With every season comes a new meta and new tips and tricks to learn. Some champions get buffed and some champions get nerfed, but what about all of the other details? Riot Games plan to “expand and evolve” League of Legends in an unusual manner. For starters, Riot Games plan to change up one of the core foundations of League of Legends: items. Plans for the 2021 preseason show a top to bottom rework of the item system with attention being given to the fully upgraded item shop. Current estimates Riot Games provides include 34% of the current items staying the same, 33% of them being buffed, and 33% new items overall.
Currently, Riot Games feels satisfied with how items provide power and that misplays create consequences that can be capitalized on. The main issue it has that must be addressed is how items feel to you, the player. Intuitiveness is an important element, especially for new players. 2021 LoL will have faster item purchases, have complex decisions regarding strategic items, maintain useful power spikes, all while allowing you to master your champion with some new exciting items.
Items will have a unique, but single purpose to them. Items won’t be overlapping in niches as much in 2021, so build paths can be more engaging and feel less restrictive. Overall, 2021 will have items that promote a more healthy game by allowing counterplay and individual weaknesses here and there.
Itemization is hugely influenced by how the item shop works, as Riot Games believes that there is huge potential in streamlining how the item shop works. New players can feel overwhelmed by the current item shop, so a simpler recommendation system that uses more recent data for recommended items that higher ranked players use (as to give the newbie a better start as opposed to using outdated items no longer in the meta).
The new item shop will still allow players to still choose non-linear options (such as for counterbuilding based on what the enemy team has). Other than the “recommended item” section, there will be an “all item” section. As the name implies, this section will focus on more skilled players and their desires for a simple, yet effective item shop. Multiple features such as highlighting viable items will be implemented, as will investing more in data integration (to keep the shops up-to-date).
The full 2021 preseason gameplay plans focus entirely on items and making it more fun and useful to players across League of Legends. Naturally, there will be buffs and nerfs to be announced, but as of right now the item experience is the primary focus for the 2021 preseason in League of Legends. Items will be polished for a more convenient, yet exciting experience for both new and old players alike. Specific details as to what new items will be included are not yet revealed, yet there is a promise for more unique, easy to understand items that can have a niche somewhere in the metagame. Riot Games is certainly making 2021 an interesting year for League of Legends, as a better item shop and more polished items can change the meta in a drastic, albeit a good way.
