Clash, the in-game tournament feature that pits premade five-man teams against one another for prizes, will arrive in League of Legends during the 2018 season, according to Riot’s announcement today.
This new tournament feature was tested on the Vietnam League PBE server this summer, and this is the first the game’s community has heard of it since then. Competitiveness and esports have been one of the major attractions for new players to League, and Riot’s goal with the new feature is to expand the esports experience to players of all levels, not just the best of the best.
You’ll be able to buy into the tournaments with tickets, and tickets can be purchased using Blue Essence, RP, or earned as rewards from missions. This buy-in exclusivity adds higher stakes to the tournament, so it feels weightier to play and more satisfying to win. There will also be rewards on the line, although Riot hasn’t shown them yet.
One possible reward is winning champion capsules, as shown in the team roster interface in Riot’s announcement video.
You’ll be able to either lead a roster or take part in one, and premade teams will be able to make trades and buyouts for other players, although the specifics of that system have yet to be revealed. You’ll also see your opponents’ roster before you face them in a tournament, allowing you to experience scouting and target bans without needing to play on the pro stage.
Clash should be hitting certain regions for testing soon, including the EUW, EUNE, and TR servers, and its full, worldwide release is scheduled for the early part of season eight.
