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If you haven’t tried the newest League of Legends game mode, Teamfight Tactics, what are you waiting for (besides PBE queue times that last hours)?
In all seriousness, though, the reason those queues are so long is because the new mode is a ton of fun. It’s been a massive hit so far and has the potential to grow into something truly special.
Related: 5 things Riot got right with Teamfight Tactics
But that doesn’t mean there aren’t issues. It’s hard to imagine given how well the game’s been received and how polished it is that it’s truly in the very early stages of its beta test. It could be a long time before the game is fully released. Even Riot has acknowledged how much work is ahead of the development team.
But we have a few suggestions for the team as well. Here are the top five flaws with Teamfight Tactics that, if fixed, could make it a truly amazing game mode.
1) Game length
One of the biggest advantages of autobattlers like Teamfight Tactics and Dota Auto Chess is that they’re more laid-back versions of the base games. It’s not that they can’t be competitive—Riot will eventually institute a ranked version of Teamfight Tactics. But because you don’t have to control the units yourself, these types of games definitely feel more relaxed in the vein of a card or tower defense game.
But the problem is, if you want to win at Teamfight Tactics, it still takes a long time. Players get eliminated one by one, so the last two standing could be in a game for quite a while. It’s not as long as a Summoner’s Rift game, but it definitely takes longer than a normal ARAM.
Fortunately, there’s an easy solution to this. Riot could easily develop a shorter, for-fun version that brings the player count down from eight to, say, four. That would allow players to get in and out more quickly, which could broaden the appeal of the game as a whole.
2) It’s really complex
Teamfight Tactics is also a load for new players to pick up. It isn’t that hard to learn, but there’s just a lot happening on the board. You have champions, each with a class and origin that produces synergies with other champions. Oh, and they evolve, too, as you gain enough of them. Players have to keep track of items, gold, experience, which round they’re in, which dictates what type of enemy they face, and a whole lot more.
It can be difficult to take in at first. What we’re not suggesting is that Riot dumb the game down—strategic complexity will help the game’s longevity. What we’re saying is that when the game mode is fully released, Riot should have an in-depth tutorial to guide new players into this genre. League’s current tutorial is pretty lackluster and has kind of become a barrier to new players getting into it. We’re hoping that’s not the case with Teamfight Tactics.
3) RNG
Every card game has an element of RNG that makes it fresh and exciting. Nobody wants to play the same thing over and over again or see a meta develop where only certain things are good.
But there’s a bit too much RNG in Teamfight Tactics right now. It can lead to some pretty busted results, especially in the early phase where balancing is an issue.
But RNG, if handled correctly, can be a really fun addition to the game. We have a suggestion, though: Similar to how players build decks in card games and then still have to draw the right cards, give players some agency over the RNG in Teamfight Tactics so they can prepare for it and plan around it. That could be something as simple as having item drops with more than one item to choose between, or mechanics that let players swap out items or champions at certain points in the game or when proccing a certain effect.
If done correctly, RNG can be made to be more interactive, which can lessen its overall impact on results. Doing so could also add strategic depth without overwhelming players with choices.
4) Originality
League of Legends was never wholly original to begin with. It borrowed a lot of ideas from earlier MOBAs, including Dota. And here we are, a decade into it, still taking ideas from competing games.
Right now, the most unique thing about Teamfight Tactics is its use of player avatars, which was a genius move. But for the game mode to succeed even more, Riot will have to think of a way to set it apart from the other popular autobattlers, including Auto Chess and Dota Underlords.
One thing that Riot traditionally doesn’t do well is harness the creative power of its player base to come up with these game modes. Sure, the company has internal hack-a-thons where development teams try to build something new. But it lacks the true sandbox mode of games like Fortnite that give players the opportunity to come up with original creations that could be added to the game.
5) Mobile
This isn’t really a fix, but rather something that needs to be added to the game soon. In the past, Riot has resisted making a mobile version of League of Legends for reasons unknown. It recently started down that path but only after parent company Tencent tried to develop its own version first.
That can’t be the case for Teamfight Tactics. The Dota-based autobattlers are quickly moving into the mobile space, and Riot can’t afford to fall behind. Given their lower technical requirements vs. full-on MOBAs, autobattlers are perfect for mobile gaming. Riot should do everything in its power to launch PC and mobile versions of Teamfight Tactics together—and fast.
