WASD controls could soon be coming to League of Legends

Movement in popular MOBA League of Legends might get a serious shake-up if recent leaks prove true, as a new WASD control option is reportedly in the works that could make it easier for new players to ease into the MOBA’s movement style and change the way the game’s abilities are dodged.

Seasoned League players are well-accustomed to the classic mouse cursor movement option, but for anyone coming from third- or first-person shooters that allow movement through keystrokes and gamepad inputs, it can feel unnatural. League already has a high learning curve, and the movement style tends to throw off new players as much as anything else. But if these leaks are legit, developer Riot Games might finally be looking to change that.

Taking to X, the SkinSpotlights account shared an apparent screenshot from League of Legends’ settings, displaying what appears to be a new option to enable WASD movement controls.

How would WASD controls change League of Legends?

According to reports and leaks, League is soon getting an option to enable WASD movement, which would allow movement to feel more similar to how it works in MOBAs like Battlerite or Smite.

Reports suggest that players will still be able to use mouse clicks to move if they want, but the new “modern” control mode adds full WASD movement and some additional options to further support it. One of the big options is related to how the Flash summoner spell would work. There are three settings for the spell, and while the exact behavior of each isn’t yet confirmed, it looks like one keeps Flash pointed toward your mouse, one makes it go in the direction that the champion is facing, and another tries to blend both styles depending on what the player is doing.

There’s also a toggle that allows players smart cast in the direction their champion is facing rather than towards the mouse pointer. This could essentially give the game more of a twin-stick or action-RPG feel. It’s a drastic shift from the way League of Legends has always been played played, and could lower the barrier for players used to the movement style more typical of most video games.

League is known for its classic cursor movement and using the QWER keys for abilities. And while seasoned MOBA players are perfectly fine grinding out games with the old-school setup, newer players often find it odd to be forced to move with a mouse alone. If these reports are true, WASD controls could open the door for a wave of new players wanting to give LoL a shot.

While it may sound like great news, longtime fans aren’t exactly thrilled about the idea. According to some, it’s a sign that the game is moving away from its roots. Still, there’s a chunk that remain excited about the change, pointing out that WASD controls, especially the “enhanced with cursor” version, could make movement smoother for kite-heavy champions and open up new ways to outplay other players through ability dodging and general map movement.