The Problem of Snowballing in League of Legends Season 11 and Beyond
The concept of snowballing, where one team gains such a large lead that the opposing team cannot fight back, has always been an issue in League of Legends. However, Riot Games is taking steps to address this problem in season 11 and beyond, ensuring that both teams have a fair chance to compete.
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“lol pls” dev video, Andre “Meddler” Van Roon, the game director for League, discusses the issue, stating that snowballing rates have remained consistent during the preseason and the beginning of season 11. Nonetheless, the team recognizes the importance of closely monitoring this issue and aims to enhance comeback mechanics for this year’s preseason.
“We particularly want to address cases where you’re behind and it feels a bit hopeless,” Meddler said. He goes on to explain that they are exploring ways to provide opportunities for losing teams to make plays even when they are not in a favorable position.
Meddler also acknowledges the impact of the new Mythic items on the strengths and weaknesses of different classes of champions. Some classes have become incredibly dominant, making it challenging for opponents to counter them without focusing on building their own items. This imbalance further prevents teams from making a comeback when they are behind.
In a fast-paced meta where games are ending quickly, the losing team may have a good understanding of their win conditions. However, waiting for the opposing team to make a mistake is not always feasible. Therefore, snowballing has become a difficult issue to tackle in League of Legends.
Riot Games’ plans to address this problem may bring hope to games that seem lost, making them winnable once again. More information regarding these plans will likely be provided in the upcoming preseason at the end of 2021.
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