Why don’t players use the League’s new ping system?

Riot introduced a new set of pings to improve communication during the LoL 2023 preseason. Also, players now have eight options in the wheel instead of the usual four, but it seems that the community doesn’t like it.

But as usual, every time Riot introduces new changes to the game, the meta gets shaken up, and this time is no different. Instead, players met a communication system known as a ping wheel.

Apart from the old pings for assistance, missing enemies, on the way, and danger, there are new pings in League of Legends that aim to improve the game’s communication. The new pings are:

• All in
• Bait
• Hold
• Push

However, it seems that the new system is not working as expected. Read on to learn why professional players are not using the new ping system.

Why don’t players use the League’s new ping system?

After more than three months since the introduction of the new ping system in the League of Legends preseason, numerous players have commented on the not-so-often ping system, explaining why.

One player explained his findings in a Reddit post, which he set up on the game’s subreddit. He points out that no one seemed to be using the new pings other than the ping bait that tells other players to hang.

This generated a conversation in the comments, where other users commented that they rarely use it and gave justifications as to why.

The author of the post comments:

“I see almost no one actively use the new ping system.”

“Just something that I noticed. Almost no one is actively using it as intended.”

He further adds:

“The bait ping is used as a rope sometimes, but apart from that, I don’t see them used.”

“I also don’t really use them myself except when I accidentally ping something wrong.”

I see almost no one actively use the new ping system. from leagueoflegends

Others in the comments highlighted that, despite their ability to use it, very few people follow the instructions provided by the new pings. No one I have contacted uses the new ping messages to communicate their precise meaning, not even the one that says, “Please help me clarify the vision,” complained one player.

Many players concurred with the original post by acknowledging that they frequently send the wrong pings. However, others noted that having the four standard pings, where they can quickly identify which one is in a specific direction, makes them faster to use.

On the other hand, one comment reads:

“I have literal 10 years of muscle memory with old pings. I’m becoming an old man. I’m not changing.”

Opinions of professional players

Humzh, a Challenger-level player, demonstrated how to misuse bait ping in League of Legends. In a short clip, he said,

“Someone in; just give him the rope.”

After that, all his teammates started spamming the same emoticon in the game.

On the other hand, former pro gamer Christian ” IWillDominate ” Rivera comments:

“The fact that Riot launched Bait Ping to improve communication, but everyone uses it as a rope to tell each other to kill each other is the perfect amount of irony.”

Preseason 2023 had the sole purpose of optimizing communication in League of Legends. However, since players are highly toxic to the use of the new bait, the use of the entire system has become useless.

Header: Riot Games