The story of a League of Legends player being banned after buying Garena Shells on Shopee may seem like old news, but its resurfacing has sparked fresh discussion about digital game ecosystems and the risks players still face when third-party platforms and publishers aren’t perfectly aligned. Even though League of Legends is no longer tied to Garena in Southeast Asia, the underlying issues of account security, marketplace oversight, and customer-support transparency remain highly relevant.
The incident began when Reddit user RenzuMame discovered their Garena account banned without warning. Since League of Legends required the Garena launcher at the time, the ban meant being locked out of the game entirely. The reason given by Garena support was “fraudulent currency purchase,” referencing a Garena Shell code redeemed in 2017. This was startling because the purchase had been made through Garena’s official Shopee storefront, not from an unverified seller.
Shopee, similar to Amazon or eBay, is a massive marketplace used by millions across Southeast Asia. While Garena hosted an official store there, players in the Reddit thread speculated that the code may have entered Shopee’s system through a chain Garena couldn’t fully trace. Whether the issue stemmed from Shopee’s marketplace structure or Garena’s internal auditing system was unclear—but the result was devastating for the player.
When Renzu contacted support, the process quickly became tangled. Garena asked for a receipt, which the player provided, but because the transaction happened months earlier, the old Shopee notifications had expired. Support escalated the request by asking for credit card details—information the player no longer had access to. After that, communication stalled. Garena marked the case “resolved,” even though nothing had been fixed. After weeks of waiting, the player still had no access to their account or the game.
This event led to a wave of comments criticizing Garena’s handling of esports teams, mining controversies, platform reliability, and customer service. Some pointed out that Garena’s long-standing partnership with Riot Games—both companies being owned by Tencent—may have insulated the publisher from deeper structural accountability. Others argued that the reliance on third-party marketplaces for digital currency was itself the weak link.
Even though the partnership landscape has changed and Riot now directly manages League of Legends in SEA, this incident still matters. Many players continue using Garena for other titles, digital currency, or mobile game transactions. It also highlights a larger industry trend: players need dependable methods to buy in-game credit without worrying about ambiguous fraud flags. This is why many now prefer more direct and controlled payment methods, like a Garena Gift Card. Not only Garena Recharge provide a straightforward proof of purchase, but it also avoids complications that arise from large marketplaces with multiple sellers and layers.
The case also underscores the importance of strong customer support systems. When digital access is tied to a single launcher or publisher, bans become far more severe. Losing an account can mean losing access to years of progress, purchases, and personal history. Players expect support teams to offer clarity, fairness, and responsive follow-through—qualities that many felt were missing during Renzu’s ordeal.
In revisiting this discussion, the gaming community has an opportunity to reflect on how these ecosystems should evolve. Publishers need to ensure that fraud detection is accurate, disputes are handled transparently, and legitimate buyers are never punished for platform inconsistencies. Marketplaces, meanwhile, must improve verification mechanisms so official storefronts are never compromised by systemic gaps.
Ultimately, the renewed attention on this incident isn’t just about League of Legends or Garena. It’s about the broader digital gaming economy and the shared responsibility across platforms to safeguard players. As more users rely on online marketplaces and third-party platforms, the expectation for seamless, fair, and secure experiences will only grow.
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