Earlier this month, we covered Riot’s plans to bring WASD controls to League of Legends, a change that sounded exciting, but also tricky to balance. Now, the feature has officially hit the test servers, and players are sharing their thoughts about it.
Everyone Is Suddenly A Pro Player
The biggest concern among players is about kiting, a skill that usually takes years to master. But suddenly, anyone can pull it off. We expected this change to shake things up, but the feedback so far has been unanimous. With this new setting, kiting takes little to no effort.
For anyone new to League of Legends‘ terminology, let’s discuss the concept of kiting. In simple terms, it’s the act of attacking while in motion. It allows players to deal damage without having to stand still. The technique is crucial for champions who rely on auto-attacks, since it allows them to maximize DPS while dodging incoming hits. It becomes imperative for some champions who struggle in close-range fights.
What really defines kiting, though, is how hard it is to master. You’ll spot it all the time in pro play and high-ranked matches, but most casual players don’t even bother trying. Riot did add tools like “attack move click” to make it more accessible. Even then, pulling it off consistently was tough. The challenge only grows with faster attack speeds or when outside factors, such as slows and attack range, come into play.
However, with WASD controls, everyone can now master kiting with minimal practice.
Is The Community Overreacting?
Right now, there are two dominant discussions on WASD controls.
The big question is: should WASD controls be added to the game at all? Some players argue that it could inject fresh energy into League of Legends and attract new players. But longtime veterans worry it could undermine one of the game’s core mechanics by making things a little too easy. So where do you stand?
The second point of debate is balance. On this, players seem to agree: WASD controls can’t stay as they are. While the system may feel a bit awkward at first, the learning curve is surprisingly short: skills that once took months now take minutes to pick up. Riot’s upcoming challenge will focus on ensuring the implementation of WASD controls doesn’t disrupt the game’s balance.
Most of the concern right now centers on the ADC role and ranged champions in general. WASD controls also make dodging a lot easier. However, the real controversy revolves around kiting and the advantage it affords to ranged champions compared to their melee counterparts. For melee champs, the system feels clunky and awkward, but for ranged champs, it feels like stepping into a completely different game.
But among the community, some believe that it’s still too early to draw firm conclusions.
WASD controls are easily one of the hottest topics in the League of Legends community right now. Plenty of players are eager to test them out, which means Riot will have no shortage of feedback to sift through. Curious to try it yourself? You can hop onto the LoL PBE server and see how it feels firsthand.
And if you’re looking for more news, check out our Other Games section!
