Before a new League of Legends update hits the live servers, why not test out all the changes on the Public Beta Environment?
Riot Games has opened the gates for anyone to join the PBE—a previously exclusive server restricted to a select few. You’re good to go as long as you have a Riot account in good standing, without any current bans or restrictions.
It’s always worth jumping on the PBE servers when you have the time to get ahead of the curve.
How to create a PBE account in LoL
To create a PBE account, navigate to the PBE sign-up page on Riot’s website and make sure your account meets the eligibility criteria. If you have no current bans and are at least honor level three in League, you’ll be able to create an account. The instructions for signing up are pretty straightforward, so you shouldn’t have any issues at this stage.
How to download the PBE client for LoL
Installing the PBE client is similar to the regular client in terms of look, feel, and size. You can find it on Riot’s official download page. Simply click on the “Download the PBE client” option and you’ll be ready to go. You’ll need around 12 GB of space free on your PC to download the client. After you’ve created your PBE account and downloaded the client, it’s just a case of logging on and playing.
Pros and cons of the PBE in LoL
There are many benefits to having a PBE account. You get access to the latest champions, skins, and other content before it goes live, and you can submit your feedback to the devs themselves. This way, you’re always better prepared to climb the ranked ladder once the changes go live.
But there are also a few drawbacks to the process. The PBE servers are located in Chicago, which means if you’re playing from Europe, Oceania, or any other region for that matter, you’ll have to deal with high ping, which makes it almost impossible to play normally.
But if you’re desperate to try out the latest League content before the rest of the pack, there’s no harm in signing up for a PBE account and getting into the test servers.