League of Legends: Wild Rift isn’t just a game—it’s a way of life. A philosophy. A guiding principle of the universe.
...And a map!
The Map
Wild Rift the map is much like Wild Rift the game: smaller, faster, and specced for mobile. There’s a lot that long-time League fans will recognize, along with a few subtle changes that bear an explanation.
What’s coming over from Summoner's Rift?
Most of it! Three lanes, two jungles, one river… Dragons, Herald, and Baron, oh my! Veteran players will find the map more familiar than flummoxing, so here’s a quick rundown for first-timers.
Each team spawns at their respective base’s fountain, a safe area that zaps wayward foes and rapidly heals allies. Beside each fountain stands the Nexus, a potent pylon that you must destroy (or protect, if it’s your own!) to win. Blocking your team from the enemy Nexus are trios of turrets set at regular intervals in each of the three lanes. These turrets just start blasting any enemy that draws close, so make sure the minions take the hits instead of you! The Jungle’s also a veritable zoo of neutral monsters, but all you need to know to start is that Dragons, Rift Herald, and Baron are the big bads you’ll really want to focus on securing for your team (when you’re strong enough, that is!)
In some ways it’s just that simple! In others it’s profoundly complex. But as with all things, you’ll learn best by doing, so queue up and explore the Wild Rift!
What’s Different?
Honey, we shrunk the map!
Wild Rift’s bite-size dimensions facilitate fast, action-packed matches, so players will spend less time rambling and more time rumbling. We’ve also done away with inhibitors—just destroy the base turret to get super minions. But don’t be fooled by the lack of Nexus turrets, as the Nexus itself now fends off intruders with powerful blasts! Additionally, our resident gardener has been flexing their creativity with newly placed shrubbery (both Jungle plants and brush!), livening up the map with fresh gameplay opportunities.
All of these changes have one thing in common: they’re designed to reward quick, aggressive play, thereby promoting shorter games. But there were other mobile-specific problems that required more elegant solutions. Such as...
Rotated Map Perspective
One of the biggest challenges we faced in creating Wild Rift was fitting League’s larger-than-life Champions, tactics, and gameplay on a mobile screen. While some of these issues could be fixed by tweaking a few numbers, others required a shift in perspective… of the entire map.
To get right to the point, red side players have their maps rotated a full 180°, creating the spacious perspective enjoyed by the blue side while preserving all the asymmetry of the map.
We realize this might be jarring for both new and established players. It’s a big change! That’s why there are now visual markers at the beginning of each game indicating which lane should be protected by your carry/support duo and which is reserved for your solo side-lander.
It might sound crazy on paper (or in pixels), but give it a try! The proof is in the playing.
The Modes
Wild Rift may be smaller, but it’s more than big enough to fit League’s most popular game modes! For the most part, they all follow a similar format: pick a champion, slay minions, destroy the Nexus. But each mode serves a slightly different purpose, and therefore a slightly different player. Read on to find out which one best suits you!
Normal
Classic League! Two teams of five pick any champions they like (provided an ally doesn’t pick them first!), then they duke it out on the Rift. These games are ideal for players looking for quick, low-stakes matches.
Ranked
The differences between ranked and normal matches begin in Champ Select. Players lock in champions following an S-draft format, wherein picks alternate between teams. This gives both teams the opportunity to make strategic counter picks and refine their game plan before they even set foot in the Rift. It also means that each champ can only appear once per game. That’s great if you’re not a fan of mirror matches, but less great when the enemy snatches up your Teemo one trick. This is why we recommend having a handful of champs you’re comfortable with before starting your climb to the top!
Once the match is over, each player’s rank is adjusted based on their performance and the ranks of the other players. Click here to learn the specifics!
Co-Op VS. AI
There’s a reason it’s called Wild Rift. Champions, items, runes, the “meta”... It’s a lot to take in, and that’s before you add five players heckbent on shattering your Nexus. That’s what makes co-op VS. AI matches the perfect place to get your footing. Whether you’re testing out a new champ or just trying to get a feel for the game, our bots are finely tuned to take your hits and keep on ticking!
Just don’t tell Blitzcrank, okay?
Custom
Want to play a friendly match with nine of your pals? Keen on asserting dominance over last game’s rival in a one-on-one? Or maybe you’re looking to organize an office tournament to see whose team reigns supreme? Whatever your goal, custom matches are the answer! They let you pick the exact settings of a match, from team size to game type. Roll the dice with a public game or keep things personal with a password. There’s no wrong way to play!
Training Tool
Just as its name implies, the Training Tool is less a game and more a practice ground to hone your skills and theory-craft without the usual constraints and objectives of a standard match. You can remove all your cooldowns, spawn items at will, and effortlessly manipulate a variety of settings to test your limits in a safe, controlled environment. After all, it’s impossible to troll your teammates with a crazy new build when you have no teammates!