We’ve been waiting months to see more of League of Legends Next, and now we’ve got our first real taste. The much-teased major overhaul is scheduled to arrive in 2027, bringing core engine upgrades, a fresh look for Summoner’s Rift, sweeping changes to many mechanics including runes, reimagined champion visuals, tweaks for other game modes and maps, and an improved new-player experience. Now Riot has finally delivered a teasing glance, albeit not much more than that for now.
The LoL Worlds 2026 Grand Finals are underway, and with Gen.G and Bilibili Gaming tied up 1-1 after a nearly hour-long game two, Riot took the opportunity to give everyone a bit of a breather and provide us a glimpse at the future of the MOBA. “We previously mentioned a big update coming to League,” Head of League Studio Andrei ‘Meddler’ van Roon announces. “We promised more info sometime this year between MSI and Worlds, and well, we sure are coming in at the last minute on that.”
Perhaps wisely ditching the ‘Next’ moniker, the project is now called League of Legends: New Dawn. “We want League to stand the test of time and be a game that’s here for many years to come,” Meddler explains, “and there are a lot of things that need to be true to make that happen.” You can get a first proper impression of what LoL New Dawn will look like with the reveal trailer below.
“The client, for one, has to be better,” Executive Producer Paul ‘Pabro’ Bellezza continues. “So next year we’re releasing a modernized client.” That’s far from all, of course. Meddler lists out some of the other core tenets of New Dawn: “Visually revamping Summoner’s Rift, evolving its gameplay, and adding new ways to play and experience your favorite champions.”
“But… that’s just the beginning,” Pabro chimes in. Riot wants this “all-encompassing, large-scale update” to be “the start of a new era for League.” It’s committed to supporting the entire playerbase: “Whether you’re a veteran, newbie, ARAM Mayhem monster, Ranked warrior, or anything in between, you’re a part of this.”
League of Legends New Dawn will arrive in 2027, with a full reveal set for January. You can sign up for future updates via Riot’s New Dawn webpage. Honestly, I was hoping to hear a little more from this first look, but the glimmering visual sheen is certainly a nice start. Now we just have to sit patiently on our hands for a couple more months to find out the rest.