Riot Games likely anticipated this outcome, as it has become a trend with their combined event-and-champion releases.

Since her arrival in League on July 17, the new champion Aurora has struggled to make a significant impact on the game’s dedicated fanbase. Instead, the focus has been entirely on Swarm, the exciting new bullet-hell game mode that Riot released alongside the champion.

Unfortunately for Aurora, the combination of her release with this new mode has effectively overshadowed her hype.

The League community quickly voiced their surprise at how fast Aurora and her release were pushed aside. Some players criticized her for being too “uninteresting” to make a significant impact, while others blamed her theme for failing to generate excitement. A few even suggested that Riot had missed the mark with “more anime nonsense.”

Despite this, Aurora has been seen in many matches so far. According to League statistic site U.GG, she has already appeared in over 73k games. However, compared to the usual excitement surrounding new champion debuts, her release feels underwhelming.

This curious release strategy from Riot seems to be part of a larger pattern, as seen with other underwhelming debuts like Nilah and Naafiri. Naafiri, who was released in the middle of the 2023 Soul Fighter event, was overshadowed by the Arena mode.

Not all champions have been overshadowed by events, though. Lillia and Yone, who were released during the Spirit Blossom event, and Akshan, who headlined the Sentinels event, managed to avoid being eclipsed. However, it’s worth noting that all three required periods of significant metagame dominance to stand out.

It’s possible that Aurora might become more prominent once the Swarm hype dies down, especially if Riot buffs her in the upcoming Season 14 updates. Nevertheless, the initial damage to her launch seems to have been done.

Recently released on the live servers, League of Legends’ Swarm mode has proven to be exactly what the game needs. Not only is it incredibly fun, but it also shows that the developers can still innovate within the decade-old game.

Riot Games has introduced the Swarm game mode in League of Legends as part of the Anima Squad 2024 event. This massive summer celebration includes new Anima Squad and Primordian skins, along with the highly anticipated Vampire Survivors Swarm mode. Despite being out for just over 1, or 2 days, players are already enthusiastic about the new mode and its offerings.

Many consider this mode to be some of the highest-quality content Riot has ever released into League of Legends. It’s impressive how the developers have managed to transform the traditional League of Legends experience.

Initially, it might be challenging to adapt to, but it makes complete sense for the mode, which benefits from the precise movement enabled by the new control scheme. This is the first time players can move League champions using keyboard buttons, opening up opportunities for even more innovation.

Each champion has been well-adapted for the game mode, with one ability converted into an auto-firing weapon, leaving a basic ability and an ultimate. Swarm mode is also infinitely replayable, offering a vast array of combinations of champions, abilities, and weapons to choose from as you progress through each stage. You can play solo or with a party of up to four players, providing more freedom of choice than many other modes.

While Swarm is currently a limited-time mode, the League of Legends developers have suggested that its popularity and consistent player engagement could lead Riot to bring it back and possibly make it a permanent feature. Riot has done something similar with Arena, as they work towards making the 2v2 battle mode sustainable for continuous play.

In a recent stream, Riot Games’ August expressed his dislike for the Summoner’s Spell Teleport but acknowledged that it is an essential part of the game. August openly admitted that he is not a fan of the Teleport spell, yet he believes it is too important to remove, especially for top lane players.

He emphasized that Teleport provides a significant advantage to players who use it over those who choose Ignite because it allows them to return to the lane quickly and make up for lost minions and experience points.

“I do not like that TP. As a defensive Summoner’s Spell, you take it, you win your lane,”

August finds it frustrating that Teleport, a spell intended to be defensive, gives players an edge over those who opt for more aggressive spells like Ignite. However, he also recognized how crucial Teleport is for top lane players, who depend on it. Top lane mains rely on Teleport for split-pushing, ganking other lanes, and surviving tough situations.

“TP creates a lot of important things for the game, especially in regards to top lane,”

One solution August suggested to address this issue is to start the game with Teleport on cooldown. This way, if a player dies in the early levels, they will justifiably lose the lane. However, he did not seem entirely convinced by his own suggestion.

In the current meta, particularly in higher ranks and competitive play, Teleport is arguably the most crucial spell in League of Legends. Many top laners and mid laners pick it, and sometimes even bot lane duos opt for the spell.

In the final of the 2024 Esports World Cup between Top Esports and T1, every top laner and mid laner selected Teleport along with Flash in each of the four games, according to Leaguepedia.

Casual players also favor Teleport. The combination of Teleport and Flash is the most popular, chosen by 25.6% of players. This shows that the spell is not only vital in pro  play but also widely used and appreciated by the general player base.

The win rate imbalance between the Blue and Red sides in League of Legends isn’t just your imagination. Riot Games is aware of this issue, though it’s not as pronounced in lower Elo levels. They are actively working on solutions, but it will take some time.

This week, the LoL community has been upset about the imbalances between the two sides on Summoner’s Rift. The uproar began after a fan investigated and gave win rate statistics.

Although this issue has recently gained more attention, balance boss Matt Leung-Harrison mentioned that his team has been looking into this for a while and is already working on changes.

