Teamfight Tactics developer talks future champions and winning games

Olivia Richman Published 22/06/2019

Riot game designer David “Volty” Abecassis has released a developer blog concerning what it takes to master Teamfight Tactics and to discuss what changes the game mode may see in the near future.

Just an hour after its release on testing servers, Teamfight Tactics became the most popular game on Twitch. That happened after 9,000 players were put on a wait list when the game reached full capacity in just a few minutes. But what has made Riot’s take on an auto-battler so successful, despite it not being properly released yet?

According to Volty, the game is easy to get into, but it has “tons of depth,” which he discused in a recent developer blog. From knowledge and perception to speed and fortune, there are many areas of Teamfight Tactics to master. That’s what makes the game so exciting, Volty noted.

“How you choose to play TFT changes which areas of mastery are emphasized, creating your own playstyle,” Volty said.

This is a game that rewards teamwork and coordination over accuracy. In fact, this is a game that values “playful competition” with other players. In each round, competitors will be paired up with their opponents. One of them will “journey through a swirling portal” to the other’s arena, bringing their team with them.

“Paired matchmaking means that you share each round of combat with another player. When you witness Gnar knocking several champions into a Kennen ult, you’ll know someone else saw it too. If you sweep your opponent, you’ll know the damage you dealt to his life total mattered,” Volty said.

Teamfight Tactics currently boasts over 50 champions. But that’s just the beginning. While it hasn’t been confirmed that League of Legend’s entire 144-champion roster will be included in TFT, it’s safe to say that more champions will be coming to TFT in the future.

According to Volty, this will be done in two ways. A new champion will be added to the game every patch or so. The number of champions will increase until they hit 60.

“This gradual addition of champions is valuable because it lets us regularly build upon a familiar game by introducing new options and strategies, which prolongs the experience of exploration and discovery. You might even have some ideas about what champions we might add based on the champions and traits that already exist,” Volty said.

The second way that more champions will be added to TFT is “more explosive.” This would mean dropping entire sets of champions all at once. Developers believe the game thrives on discovery.

“When you talk about the game, watch streamers, and read guides, you’re growing your mastery of the game, and often quickly. This period of rapid improvement is really enjoyable, and the mystery of not knowing what to expect, or even what’s possible, is very powerful,” he continued.

Volty said that developers will continue to explore the League of Legends multiverse, including its skins, for TFT’s inspiration.

Olivia Richman

About Olivia Richman

Olivia has worked in media ever since graduating from college, with her coverage ranging from traditional newspaper reporting to digital coverage of all things gaming, online betting, and nerd culture. She has traveled around the world pursuing that coverage, from the far coasts of the United States to the busy downtown core of Tokyo, Japan. Olivia’s favorite games include Overwatch and Super Smash Smash Bros, and she has been published at Esports Illustrated, Inven Global, EsportsInsider, Upcomer, and elsewhere.

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