It’s that time of the year again. Late November always means a few things for the League of Legends community.
By now, the new world champions are always crowned, and this year, T1 took the Summoner’s Cup back home. As a result of the pro season coming to an end, roster rumors are all over the place. At the same time, Riot Games developers usually announce the changes for the upcoming season—and they did so on Nov. 20.
This time around, there are so many changes coming in the 2024 preseason that even the official trailer had a quick recap by the end of it. Tweaks to the Summoner’s Rift terrain, Baron Nashor’s effects on the map, a fresh Infernal Rift, overhauled items, and more champion quests are the highlights of the preseason. I swore I’d never say it again, a few times already, but here I am once more, incredibly excited to play League.
It’s not as easy for me to get excited about League as it once was
You see, I’ve been far from being a skilled player for a few years already. My days of grinding League and other competitive games are long forgotten. But that doesn’t mean I don’t like to return to these games from time to time and enjoy myself. When it comes to Riot’s MOBA, it usually doesn’t happen often and doesn’t last for long due to the toxic community and my below-average skills.
But Riot’s developers managed to do it again. The latest trailer for the 2024 preseason was enough for me to jump aboard the hype train and await season 14.
When these preseason changes are announced every year, I usually don’t jump with excitement—quite the opposite, actually. Almost annually, the developers decide to shift the item mechanics or add more adjustments to the jungle, which were actually the main points of the 2023 preseason changes. I don’t ever play jungle and the items themselves are not enough to gain my attention.
A true breath of fresh air
This year is different, however. When I saw the upcoming terrain changes, I was already on board with the 2024 preseason, even though it was just the tip of the iceberg. Seeing the top lane isolated for its players to just focus on the enemy laner is what I, an average top lane main with one or two pocket picks, was hoping would come for years. Now, I can enjoy my one-vs-one mini-game for the majority of my League games.
Still, even the remaining terrain changes piqued my curiosity. New corridors in the jungle and ways to gank all three lanes should—in theory—make the game way more dynamic, especially in my Silver rank kingdom.
Additionally, having a new type of monster in the Baron pit before the 14th minute and having Baron Nashor influence other creatures on the Rift just opens the door for so many opportunities. Combine that with more champion quests and my inner lore fanboy and gamer are full of anticipation for the 2024 preseason.
I also believe I’m not the only gaming veteran who will find themself downloading the game once the preseason launches. It feels as if this year’s tweaks are so major that they’ll allow for the game to be experienced from a new, different perspective.
Once the update goes live early next year, I expect myself to do what I used to in the winters back when I was a kid. I’ll lock myself in my apartment and just spam League until I pass out (just kidding, I need to be in bed by midnight due to work in the morning). More importantly, however, I expect to have as much fun as I once had playing League—that is until my patience for trolls and toxic individuals runs out.