On July 7, Leung-Harrison stated on Twitter that they are “working on optimizing red/blue side balance” but warned that it will take some time to resolve. He also pointed out that the imbalance primarily affects higher-tier players in ranked play, while lower-tier players are less impacted.

In lower ranks like Bronze, Gold, and Emerald, there is a slight imbalance, but it usually balances out over time. However, in higher ranks such as Diamond, Master, and Challenger, the difference between the 2 sides becomes more significant.

The statistics support this: in low-tier Elo games, the blue side wins 51.1% of the time, which is fairly balanced. In Emerald and higher, the red side’s win rate increases to 49.4%, while the blue side’s win rate drops to 50.6%. In Diamond and above, the red side’s win rate dramatically increases to 52.9%, with the blue side’s 47.1%.

Riot’s most likely solution will involve changes to League lobby matchmaking. Historically, Riot has assigned the red side a higher average MMR to compensate for the disadvantage of playing with less favorable camera angles and map perspectives.

While Riot has not confirmed when these changes will be implemented, Leung-Harrison’s comments suggest it will take some time.

LoL players are currently urging Riot Games to consider bringing back the long-gone game mode, Twisted Treeline. However, many fans admit that the mode would require a significant update to meet modern standards.

This call for the mode’s return has become a recurring theme among the League community since its removal in season 9. Players on social media are vocal about their desire for the mode to “come back,” especially as more community members shift away from ranked play in favor of more casual gaming experiences.

The recent discussion on July 4 was filled with nostalgia, with players sharing fond memories. Some said the memories made on Twisted Treeline were iconic, and others mentioned they used to warm up for solo queue matches with quick 3v3 games. Some fans even threatened to quit the game entirely if forced to continue playing only on Summoner’s Rift.

Not everyone is in favor of the mode’s return, though. Many pointed out Riot’s original reason for discontinuing Twisted Treeline: it wasn’t popular enough. Riot never shared the exact player numbers towards the end, but it was generally believed that only a few thousand players queued for the mode at any given time. I remember long queue times whenever I tried to play in 2019.

Hopeful League players suggest that a modern update could solve these issues. Some proposed simply closing off the top half of Summoner’s Rift, while others want Riot to give Twisted Treeline the same attention as League Arena. The success of Arena in its various reruns and the introduction of League’s new Swarm mode show that Riot is willing to experiment with new concepts.

The big question is how much time it would take for Riot to update Twisted Treeline. Riot has not addressed this yet. Additionally, the developers would need to tackle the infamous funnel metagame and work on mode-specific balance if Twisted Treeline were to return.

LoL players are hating on three ranked splits per year

On June 2, players expressed on the game’s subreddit that they are less motivated to return to the competitive mode after every split. The main issue is the constant push to grind, which is a major concern. Some players were fine with resetting once or twice a year, but now with three splits, it has become too much of a hassle.

The biggest problem is that League’s matchmaking rating (MMR) adjustment takes a long time to kick in. As a result, players spend the first half of each split grinding to reach their “actual ranks.” By the time they get there, the season ends, and the grind starts all over again.

“2 splits were fine Imo, this is a no no for me playing ranked like in past years.”

“I’ve stopped playing ranked altogether, 1 season per year was enough.”

Another player mentioned they could manage with the new 3-split calendar but wished it didn’t take so long to calibrate. They said, “Early season games are by far the worst time to play ranked, and doing that three times a year killed my motivation.”

The issue of start-of-season MMR has been frequently discussed at Riot Games, and the developers have made efforts to address concerns. However, it is clear that some players are struggling more with the extra reset.

Riot announced the change to three splits late in 2023, eliminating the preseason entirely. November and December, which used to be without competition, will now have the end of split three. Along with the major changes to League in January 2024, it seems there can be too much change at once.

For those continuing to play ranked, there are still two months left until the end of split two and the start of split three. The grind in League of Legends never seems to stop.

While many Western players have critized the $450 Faker bundle in League of Legends, its sales are reportedly skyrocketing in Eastern regions. However, players believe that this is overall beneficial for the game.

On June 24, a player on Reddit sparked a community discussion by stating, “Milking the whales is fine and healthy for the game.” They see it as a win-win situation, where Riot Games makes money from big spenders, or “whales,” without affecting the casual.

“These products are clearly made for whales. Riot has said this multiple times. They are the League of Legends equivalent of a €3000 Gucci handbag. If you’re rich, you get to buy cool, pointless stuff; that’s just how life goes”

They also mentioned that many free-to-play games are actually pay-to-win. Considering this, expensive but non-essential cosmetics are a better model for almost all players, regardless of their price.

Many players agreed but highlighted two scenarios they wouldn’t want to see in League. First, they don’t want Riot to make only expensive skins for the wealthy ones. Luckily, this is unlikely since new skins are released with every patch. Second, they don’t want exclusive skins to provide in-game advantages. This hasn’t happened yet and doesn’t seem likely.

