Riot plans to create new terrain features, expand dragon thematics for League’s 2022 preseason

Riot Games has big plans for the 2022 League of Legends preseason.

The devs are looking to expand on elements brought to the game in 2020 with some new additions to the “dragon space.”

This includes creating “new terrain features” that contribute to “unique matches” and “alter” how the game plays out after the map transforms and expanding the “thematic possibilities” of what empowers a dragon and “how that empowers champions” on Summoner’s Rift, Riot explained in a dev blog post.

The original goal was to increase “game-to-game variance” with the environmental mechanics added to the game in the Rise of the Elements 2020 preseason. And while the changes “largely succeeded” in making each game feel more unique than the last, the devs think there’s room for more. 

“As game designers, we like to think everything we do is good,” senior development manager Oliver “Kazdoo” Ged said in 2019. “When we love an idea, we really love it. And when we start to follow an idea we want to make it permanent.”

The powerful Dragons Souls, game-ending Elder buff, and map terrain transformations introduced in 2020 have become a key part of League’s identity over the past couple of years and have ended up being permanent additions to the game. But there’s more to come, according to Riot. 

The devs didn’t delve into the details of the changes coming in the 2022 preseason, but they did promise to provide more updates and thoughts on dragons later this year. 

Make sure to follow us on YouTube for more esports news and analysis.