Season 2 Act 2 is almost here and players will continue to be able to experience Spirit Blossom through the newest ARAM map and the new champion, Yunara.
League of Legends (LoL) developer Riot Games has released a new dev update, and it's full of exciting features and details set to arrive in Season 2 Act 2. In this update, the devs and producers of the game shared more details on a new Spirit Blossom-themed ARAM map, the next champion Yunara, as well as additions to in-client meta-games and behavioural systems.
Spirit Blossom Expands into ARAM
Act 2 continues the Spirit Blossom narrative. For this act, the game will introduce Koeshin's Crossing, a new ARAM map inspired by the event’s themes. Butcher’s Bridge will also return, giving players more variety in their matches.
When loading into ARAM, players will now see a random selection between Koeshin’s Crossing, Butcher’s Bridge, and the original Howling Abyss. Minor gameplay differences between the maps are being introduced to help keep each match feeling distinct, while preserving the core ARAM experience.
A new system called Champion Cards is also being trialled. Instead of using traditional re-rolls in Champion Select, players will be offered two Champion Cards and can choose one, with the unused card moving to the bench. Teammates can then pick from available bench champions. This feature aims to add strategic depth while keeping the mode fast-paced and accessible.
Updates to behaviour systems and detection
Riot also provided updates on efforts to curb inting and griefing. The current detection system now has a reported 99.95% accuracy rate, and the team is beginning to issue stricter penalties, particularly to higher-skilled players. These improvements include better detection for disruptive uses of champion abilities, such as Anivia walls or Trundle pillars.
Repeat offenders in Ranked queues will now be placed into what Riot calls aggressive Ranked queues, instead of being moved into Normal or Swiftplay modes. Additionally, the team is testing a feature that could automatically end games that are heavily disrupted by extreme negative behaviour.
Honour system overhaul
Changes to the Honour system are in development to better reflect player expectations. Although no timeline was provided, these updates aim to make the system more meaningful and accurate in rewarding positive behaviour.
MSI 2025 introduces Pick Ems
The Mid-Season Invitational is set to begin on 27 June. For the first time, the event will feature Pick Ems, giving players a chance to predict match outcomes throughout the tournament. Additionally, all skins used by the winning team during the MSI Finals will go on sale the following week.
Throwback Viktor skin in development
One of the biggest requests of Viktor mains would be the return of his previous default skin, before the Arcane model was introduced. Devs said that they've heard the feedback and Riot also confirmed that a special skin based on that is in the works. The skin, which responds to ongoing player feedback, is expected to launch later this year.
