I always hated “League of Legends.” It encapsulated everything I disliked about a multiplayer game: slow gameplay and rage-inducing deaths where you get nuked by Lux’s ult from across Summoner’s Rift. Worst of all, the toxic player base in “League” is absolutely infamous, known as one of the most venomous groups of people found in gaming.

In lieu of Valentine’s Day, I’ve decided to expose myself. Despite my claims that my boyfriend and I met through “mutual school friends,” which is technically true, I started to crush on him before we’d ever met. Well, before we’d ever met in person. You see, I began talking to him when we started to play games together with our mutual friend. Despite sharing a hometown, we attend schools in different states, so there was a period of a few months before I met him in person. It’s ok, you can laugh.

The only problem I faced — besides the edater allegations (WE ARE NOT EDATERS) — was that he primarily played “League of Legends,” my mortal enemy. I didn’t want to fold after years of staunchly refusing to touch the game — I was a “Valorant” loyalist — but saw no other avenue to take if I wanted to spend time with him.

And so, against my better judgment, I forced myself to download “League.” Yes, I’m aware that playing “League” just for a guy is crazy. Yes, I am aware that I needed to stand up. Do I regret it? No, far from it.

I never understood the hype around “League” until I started playing it regularly. To be honest, I didn’t start to “get it” until last week. Obviously, as someone who has been a Riot Games glazer for years — I could go on and on about how much I love their creative approach to game development, company culture and values — I wanted to like “League,” but I just couldn’t because of its reputation.

A few months ago, a friend of mine asked me why I get so mad while playing competitive video games. “Because they’re made that way — to piss you off,” I replied matter-of-factly.

I promise I’m not having the revelation that games don’t have to make me mad at age 19 — I’m not like a man taking shrooms for the first time and discovering basic empathy. I used to joke with my friends that games like “Valorant” and “Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege” are necessary cathartic experiences for me to release the pent-up stress of life. But, it did make me consider why I dislike certain games more than others.

After a rather stressful weekly routine, I want nothing more than to hang out with my friends in a carefree environment. Many of my friends are long-distance, so most of the time this manifests as playing games together. Ironically, since I started playing “League,” it’s become one of the more relaxing games on my roster.

I know any “League” addicts reading this are calling bullshit. In truth, I actually really enjoy “League.” With my stark lack of skill, I don’t get seriously mad at the game since I know I’m not underperforming: You can’t underperform when being terrible is your default!

I think a lot of competitive multiplayer games have a culture of anger surrounding their communities. “League,” “Valorant,” “Apex Legends,” “R6,” “Counter-Strike: Global Offensive” and “Fortnite” all have player bases with a toxic reputation because of the rage expressed in their lobbies’ chats. This sort of behavior is unavoidable and incredibly difficult to prevent, so it’s very easy to get sucked into the perpetual aura of irritation.

Playing “League” with my boyfriend has detached me from these anger-filled communities. It has allowed me to take the time to examine “League” for what it is without considering its bad reputation. Setting the toxic players aside, there’s a lot about the game to admire — phenomenal narrative design, distinctive creative direction, unique champions and responsive developers are all virtues to be lauded that are overshadowed by a poor reputation.

Most games aren’t made to piss you off, and “League” is no exception. Most of the anger that seeps out of the titles I listed oozes from the unbridled, malignant fans. Taking these titles at face value can be difficult when you have preconceived notions, but letting go of your prejudices may let you discover a game you really like that you never would’ve imagined playing.

“League of Legends,” I am sorry for trashing you so hard. Maybe someday we’ll be able to cleanse your player base.

Aubrie Cole is a sophomore writing about video games in her column, “Downloadable Content,” which typically runs every other Tuesday. She is also an arts & entertainment editor at the Daily Trojan.