Champion Select Update

Champ select is the gateway to your League games, and can make or break your game. Big changes are coming to champ select over the next few months, which will have huge ramifications for the game's ecosystem.

Player Anonymity

With the increasing prevalence of third-party apps, players have access to a ton more information about their enemies and allies before the game has even begun. This can include information like their highest winrate champions, whether they're on a win or loss streak, and if they're queued with a duo.

However, Riot believe this is giving players too much information that isn't always valuable, but is still having a meaningful influence over games. For example, players spamming 'dodge' in champ select because an ally is on a loss streak. This either encourages a dodge and cancels the game, or puts the team in a negative mindset before the match has even begun.

Therefore, summoner names will likely be hidden in champ select to prevent such information from being so easily accessed. This change will affect every rank, but will be most felt in the highest of elos where players are more familiar with each other and know who they'd rather avoid having on their team.

Pick Order Swap

A coveted feature from Wild Rift is finally coming to League, as you'll soon be able to swap pick order rather than champions. Swapping champions feels very outdated when you can't pull off a swap just because a teammate doesn't own a champion they don't plan on actually playing.

Swapping pick order will be a much smoother process that's available to every team, rather than champion swaps which greatly benefit teams who have purchased more champions. This increased flexibility may improve the overall quality of drafts, and force players to develop a better understanding of which role/champion should get first pick.

Loadout Recommender

Finally, just like the in-game item suggestions you see while shopping, recommendations for runes and summoner spells will now be displayed in champ select. This feature will be fantastic for newer players who feel a little overwhelmed when starting League, or when players are trying out new champions for the first time.

All of these changes sound like extremely positive changes for the game, and will make for a smoother and more strategic experience in champ select. The decision to make summoner names anonymous feels like a direct response to the popularity of third-party apps, suggesting Riot may not condone the amount of assistance and information they currently provide.

Will further steps be taken against these apps in the future?