I agree somewhat with SillyBear, though also agree that the game's current design is not incredibly suitable for totally new players. But we're talking about a new game mode here, not mission district progression.
In the context of RIOT, if it's supposed to pull in new players, there really does need to be a distinctly different approach. You won't achieve that if, on day one, you allow players to start with all of their perks and new players have nothing.
If riot is supposed to pull new players in, whatever progression curve it has (and it can have one, though I'm not convinced it needs one but these days I guess every game does, you know, attenton span), it must start off the same for everyone. Ie when it's launched, everyone is the same. Otherwise new players won't be interested at all.