Starting in 2025, League of Legends will change how its seasons work.
For 15 years, the game’s seasons have mostly been about ranked play and haven’t really affected the game’s story. But now, Riot is changing things up. They’re going to split each year into three separate seasons, each telling a tale from a different part of the game’s world. The first one, called “Welcome to Noxus,” kicks off in January. This is a big change for the game, with each season running for about 16 weeks and including updates and new characters that fit into that season’s story. Like before, there will be two battle passes—one you pay for and one that’s free—where players can earn rewards. But now, most of the rewards will be gathered in the free pass to make things easier.
Ranked matches will still follow the usual yearly schedule, with a big reset happening every January. Players can earn a special skin called Victorious if they win 15 ranked games during each of the three seasons. Riot has hinted at what’s to come with the Noxus season, including introducing a character named Ambessa, who fans might remember from Arcane. There’s even talk of Noxians invading the Summoner’s Rift map!
In Season One, players will also meet Atakhan, a new boss appearing only once in a game at 20 minutes. Depending on which team has been more active by the 14-minute mark, Atakhan shows up on either the top or bottom side of the map in his own special arena, changing the map’s layout forever. He can appear in two different forms based on the game’s intensity, each providing a unique buff. Because of Atakhan, the timing for other bosses like Rift Herald and Baron Nashor will be slightly adjusted.
The Arcane TV series, which explores the League universe, just finished its second season. This show has influenced the game, with updates to Viktor’s look and skills now live on the PBE server. Although Arcane is over, Riot plans to create more shows set in the League world, focusing next on places like Noxus, Ionia, and Demacia, as shared by Arcane’s showrunner, Christian Linke.
