Everything You Need to Know from the LoL 2026 Dev Update

With the new season finally here, this is everything you need to know from the latest LoL 2026 Dev Update, covering the most important gameplay changes and plans for the game.

LoL 2026 Season 1 will revolve around Demacia

The new season has officially kicked off today with the release of Patch 26.01. Just like last year, Riot has been working on creating thematic updates in the game, with the first season of 2026 revolving around Demacia. Earlier yesterday, the game publisher released a cinematic called ‘Salvation, which featured several Demacian champions such as Garen, Sona, and Quinn. Within the client, Riot will be adding a new minigame, Demacia Rising, allowing players to follow Lux as she learns about the history of Demacia from her aunt Tianna.

LoL 2026 Dev Update Unveils Key Gamplay changes

On the gameplay side of things, the new season will remove Atakhan and Feats of Strength and bring in Role Quests, a system made to balance overall impact among roles. Each role will have selected ways to earn points towards their quests. Upon completion, the players will be able to gain additional in-game effects.

Moreover, Riot has decided to make specific strategies, such as split pushing, more effective by granting more gold and keeping turret plates for the entire duration of the game. Paired with the Role Quest system, which is based on the lane assignment, Riot’s goal is to put more emphasis on lane fundamentals and reduce the power of lane swap strategies, which have been dominating the meta at the highest level in the past two years. The new season will also come with a new set of items, created to empower specific types of champions.

Games are also being accelerated slightly, with the first minion wave and jungle monsters spawning faster. Vision will also become more powerful with the introduction of Faelights: these are specific bushes that will grant more vision upon placing a ward.

Enter Lobby hostage intervention

Riot is also further tackling negative behaviour with the introduction of lobby hostage intervention. The system will terminate lobbies that are suspected of having players hostage-taking others in champion select. Lobby hostage intervention will be implemented slowly across regions later this season. Remember that the system will work only if the suspected player is reported.

Additionally, Riot Games plans to remove the ability to ban allies’ hovered champions in champion select. Players will also keep the autofill status even if they dodge in the lobby.

A new client? Shyvana’s rework is coming…

Riot is working on a major overhaul of the game for 2027, coming with a new client and Summoner’s Rift map. On top of that, the game designers are working on changing the rune system, with more details to be shared between MSI and Worlds this year.

The dev team also revealed the upcoming skins that are set to be released in the first part of 2026:

• Patch 26.02: Battle Academia Briar, Battle Academia Samira, Aegis Frame Galio, Aegis Frame Ornn
• Season start: Prestige Veiled Lady Morgana
• Season 1: Revenant Reign Exalted skin Viego
• Season 1: Victorious Braum
• Later in the season: Prestige skins for Mordekaiser and Sona

The team also teased a new Firecracker skin line for Chinese New Year, April Fools’ skins, and a new set of skins for Act 2 that will show the ‘dark side of Demacia’. Related to the esports scene, a new thematic skin set will debut during First Stand, the first international tournament of the year.

After years of waiting, Shyvana will finally receive her update, which is set to be released in Act 2 of the season. The champion will come with new visuals for both of her forms as well as adjustments to her kit.