Will WASD movement break League of Legends?

Earlier this year, Riot Games confirmed one of the most radical changes in the history of League of Legends  – the introduction of WASD movement controls. The change is set to hit the PBE later this year after being tested internally over the past few months. The feature has already sparked intense debate among pros and the wider League community.

Ever since the release of LoL in 2009, the game’s identity has been heavily tied to its traditional point-and-click movement system. With WASD confirmed, the foundational change could heavily influence how players approach the game, but also how it will be balanced, spectated, and played at the highest levels.

This article breaks down what WASD movement is, how it could impact gameplay, and why this feature could either make or break the future of League of Legends.

The MOBA game relies on right-click movement paired with the four abilities tied to the QWER keyboard buttons. Over the years, this control scheme has become second nature for most players. That being said, for newer players, especially those transitioning from other game genres, this has made the learning curve even steeper. 

Riot Games has clearly stated that their goal is to bring in newer players and allow them to pick up the game with more familiar controls. With WASD, the movements are tied to the four keyboard buttons rather than mouse clicks, which should make the habit of moving the champion more intuitive. The game dev has emphasised that the feature is optional, and it has been designed to coexist with the click-to-control movement rather than replace it.

In a developer update, designer Dean “Iksar” Ayala explained that the control scheme has been tested over the past few months and has been tweaked based on feedback gathered from Riot’s internal playtest teams, new players, high rank players, and pros who took part in MSI. Game producer Darcy “Dashijador” Ludington added: “One thing we will be keeping a close eye on is how WASD affects balance between moving and attacking, especially at high attack speeds.”

The potential gameplay shifts introduced by the WASD control scheme are massive and cut both ways. 

On the micro level, players can utilise WASD to gain sharper control. Without having to click for both movements and abilities, some players will be able to dodge incoming spells better and position themselves more naturally. For ADC players, in particular, this could be heavily beneficial to move more sharply around explosive teamfights, and most importantly, kite in a much more precise way. When the champions’ attack speed goes up, it gets increasingly harder to move and auto-attack, which is why some use the “Player Attack Move Click” setting.

The same logic applies to champions who need precise movements when running at high movement speeds. Champions like Hecarim or Rammus should feel better to play and easier to control. 

On the other hand, however, the new scheme will heavily reinvent how champions should be piloted, especially spellcasters. With WASD, the old keybinding layout will completely change, and many players might struggle to adjust without putting in long hours of practice. The extended use could also cause physical strain on the left hand, which will have more buttons to click. 

While WASD’s introduction to the game is welcome, the core concern is related to its potential disruption of the game, especially at the highest level. 

WASD has clear advantages to certain champions or classes of champions, potentially creating a two-tier meta where some can thrive with the new controls and others stick to the old ones. If this were to happen, Riot could find itself in a balancing nightmare, constantly adjusting champions based on the players’ ability to pilot them rather than the picks themselves. This could also impact the meta, as some players might be more comfortable with a control scheme over the other, adding one more layer of uncertainty caused by volatility in mechanical execution, which is already a big factor in competitive League of Legends. 

Even though it’s not imminent, especially considering Riot clearly said they will slow-roll WASD on the live servers to non-ranked matches, it might require several balancing adjustments to avoid breaking the game. In short, WASD has the potential to make gameplay more fluid and accessible, but it also threatens to fracture the competitive environment at every level.

The introduction of WASD movement is thrilling and terrifying at the same time. It will definitely lower barriers to entry for new players and bring in a new wave of talent, which is necessary for the game to keep growing. On the other hand, the new control scheme can undermine years of game design, balance philosophy, and the legacy in professional play. Based on how things stand, the future of the game will depend on how well the devs can balance the power of each and determine the philosophy behind the adjustments.