iron-to-Challenger" challenge, where the goal is to climb from the lowest rank to the highest in the shortest time possible. While this is impressive mechanical skill, it also ruins the experience for less skilled players who are left to struggle against an opponent who is way out of their league.
You can even purchase intentionally de-ranked accounts to Iron.
Boosting
Boosting is when you pay a high skilled player to climb ranks for you. It’s a shortcut that saves time and frustration for the buyer but can lead to uneven matchmaking and disillusionment for those who encounter boosted accounts in their games.
While smurfing is not per se against game rules Solo Boosting is against the rules. It’s much cheaper than duo boosting, when booster plays in party with you, which is 100% legal and you can’t be punished for it. That’s why if you want to save money you need to choose a good elo boosting service that will not get you banned!
Buying Higher Ranked Accounts
Instead of grinding, some players buy accounts that are already at the rank they want. This skips hundreds of hours of gameplay but like boosting, it introduces players who are not skilled enough for their rank, and messes with matchmaking and the competitive integrity of ranked play.
Riot’s Anti-Botting Efforts
League of Legends is not prohibiting smurfing but, took some actions in 2024 to prevent cheap mass produced smurfs worth few dollars at most.
In August 2024 Riot Games took big steps to address mass created cheap smurfs in League of Legends. They targeted the botting infrastructure that fuels secondary account creation. According to Riot’s retrospective on their Vanguard anti-cheat system, they decreased botting activity from over 1 million hours a day to less than 5,000.
They didn’t stop there. Riot also removed 3.5 million bot accounts from circulation before they could be sold, effectively drying up a key supply for smurfing and boosting markets. This was part of a broader effort to combat the engines of competitive abuse, making it harder for players to buy or use accounts to bypass the ranked grind.
While these measures addressed the supply side, Riot also acknowledged the broader cultural aspect. Secondary accounts, often created through bots, are the key to unethical practices like boosting and smurfing, which ruin the experience for actual players.
The Ethical Dilemma of Skipping the Grind
Skipping the grind through smurfing, boosting or buying accounts raises questions:
- Fairness to Opponents: In ranked systems, matchmaking is designed to be fair. Skipping the grind creates imbalances, smurfs or boosted accounts put high skilled players against less skilled ones.
- Impact on the Community: Boosting and smurfing destroy the integrity of ranked play. They undermine the achievements of those who grind legitimately, erode trust in the system.
- Time vs. Skill: Those who advocate for skipping the grind argue that ranked systems require unreasonable time commitments. For some, paying for a shortcut is a practical solution to limited playtime. But does this devalue the competitive spirit that ranked systems are meant to celebrate?
Is Elo Manipulation and Speedrunning the Same?
The debate around skipping the grind in ranked systems has parallels in speedrunning, where players push games to their limits to get the fastest times. Both involve bending or breaking the rules of the game but the context and community reception is very different.
Smurfing and Speedrunning: A Game of Mastery
Both smurfing and speedrunning are about skill. In LoL, smurfing is about dominating lower ranked players while climbing fast. Speedrunning rewards mastery of mechanics, often through complex strategies or prowess in snowballing games.
But speedrunning is usually a solo activity, any exploit only affects the runner’s experience. Smurfing affects others, messes with fair competition for opponents and teammates.
Boosting and Buying Accounts: Breaking the Competitive Spirit
Unlike speedrunning which is about personal achievement and community respect, boosting and buying accounts introduce external factors—money and convenience—that devalue the grind and skill required to climb ranks. These are less about mastery and more about skipping the challenges altogether.
Community Response
The speedrunning community is about collaboration and discovery, a shared pursuit of innovation. The competitive gaming community sees smurfing, boosting and buying accounts as destructive, undermines fair play and creates resentment among players.
Riot’s Part in the Story
Riot’s measures against botting and secondary accounts means they are committed to the integrity of ranked systems. By cutting off the supply of accounts used for smurfing and boosting, they made it harder for players to take the shortcuts.
This is also a broader cultural shift. As ranked systems get more popular, developers like Riot have a duty to keep these systems fair and competitive. Riot’s actions against unethical practices is in line with the values of the larger player base, a healthier gaming environment.
Conclusion: Is Skipping the Grind Ever Ok?
Skipping the ranked grind in competitive games is a tough question. Smurfing, boosting and buying accounts can save time and give shortcuts but it comes at the cost of fairness, community trust and competitive spirit.
Unlike speedrunning which is about innovation and collaboration, skipping the grind in ranked systems undermines the very values that make these games competitive. Riot’s measures against Elo manipulation in LoL shows the importance of keeping ranked play intact, so the grind is a true test of skill and endurance.
In the end it’s not just about ethics—it’s about what we value in competitive gaming. For many the grind is part of the journey, a test of endurance and commitment that makes climbing ranks so sweet. Whether through smurfing, boosting or buying accounts, skipping the grind might give shortcuts but it might just break the very spirit of competition.