An experimental change will be launched alongside the LCS exclusively in the upcoming Spring Split that is set to make it a priority for those looking to keep up with changes in the ever-evolving League of Legends meta.
New LCS commissioner MarkZ surprised NA fans today with the reveal of live patch play for the duration of the 2024 regular season, becoming the first region to adopt this new playstyle following previous indications that it would never be done. This announcement follows a plethora of other changes set to accompany the start of the Spring Split on Jan. 20, including shorter broadcast downtime and a condensed season schedule.
Professional League has long remained one patch behind the live servers due to the tight turnaround between the patch release and pro games being played. Nearly every region broadcasts its games on different days of the week, and with patches dropping every other Wednesday afternoon, most would not have the opportunity to practice and experiment with the changes each patch brings before playing on stage—on top of having to learn two different patches for pro play and solo queue.
As of now, no other league has announced that it will be conforming to this ruleset, meaning that all other regions will continue their professional play one patch behind the one on the live servers. This appears to be a way to incentivize viewership for the LCS as well as test a new format before launching it to other regions around the world, such as the LEC’s recent endeavor into three splits rather than two.
Though this means players will only have two days of practice before their scheduled weekend matches, the LCS’ current stance as the smallest major region due to the downsizing of the league may make this an ideal way to test playing on live patches—with Riot noting it will remain in close conversation with LCS pros to evaluate the experience. Once playoff brackets begin, however, the LCS will once more be locked into one specific patch for the duration of the tournament.
The LCS is scheduled to return to weekends with the start of the 2024 Spring Split on Jan. 20, featuring a plethora of reshuffled rosters among a scene of eight teams.
