In its newly published developer diary, Riot Games put an end to one of the most talked-about topics in the gaming world. LOL is gaining WASD support. Now players can play the game using the WASD keys on their keyboards.
What is LOL aiming for with WASD support?
The primary motivation behind this move is to ease the adaptation process for new players. According to the development team:
“WASD is the standard control scheme in many PC games today. We’ve observed that new players switching to League of Legends from other games instinctively place their fingers on the WASD keys as soon as they start the game.”
In this regard, Riot Games believes that offering an alternative control scheme will make the game more intuitive and accessible.
However, a significant obstacle to this revolutionary change is game balance. Riot Games acknowledges that WASD controls could make the technique of attacking a champion while simultaneously retreating and avoiding an opponent’s attacks much easier, especially known as “kiting.”
If one control method provides a clear advantage over another, veteran players who have been playing with mouse controls for years could be at a significant disadvantage.
The new control scheme will not be implemented immediately to address this balance issue.
- PBE Testing First: WASD controls will first be released on the game’s test server, the PBE (Public Beta Environment).
- Long-Term Observation: The control scheme will remain on the PBE for several patches (updates). During this period, the Riot team will closely monitor the gameplay differences and balance between the two control methods.
- Balancing Adjustments: If deemed necessary, balancing adjustments will be made to close the advantage gap between the two control methods.
This bold move by Riot could fundamentally change the game’s core mechanics. The entire gaming community is eagerly awaiting how WASD controls will impact the League of Legends meta and how they will shape the balance between veterans and newcomers.
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