Spectator Mode

Spectator Mode is a mode of League of Legends that allows a player to observe, but not play in a game. It was first introduced at the Dreamhack Season One championship, but has seen little use, even at the following tournaments. On November 10, 2011 it was reintroduce to custom game for beta testing.

=Spectator FAQ=

League of Legends enables players to observe games in progress in Spectator Mode. Spectator Mode is different from a normal player’s perspective in a number of ways. For starters, a spectating player has no champion to command or team affiliation. Instead, he is able to jump to the perspective of either team, following the action as they see it. A spectator can even opt to remove the fog of war altogether for a truly global view of the battlefield. Additionally the spectator will be able to quickly and easily reference information on either team such as in-game stats, item builds, gold totals, and ability cooldowns.

Spectator mode can be an excellent tool for those players interested in learning more of the nuances of League of Legends gameplay, or for shoutcasters interested in commentating on competitive play.

I want to spectate a game. How can I access Spectator Mode?
When you are browsing for a custom League of Legends game you will now have the option to join that game as a spectator. Alternatively, you can elect to become a spectator after joining the game lobby as a player.

What games am I allowed to spectate?
Presently, Spectator Mode is only available in custom games. Games started by one of the matchmaking queues will not have a spectator option.

Is there a penalty for leaving a game as a spectator?
No. As a spectator you can leave a game at any time. Additionally, spectating carries no obligation to reconnect to a game once you have left.

If I disconnect, can I reconnect to a game that I am spectating?
Yes. If you disconnect while spectating a game you will be presented with the option to reconnect to the game that you were spectating.

Will it be able easy to compare team stats in Spectator Mode?
Yes. Team gold, team kills, and tower kills will be prominently displayed as part of the Spectator Mode heads up display.

Will I earn XP or IP for spectating a game?
No. You will not receive XP and IP for spectating a game.

Will the addition of spectators into a game cause performance issues for the other players?
No. The players in game should not experience performance related issues based on problems the spectators are having.

What are Riot’s plans for Spectator mode?
The launch of Spectator mode is just the beginning. We have exciting plans to expand the features and scope of Spectator in the future!

How can I view individual player statistics and information?
To view an individual player’s items and statistics, you can click on that player to select them. If you would like to compare two individual players, pressing Tab will bring up a scoreboard showing the individual stats of all players on each team. This includes: kills, deaths, assists, minion kills, current items, personal score, current gold, and total gold.

Is there a way to compare the stats of two players?
Pressing Tab or the ‘O’ key will bring up a scoreboard showing the individual stats of all players on each team. This includes: kills, deaths, assists, minion kills, current items, personal score, current gold, and total gold.

Will I be able to lock the camera on a player that I want to follow?
Yes. There is an option to lock the camera on your current target through a variety of methods: You can double-click the champion, select it and press “Y”, or directly follow it through the menu at the bottom left corner

Will I be able to quickly jump from one player’s perspective to another?
Yes. You can easily jump from observing one player to another by clicking on the appropriate portrait on the left or right side. Alternatively, each player can be selected from the drop down menu in the bottom left corner.

Will I have the option to remove/activate the fog of war while spectating?
Yes, you will have the option to view the game from either team’s perspective, to view from both teams’ combined perspectives, or to remove the fog of war completely.

Will I be able to access the shop to look at items while I am spectating a game?
Presently, spectators do not have the option to browse the shop in game.

Will I be able to view player chat while spectating a game?
You will be able to view chat that was sent to “all” by the players. However, you will not see team-specific chat.

Can I chat with the players while I am spectating a game?
No. Communication with the players is not permitted.

Can I chat with the other spectators while I am spectating a game?
No. Spectator to spectator chat is currently not supported. Spectators may still chat with their friends in PVP.net by sending a message.

Will I be able to ping the map or view player pings while spectating a game?
Yes. As a spectator, the blue team’s pings will appear blue and the purple team’s pings will appear purple. A spectator may also ping the map, but their pings are intended as a tool for shoutcasting and will not be viewable by the other players in the game.

How many players are allowed to spectate a single game?
There are currently two spectator slots available in each custom game of League of Legends, though that number is subject to change.

Am I able to spectate a game that is already in progress?
Spectators must be present in the game lobby before the game begins. There is currently no option for players to join a game already in progress as a spectator.

Will spectating players be able to tell my opponents what’s happening?
No. There is a three-minute delay built into Spectator Mode to prevent observing players from being able to provide intelligence to the competitors.

Am I able to kick a spectator from the game lobby before the game starts?
Yes. If you are the game owner and do not want a player observing your game you are free to kick or ban them from the game lobby.

Will spectators be able to see what champions both teams have picked in Champion Select?
Yes, spectators will see the players’ choices in Champion Select for both Blind Pick and Draft Mode.

Will there be privacy settings that I can use to restrict who can spectate my games?
===Game hosts have the option to allow or disallow spectators. Players also must join your game as a spectator through the custom game lobby. If you are not comfortable with a player spectating your game, you will have the option to kick or ban them from the lobby before the game starts.