The first stage of the new LPL season has been underway for two days. On the last match day, three games were scheduled by the officials. UP faced LGD and suffered a 2-0 sweep. IG was also quickly defeated by AL. After some training time in Korea, AL seems to have genuinely improved. Hope, who was often doubted by fans for lacking individual skill, carried his team in two consecutive games and outperformed Photic in lane. It seems Hope’s internal rivalry has some meaning now.

The final match was between BLG and WBG, with both teams battling fiercely over three games. In the end, BLG secured their opening victory. Although WBG lost, they were not completely dominated since BLG was also not in top form. If it weren’t for Xiaohu giving an opportunity in the decisive game, WBG might have had a chance to win. Spring has yet to arrive, and HakiTiger is already slacking off. It seems he alternates between hibernation and awakening. It remains to be seen if Xiaohu can bounce back later.

Although these two teams fought intensely, honestly, the games were a bit lackluster. Both sides made mistakes, and some were quite critical. WBG’s ban-pick was a bit puzzling; in the deciding game, they picked Sion and Alistar but chose Ezreal, and during team fights, Zhao managed to drain all the blue buff without Bin even losing health. Since the season just started, issues are normal. The key is whether both teams can identify and fix these problems during review.

Two days into the first stage, many have noticed that lane swapping tactics have become less frequent recently. There is a rumor online that Riot has officially intervened to control lane swaps. Miller revealed on his recent stream that Riot held meetings requiring teams to report their lane assignments one day before the match. Combined with internal discussions, this led fans to believe that Riot might forcibly ban lane swapping.

However, the reality is that Riot has not banned lane swapping. In the second game between WBG and BLG, ELK started in the bottom lane but switched to the top lane to pressure Bin after the three-minute punishment ended. ELK had seven task slots after completing the lane assignment, so choosing the bottom lane task was part of the strategy. This switch shows that lane swapping remains a viable tactic and depends on the players’ choices. Riot has not intervened directly.

The reason for the advance reporting is that the match server lacks an automatic lane assignment system. Since the officials use custom games, manual lane allocation is required, so teams must notify in advance. If an AD wants to start in the top lane and take the top lane task, that’s acceptable as long as it’s reported. After submission, lane assignments are shared with the opponent, so both sides know each other’s lane setups.

The decrease in lane swapping frequency is actually influenced by the task system. If the AD goes top to bully a short-range champion, the task progress slows down. This affects not only themselves but also the top laner who switches down. One decision impacts two players. If the opposing team plays normally, the side that swapped lanes risks falling far behind in task progress. This is the main reason for fewer lane swaps in recent matches.

Therefore, rumors that Riot has banned lane swapping are completely unfounded. The introduction of the task system is meant to reduce lane swaps, but since it’s a tactical choice, a strict ban would cause huge backlash. Lane swapping has been around for two years, and Riot previously struggled to solve it despite attempts. Even at the worst times, no official rule was imposed. Now that lane swapping has decreased, banning it outright makes no sense.

Conclusion:

The task system and pre-match lane reporting indeed limit lane swapping, which is what viewers want to see. Having the AD run top to bully a short-range fighter or tank isn’t very entertaining. Matches where advantage is built through lane control are much more exciting. Riot deserves credit for using the task system to address lane swapping—it’s quite effective.

So, do you prefer lane swapping or sticking to standard lanes?

Feel free to leave your thoughts and join the discussion!