Alongside the drama regarding T1’s coaching change mid-season, another topic stirring excitement among League of Legends players is Riot’s recent launch of a new client. The interface will undergo a complete transformation, becoming sharper, more visually appealing, and of course, aiming to provide players with the best experience possible.
The most noticeable changes can be seen in the party interface, match finding, and loading screens. The sharper and more aesthetic designs align with the graphics standards of 2021, which is clearly evident. “Our goal is to make each player stand out in the queue. We are experimenting with some ideas to help players see themselves and others in the queue interface. You will notice different ranks and player levels, and some information will be displayed using a system of crystals and icons, helping others fully understand you.” – a Riot employee stated.
The Rank Emblem and Banner will also be completely revamped to emphasize the importance of rank tiers while retaining the intricate metallic designs of the old style, adding familiar yet impressive details from the new style.
“In this potential design, we plan to eliminate the complex patterns related to the area on the rank frame that you can see in the current system. This simpler approach allows us to make rank a core part of your personal identity. Aiming for the shape of simple wings allows us to reuse it in other interfaces, helping to better express a player’s story.”
New features Riot plans to implement will include Badges, Identity Crystals, and Special Banners. With Badges, the aim is to help players feel more special about themselves. Regarding Identity Crystals, the idea is related to a Hextech Crystal that accumulates energy through user gameplay or will serve as a leaderboard of the achievements that gamers have accomplished. The Special Banners are expected to replace the current banner system that has proven ineffective during the queue and loading phases, but they are still in the brainstorming phase, and of course, the new Banners will be designed to clearly express the player’s personality.
Gamers have expressed countless mixed opinions about this new interface. Some say the new design is quite beautiful, but there are also many jokingly claiming that League of Legends is increasingly “copying Arena of Valor”.
Community feedback will always be an important factor for Riot’s game developers to refine the new client. However, everything will unfold in the future, and for now, players will continue to use the old interface for a considerable time, at least until the end of this 11th season.