League of Legends has officially kicked off Season 3 with Patch 25.17, uniting narratives from past events like Spirit Blossom Beyond and Welcome to Noxus. Champions such as LeBlanc, Yunara, Atakhan, and Xin Zhao take center stage as the story unfolds. The season builds toward the 2025 League of Legends World Championship, marking Worlds’ 15th anniversary, set to begin in Beijing on October 14 and conclude in Chengdu with the Finals on November 9.

Riot Games will release the Worlds Anthem on October 10, celebrating iconic players from the game’s competitive history.

Major gameplay and feature updates

One of League’s oldest champions, Xin Zhao, receives a complete visual update this season. All skins, including Commando and Imperial Xin Zhao, have been refreshed, with vaulted skins temporarily returning in patches 25.17 and 25.18. A brand-new Epic skin for Xin Zhao will debut later in Act 1.

Quality-of-life upgrades include individual timers for all jungle camps and improved tracking for Summoner spell usage via the death recap screen. The fan-favorite PvE mode Doom Bots returns with new challenges, bots, curses, and a boss under the “Trials of Doom” series, adding fresh objectives every patch.

League will also test WASD controls as an optional movement alternative to traditional point-and-click gameplay, starting on PBE before rolling out to live servers. Riot will monitor both control methods to ensure fairness.

Competitive integrity and new cosmetics

Beginning in Patch 25.18, Riot will act against smurfing, boosting, hitchhiking, and other rank manipulation tactics, powered by Vanguard’s improved detection and player reports. The True Skill 2 matchmaking system will also expand testing to improve MMR accuracy and placement.

On the cosmetic side, Prestige Skins for Sylas and Mel will be added to the Mythic Shop, with Jarvan IV and Zoe getting theirs in the Act 1 and Act 2 Passes. September will see the release of 2024 Worlds Winner skins commemorating T1’s victory. A free Machine Herald Viktor skin will be gifted in Patch 25.19 to players with Mastery Level 5+ on Viktor as of August 4. Select TFT-exclusive emotes and icons will return to the Mythic Shop.