A League Player Found a Crazy WASD Glitch That Cleanses

A League of Legends player just found a WASD glitch that lets players cleanse status effects. Let’s explore everything to know about the situation.

Why is WASD Controversial in League of Legends?

Riot Games first announced it would add a WASD movement control option to League of Legends in August 2025, sparking controversy among its player base. Typically, League players move using their mouse buttons, saving Q, W, E, and other keys for abilities.

The studio intended for the change to allow more flexibility with keybinds and movement. It would also make the learning curve easier for new players. League is seeking the next generation of gamers, and the title is notorious for how difficult it can be for starters to pick up.

Supporters argue that WASD gives players tighter control over character positioning, especially during skillshot-heavy fights where every pixel of movement matters. However, it also lowers the skill floor for complicated maneuvers, which feels less rewarding to Ranked veterans. In addition, WASD movement can offer a mechanical advantage for dodging abilities and kiting in team fights, since keyboard input can register faster than repeated mouse clicks in certain scenarios. Critics say that the change threatens the identity of a game built around mouse precision for over a decade. Pro players and content creators have weighed in on both sides, which only adds fuel to the debate every time a new patch tweaks how the feature works.

League Player Finds a WASD Glitch That Lets You Cleanse Taunts

On July 18, 2026, Challenger Shen player xPetu posted on X.com and stated a member of his Discord server had identified a major WASD movement glitch. Prefacing the announcement with “I probably shouldn’t post this,” xPetu included footage revealing that “WASD movement allows you to cleanse every Taunt in the game for free.“

xPetu claimed the mechanic was made possible by holding left-click on the enemy Champion while also inputting a movement key. In addition, he noted, “sometimes you will even [auto-attack] the taunter once.”

The post went viral, with over 300,000 views and 4k likes. It sparked a resurgence in the WASD discourse, with one netizen @AureusGSG commenting:

“WASD has to be the worst addition ever; people that have been playing for 10 years won’t want to switch anyway, so it’s just a handicap for new players and minmaxers. Antithetical to the entire concept of MOBAs.”

On a more humorous note, @CoachlessGG wrote, “Shen might finally be balanced.”

What Does This Mean for the Game?

Taunting is a key mechanic in League, since it 1) stops the target’s abilities in their tracks and 2) forces them to draw closer to their opponents. It immobilizes its target Champ and interrupts any ongoing non-basic attacks. Galio, Ramus, and Shen are the main Champions with this ability in their kits, so it makes sense that a Shen expert’s fanbase would pick up on the glitch first.

Taunt is a type of Crowd Control (CC), so it is invaluable in teamfights. Teams build entire comps to counter CC-heavy enemies, typically focusing on CC-immune Champions and the Cleanse mechanic.

You can build Cleanse as a Summoner Spell for this exact reason. Sometimes, rosters will pick Champions with specific abilities (for example, Milio’s Breath of Life) that serve a similar function.

If every player can cleanse taunts for free without relying on a Summoner Spell or utility, it creates easy counterplay that completely slashes a core part of Galio, Ramus, and Shen’s kits. The mechanic also marks one of the first times a League player has identified an actual, in-game bug that makes WASD movement affect duel outcomes. Usually, critics just bring up the system’s theoretical implications.

Riot Games Will Fix the WASD Glitch

Riot Pupulasers, League of Legends’ Game Director, quickly replied to the post. He wrote, “TY, we’ll get on it.”

xPetu said, “Thanks for the swift response!” It seems the WASD Cleanse glitch will not remain for long.

Stay tuned for more League of Legends esports and in-game news. Also, check out our Season 3 explainer for more information on what the title has in store.