League of Legends has become synonymous with its draft game mode on Summoner's Rift. This 5v5 mode, which has remained largely consistent over the game's duration, embodies a pure competitive experience between two teams.
Summoner's Rift has adhered to fixed roles throughout its existence, encompassing top laner, jungler, mid laner, adc, and support positions. In response to these roles, Riot has integrated player preferences by offering the option to choose desired roles during the lobby phase.
The latest discovery on the PBE indicates that developers may be taking this customization a step further. YouTuber Vandiril uncovered unreleased lobbies using concealed game codes. Within these modes were several hidden game variations, such as 1v1 ARURF, 28-player Teamfight Tactics, and a new rendition of draft pick.
The innovative draft pick iteration introduces a system that could potentially minimize the necessity for a traditional champion select screen. In this version, players can designate their role, champion, and runes directly within the lobby, eliminating the need for a separate champion selection phase.
Within the lobby, players have the flexibility to choose up to two different champions and roles, and they can also customize skins and runes within the preferred champions menu. Once a match is found, participants bypass the conventional champion select screen and directly enter the match, utilizing the preset preferences from the lobby.
While this feature exhibits some glitches—players who loaded in were missing Summoner Spells—it provides a glimpse into Riot's potential future developments. The presence of this feature suggests that Riot may be working to enhance player experience by refining the pre-game customization process.
