Riot Games reveals League of Legends plans for 2026 in dev update

Riot Games has talked about what League of Legends fans can look forward to in the new 2026 season.

The new dev update didn’t mention the upcoming League of Legends rework, which Riot revealed early due to leaks.

Here is what is coming up in the Demacia-themed 2026 season.

Major gameplay changes

League of Legends plays completely differently now that the massive LoL Patch 26.1 has been released.

Atakhan and Feats of Strength are gone after only being added to the game last year.

Every role now has a quest, not just supports and junglers, with ADCs able to earn 7th item slots and toplaners able to break the level cap.

Faelights have made warding much easier with lit-up areas, which give extended vision once a ward is placed inside.

And Riot is dead set on making splitpushing more viable with plating on all towers and crystals given everyone a Demolish-like effect.

ARAM Mayhem is staying

Because of overwhelmingly positive feedback, ARAM: Mayhem will be extended, with a major update in 26.3 pic.twitter.com/iqGeZv6idw

— Spideraxe (@Spideraxe30) January 7, 2026

As previously reported, ARAM Mayhem is sticking around in League of Legends, and the developers have now confirmed this.

The mode was supposed to leave League of Legends with the start of 2026, but now the mode is staying around for at least a few more months.

Not only that, but the mode will get a large-scale update on Patch 26.3, releasing February 4th.

Riot Medler revealed on Reddit that Riot had already decided to keep Mayhem live for a longer period back in November.

However, there is no confirmation on how long the mode will last or if Riot is considering making it permanent.

First look at Shyvana VGU

In game dragon form Shyvana pic.twitter.com/HmJwFeebX7

— Spideraxe (@Spideraxe30) January 8, 2026

Additionally, Riot Games has given a first official look at how Shyvana will look after her upcoming visual and game update (VGU).

League of Legends fans were given an early glimpse at the Shyvana rework in the new LoL cinematic ‘Salvation.’

Now, Riot has confirmed the champion’s update will be released in Act 2 of the 2026 season.

Riot said in-game Shyvana will function relatively similarly but with quality of life updates.

“We really wanted to focus on connecting her two forms better throughout her kit, says LoL executive producer Paul ‘Pabro’ Bellezza.

She will still gain stacks of Fury in the same ways as before and will need to stack enough to turn into a dragon with her ultimate.

Bruiser will still be the main way to build her, but Riot confirmed that AP Shyvana will still be a viable build too.

LoL esports update for 2026

Everything you need to know as the 2026 Season gets underway!

Read: https://t.co/T4CBGyv9Cl pic.twitter.com/0VYpDFLuLn

— LoL Esports (@lolesports) January 8, 2026

Riot Games also gave an update on what is planned for League of Legends esports this year.

To the disappointment of some, the First Stand international tournament will be hosted in the 140-capacity Riot Games Arena in São Paulo, Brazil.

This is a very small venue for the first international LoL event hosted in Brazil since MSI 2017.

And there was another controversial esports announcement with the reveal of the ‘first selection system.’

I just don’t understand or care for this change
Only thing it does is confuse viewers at the small benefit of the teams

— Brendan Schilling (@Loyotalol) January 8, 2026

This new system will change how side selection works before esports matches to stop Blue Side from statistically looking stronger.

Now, whichever team earns side selection can either choose which side of the map they play on or if they want to pick first or second.

Essentially, a team picking blue side won’t be guaranteed first pick; that will be up to their opponents.

The benefit of choosing a side of the map doesn’t seem too apparent, especially compared to the strategic advantages of having the first or last pick of a draft.