I've been having a blast playing the new 2v2v2v2 mode! Within just 3 days, I managed to reach the Gladiator rank. However, I'm a bit worried about its future. Will they keep this mode or swap it out for URF and ARURF? This update has breathed new life into the game for me, and I really hope they continue supporting it. It would be fantastic if they also allow us to create custom games with this mode! How are you guys feeling about it?
If you compare it to URF, or even ARAM and Twisted Treeline this mode has a lot more investment:
Graphical assets: in items, augments, new summoner spells.
3D scenes: Multiple battlefields in the form of maps.
Code assets: New effects in augments, summoner spells, items.
Sound assets: Narrator, custom interaction with skins.
There's a clear influence from TeamFight Tactics. Most importantly the incorporation of RNG (augments, battlefields), to diversify gameplay. LoL has historically not incorporated into their game, even when the technique was very popular with older games like AoE. This was more like a legacy limitation, since League descends from a Mod of Warcraft 3. A new game allows them to take advantage of new paradigms while making use of their extensive IP and codebase (champions)
Contrast this with URF which was one of many temporary experimental seasonal game modes derived from single line code changes, which received an encore because it was fun.
So in short, Arena is here to stay, or at the very least derive into a main League of Legends game mode.
If you are developing any products or services for this market, be it ELO boosting, coaching, wiki, or similar, it's a safe bet.