On the other hand, some disagreed with the discussion and explained their reasons. One of the top comments pointed out how Riot is exploiting players by making expensive bundles without making sufficient gameplay changes.

“So there’s a $500 skin in the game making the company a lot of money, but they still can’t get a Shyvana rework done. We shall see what the impact is, but it leaves a sour taste in my mouth,”

Either way, the release of Faker’s Hall of Legends bundle was met with backlash, so it will be interesting to see if it affects future Riot marketing and sales strategies.

League of Legends is notoriously complex, filled with an almost endless champion-specific mechanics that often interact with each other in intricate ways.

Recently, the League community collectively stumbled upon a new mechanic on the game’s official subreddit. A large number of players discovered that Kalista gains credit for minion kills whenever the champion she is tethered to with The Black Spear lands the last hit on a minion.

The discussion emerged from the Reddit thread where users were questioning why there aren’t more useful loading screen tips. The original poster, a user named Bebeebap, provided several examples of what they considered to be helpful tips, including:

• “Kalista’s bound teammate gives minion last hits to Kalista!”

The revelation about this mechanic, in particular, sparked a significant reaction from the community. Many players in the comments expressed their surprise, admitting they had no idea this feature existed.

“She only gets the last hit if both she and her support auto for her W passive damage, last hitting by her bound target doesn’t go to her automatically unless her W passive is being procced.”

This interaction is only vaguely hinted at in the passive effect description of her Sentinel (W) ability, which notes that both Kalista and her bound ally deal bonus damage and execute targets when they are below 125 HP.

For this mechanic to work, both Kalista and her partner must attack the same target, meaning you can’t just tether to a solo laner and receive credit for minion kills across the map while playing as Kalista.

However, this mechanic can be highly beneficial for well-coordinated lane teammate who are aware of it, allowing them to maximize the effectiveness of Kalista’s kit now that more players are informed about its existence.

As the community continues to unearth hidden mechanics and share valuable tips, League of Legends players can expect to see new strategies and synergies develop, making the game even richer and more engaging.

LoL players are frustrated with the new rank split

A Reddit post on May 15 ignited a discussion on this topic, with one player expressing frustration over the logic behind having 3 ranked splits in a single year.

They emphasized their disappointment, recounting how they had worked their way up to the Diamond rank, only to have their progress reset and find themselves demoted to Emerald after unfortunate placement matches.

Others chimed in on the thread, echoing similar sentiments, attributing the multiple splits to a strategy aimed at boosting player engagement, albeit at the expense of players’ sense of achievement and progress stability.

Indeed, it’s challenging to dispute this perspective. For players who don’t devote extensive time to playing League of Legends, the prospect of climbing the ranked ladder becomes less appealing when faced with the frequent resets that accompany each split.

Unfortunately, obtaining accurate data on the impact of these additional splits on player participation in solo queue remains elusive, as such information is accessible only to Riot Games.

Opinions vary among players, with some choosing to opt out of participating in certain splits altogether as a form of protest. While it’s true that more splits offer the potential for increased rewards tied to achievements, those who don’t identify as hardcore League players may find themselves unable to attain the higher ranks necessary to unlock meaningful rewards.

On a more optimistic note, Riot appears to be receptive to player feedback regarding these changes. Given the regular updates to the system thus far, there’s a possibility that adjustments will be made by the end of season 14 in response to community input.

Why do players hate the new Champion Mastery system?

Firstly, the Sage Challenge, which measures mastery with various champions, has become significantly more difficult. Previously, reaching Champion Mastery 7 was hard, but now players must achieve Mastery 10 with each champion. This means a considerable increase in the time and effort required to max out mastery levels, with calculations suggesting it could take nearly 14.5 million Mastery Points to reach this new pinnacle.

Moreover, associated challenges linked to Champion Mastery, such as Maven of Strings and Master Mage, have also been affected, demanding Mastery 10 with specific champions for completion. This adjustment has left many players disappointed, especially if they were aiming for completionist achievements.

Secondly, there has been confusion surrounding the conversion of old Mastery scores to the new system. While Riot’s Champion Mastery Guide indicated that previous scores would convert into experience and Marks of Mastery, the process has not been straightforward.

Some champions remained at Mastery 7 after the update, while others were upgraded to Mastery 10, leading to uncertainty and frustration among players. The lack of clear communication from Riot has exacerbated the confusion, particularly regarding expectations about the conversion process.

Thirdly, changes to Mastery crests and emotes have been met with criticism, with many players finding them unappealing and uninspired. The redesigned emotes have been described as lacking visual appeal, diminishing the satisfaction of achieving high mastery levels.

Lastly, the increased difficulty in reaching Mastery 10 has shifted perceptions of champion mastery from a reflection of skill to a mere grind for rewards. This has left many players feeling demoralized, especially those who take pride in achieving mastery milestones as a measure of skill and dedication.

Overall, while Patch 14.10 introduced numerous changes to League of Legends, the adjustments to Champion Mastery, Mastery Points, and associated challenges have been met with widespread discontent, marking one of the most criticized updates in recent memory.