STARTING today, October 28, players in the Philippines will now have an all-access pass to one of the most highly anticipated games of the season: League of Legends: Wild Rift.
“[P]layers from Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea and Thailand have full access to the game on iOS and Android, with more regions coming later this year and into 2021,” developer Riot Games said in a public FB post.
“This is one of the biggest milestones we’ve hit so far, and we’re excited to continue developing Wild Rift with all of you throughout the Open Beta,” it added.
(UPDATE, 28 October, 3:58 p.m.) It seems all the technical problems have been resolved and the open beta is now live. Tap here to get the game.
Original story continues below:
The game was supposed to go live this morning, but it seems the team ran into a few technical hiccups. The devs appealed to players to “hang tight”, promising updates throughout the day. They also delayed the release of the cinematic trailer — always one of the highlights when it comes to League of Legends.
Here’s the Google Play link and the App Store link.
It’s a busy season for League of Legends. The release of Wild Rift coincides with the ongoing Worlds in Shanghai, where the esports’ top players from around the world are currently duking it out for a shot at the Summoner’s Cup.
What is League of Legends: Wild Rift?
Like Mobile Legends, Arena of Valor, Dota 2, and yes, League of Legends, Wild Rift is a five-versus-five multiplayer online battle arena. Pick your character from a total of 49 (as of this time of writing) champions, then team up with friends or randoms to take down an enemy’s Nexus, or base.
If you’ve played MOBAs, you know the drill for Wild Rift mastery: Know your character’s role in a team, drive up the appropriate lane (or, if your hero is specced for it, occasional forays into the wild jungle), farm XP and gold to buff up your champ, take down towers, then assault the enemy camp.
The appeal here is, of course, its ties to League of Legends. As the mobile version of one of the world’s most popular MOBAs, you can carry over the PC experience over to your phone. Champions like Lee Sin, Jinx, Ahri, and of course, crowd favorites Akali, Evelynn and Kai'Sa, who will join the roster with the release of the Open Beta — and are expected to hit the stage again in the worlds as Kpop group K/DA.
So it’s the same as the PC game, except on mobile?
Well, not quite. Beyond the obvious differences — smaller screen, no mouse and keyboard — Riot Games has made a few changes to the overall experience. It’s called Wild Rift, after all, and not League of Legends Mobile. (That would also sound too similar to another MOBA out there.)
The map is smaller, for one, so games will be tighter and more fast-paced. Cooldowns have been adjusted, as a result.
The Wild Rift map is also mirrored, depending on whether you’re in the red or in the blue team. For LoL vets, the switched positions may confuse at first, but helpful on-screen indicators will help direct you to the right lane for your team.
If you’re coming straight from LoL PC, also expect minor adjustments in items, runes, and the skills of a few champions.
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