Why League of Legends Players Do NOT Like The New Arcane ARAM Map

League of Legends players are not entirely happy with the Arcane ARAM map. As Arcane Season 2 approaches, Riot Games prepared numerous Arcane-themed content to boost the fans’ anticipation. They kicked off with the new ARAM map on November 6, 2024, with patch 14.22, raising the expectations of players. However, many players voiced out concerns about the redesign affecting the visuals and gameplay that alter the ARAM experience. 

Visual Clarity Issues

The map’s visual presentation surfaced to be one of the primary complaints in the changes that occurred. Players have criticized the new design for being visually overwhelming after its attempt to capture the essence of Piltover and Zaun. They reported that it feels “overloaded” and “messy” to serve as a game map. Moreover, the players also pointed out the color scheme to make the tracking of gameplay elements difficult.  

The changes are clearly not on par with what the community expected following its release. It’s not merely a concern on aesthetics but rather the impact on gameplay performance and experience. Riot Games may have failed to consider the overall effects of the new design, particularly on the players’ end. 

Gameplay Balance Concerns

Besides the new design, Riot also introduced new mechanics that altered the traditional gameplay balance in ARAM. It created balance issues with the addition of Speed Shrines, as it made certain champions disproportionately powerful. Apart from it, they added a bottom-side lane that allowed flanking maneuvers. This particularly disappoints the players as it beats the core concept of ARAM.  

With the new terrain design and turret mechanics, it made snowballing impossible after losing the first turret. This makes the situation as if the first turret decides the game winner, which prevents comeback potential. Besides, it leads the game to be shorter and less engaging as players get frustrated with the gameplay. 

Also, the new layout isn’t entirely considerate of all team compositions, as it leans heavily to champions with poking abilities. This produced an unbalanced meta that discourages players from competing further. These issues opened a lot of possible rework on the map for Riot Games to satisfy the community.  

The Announcer Problem

Other than the gameplay, some players reported audio issues concerning the new announcer system. The constant commentary of the announcer makes it difficult for players to focus on the game. It appears rather “distracting and excessive” as it interferes with their gameplay experience. Some players noted that they resort to turning the game sound off, but it shouldn’t be that case. 

Riot’s Response

Riot was quick to respond to the community’s concern regarding the new Arcane ARAM Map design. Product Lead on League of Legends game modes, Eduardo “Riot Cadmus” Cortejoso acknowledged and promised to immediately resolve the issues. With this, the development team is aware of the problems and is earnestly working on gameplay clarity, performance, and balance.  

The community can expect the major issues resolved as soon as the next patch comes. They are also releasing a detailed changelist in the coming week for players’ awareness of what’s coming on the rework. Moreover, the PBE will first see the testing of potential clarity improvements to give a sight on the improvements.  

On the other hand, some players also proposed potential solutions in order to improve the current situation. Among the suggestions is the addition of an option to choose between the new map and the classic Howling Abyss. Without a doubt, the classic map is well-loved in the community and serves as the standard for ARAM maps. 

Besides that, they recommend implementing a rotating map system where it includes previous map versions. It will be best for those who enjoy variety in their gameplay as they explore different terrains. Further, some simply call for a reduction in visual effects, announcer frequency, and balance adjustments. 

Conclusion

The League of Legends new Arcane ARAM map has fallen short of reaching the players’ expectations. While it seeks to treat players into a new environment, it causes frustration as it alters the known ARAM gameplay. It failed to cater to what the players needed, particularly in visual and gameplay balance. With that, the community echoes disappointment upon the launch of this Arcane-related content.