Riot Games made a controversial decision by introducing the movement option with the Wasd keys in its emblematic title, League of Legends. This significant change comes after 16 years of use of the traditional system to point and click, and aims to facilitate the entry of new players in the game, by eliminating access barriers and increasing accessibility. However, many in the community reacted negatively to this proposal.
Totally against moving with Wasd
According to executive producer Paul Bellezza, the objective of this new feature is to allow beginner players to access the world of League of Legends in a faster and less frustrating manner. We expect this option to not replace the original control, because Riot stressed that it is a question of maintaining a balance so that no player is forced to change his style of play to stay competitive. Darcy Ludington, another of the producers, assured that both the novices and the professionals have tested the system, which will initially be launched on the PBE test server to refine any bugs before its general implementation.
Despite the accessibility emphasis, the community’s response was mainly negative. Veteran players have expressed their concerns about a possible imbalance in competition, citing similar experiences in shooters using mixed keyboard and controller controls. In addition, some criticisms argue that this new method could decrease the level of competence required to carry out actions such as Kiting, which would alter the competitive essence that characterizes the game. Some have even described the decision to “monumental error”.
In the next patches, this option should be part of the PBE tests, scheduled for September, which will allow the community to live this controversial novelty in the first hand. As this date approaches, the debate on the integration of Wasd will continue to divide opinions between those who see in this change an opportunity to attract players and those who fear the loss of the identity of League of Legends.
