Riot Games is set to kick off Season 3 of League of Legends with Patch 25.17, bringing the year-long narrative arc to a close while introducing new gameplay features, quality-of-life updates, and competitive milestones.

The season’s story will weave together threads from past events, including Spirit Blossom Beyond and Welcome to Noxus, with champions LeBlanc, Yunara, Atakhan and Xin Zhao at its center. It will also set the stage for the 2025 League of Legends World Championship, returning to China for the tournament’s 15th anniversary. Worlds begins Oct. 14 in Beijing and concludes Nov. 9 in Chengdu, with the annual anthem debuting Oct. 10.

In North America, the LTA playoffs wrap up Sept. 28 in Allen, Texas, with the top teams from the North and South conferences facing off.

LEAGUE OF LEGENDS PREVIEWS THE TRIALS THAT AWAIT IN SEASON 3

One of the season’s highlights is a full visual update for Xin Zhao, refreshing all skins while keeping his gameplay intact. Commando and Imperial skins will see price adjustments after the update, and a new Epic skin will arrive later in Act 1.

The Doom Bots PvE mode makes its return with new curses, enemies, and a boss encounter under the “Trials of Doom” banner. WASD movement controls will enter testing on the PBE before rolling out to live servers, offering an alternative to point-and-click navigation.

Player behavior enforcement will expand in Patch 25.18, targeting smurfing, boosting, hitchhiking, and account trading, with penalties for all involved accounts. Riot’s upgraded Vanguard detection and player reports will support these actions. Cosmetic additions include Prestige Skins for Sylas and Mel, 2024 Worlds Winner skins for T1, and a free Machine Herald Viktor for eligible players. Several returning emotes and icons will also be available via the Mythic Shop. More information can be found on the official developer blog.