14 DAY TRIAL // The development team at Riot Games is announcing that it plans to deliver a major overhaul for the 2016 version of League of Legends, introducing a series of big changes for the Multiplayer Online Battle Arena experience.
The tech that is currently powering the title is being dropped altogether, and gamers will get a new client that's specifically designed to allow the studio to deliver tweaks to the core features faster and to implement more content over time.
Riot Games also wants to make League of Legends more social and will deliver ways for gamers to stay connected with their friends via chat even if they are not running the full client or if a patch is being downloaded.
Gamers can create Clubs, which are player-created and organized while smaller parties will be added to make it easier for gamers to move through matches together.
The user interface is also being improved, with the studio trying to make it easier to see all relevant information during a match so that players can focus on making solid decisions.
According to the company, those who are interested in testing the new tech for the MOBA will have to sign up, with the team looking for level 30 gamers from all over the world who have a history of good behavior and are willing to tolerate some issues and work with the developers to fix them.
It seems that the new client for League of Legends will be launched either in late 2016 or 2017, and fans are already debating the way the MOBA experience can be improved.
Riot Games is also improving champ select and other core features
The studio is also talking about a new champion selection process, which will allow each gamer to use his best characters in his favorite role.
Riot Games states, "With new champ select, everyone is on the same page before the draft even begins. Each player chooses two positions (or fill!) before queueing up to find a team. A new feature, 'pick intent', helps everyone understand the champ you want to play and the contribution you want to make to your team's comp."
As the draft progresses, gamers will be able to distribute one ban each to the player who receive the last three picks, with the top two able to get priority champions for the team.
Riot Games says that the new system will work best in concert with a set of changes for the ranked experience.
The studio wants to make League of Legends more focused on teamwork, implementing trends that were clear during the matches at the World Championships.
Hextech crafting is also coming to the MOBA, with gamers able to combine Mastery Chests and Keys in order to get access to a range of items for their characters.
League of Legends is engaged in a long-term competition with titles like DOTA 2 from Valve and Heroes of the Storm from Blizzard and a new client, combined with mechanical tweaks, are a great way to keep the community engaged and satisfied.