This project would have brought the thrilling world of platform fighting to Runeterra. According to reporter Mikhail Klimentov, Riot was developing a game called Pool Party, which was inspired by the popular Super Smash Bros. series. This game would have featured champions from League of Legends in a classic platform-based fighting system.

The development of Pool Party was quite significant, with about 70 to 80 employees working on it before the project was closed in May. The idea behind Pool Party was to create a game similar to Super Smash Bros but with characters from League of Legends.

Additionally, Riot planned to support the game’s esports scene, leveraging their extensive experience with successful games like League of Legends, VALORANT, and Teamfight Tactics.

Despite the promising concept, Pool Party was ultimately canceled. One of the main reasons for its cancellation was the hesitation from Riot’s higher-ups. They were concerned about releasing a game that might not succeed, especially after seeing the perceived failure of MultiVersus.

MultiVersus, a game developed by Warner Bros., featured characters from various universes within the company’s portfolio. Its performance made Riot executives cautious about entering the competitive fighting game market.

After reassessing the market, Riot executives concluded that there wasn’t much room for a new competitor to the long-standing and highly popular Super Smash Bros. series. Even though the series has been around for over two decades, it remains incredibly popular among its dedicated fans. No other game has managed to take its place as the top platform fighter in the gaming scene.

While Pool Party may have been canceled, Riot Games is still moving forward with 2XKO. They are planning to launch the first online play test for this upcoming fighting game in August. The League of Legends community remains excited for what Riot has in store with 2XKO.

His achievements on the Rift are impressive, and he has built a massive fan base that supports both him and his team, T1. With his recent victory at Worlds 2023, Faker’s legacy is already firmly established.

The announcement of his induction brings a host of exciting new content for fans. This includes new cosmetics, an event pass, and other enjoyable features.

Hall of Legends: Faker Event

Information has been pouring in about an upcoming in-game event pass to celebrate Faker’s induction into the Hall of Legends. There are even rumors suggesting this might be a new type of Battle Pass, offering players the chance to earn various rewards. This information was shared by the well-known leaker BigBadBear.

While the exact rewards are still unknown, they are expected to be closely tied to Faker’s illustrious career. Players can look forward to a variety of cosmetic items, in addition to skins, as part of this event.

Hall of Legends: Faker Skins

Currently, we know that there will be new skins for Ahri and LeBlanc. Detailed information about the Ahri skin has been released, revealing that it will come in two different versions with a potential quest system to upgrade from one version to another.

According to BigBadBear, you will initially purchase the first version of the skin and then upgrade it by playing the game with the skin equipped. More specific details about this system will be disclosed soon.

In summary, the skins being introduced as part of the Hall of Legends: Faker Induction are:

• Risen Legend Ahri Version 1
• Risen Legend Ahri Version 2
• Hall of Legends LeBlanc skin

Release Date

The exact release date for these skins is not yet confirmed, but it is anticipated that they will be available with Patch 14.12 on June 14, 2024. However, the cosmetic content is expected to hit the PBE soon, which will provide more detailed information.

In conclusion, Faker’s induction into the Hall of Legends is set to be a grand event with new skins, cosmetics, and an engaging event pass, all celebrating his remarkable career and contributions to League of Legends.

League of Legends fans are up in arms over recent changes by Riot Games made. The uproar stems from new restrictions placed on developers who also stream games in their free time.

Previously, these developers, like Riot August and Mortdog, would stream League of Legends and other Riot Games titles for fun and to engage with the community. Fans appreciated this direct interaction with the creators of the games they love. Moreover, the developers could earn money through their streams, just like any other independent streamer.

However, Riot Games recently implemented a policy prohibiting developers from monetizing their streams while playing Riot-produced games. This decision has left many fans scratching their heads, as it appears to be a sudden and arbitrary change.

Players argue that these developers provide valuable content and essentially offer free advertising for Riot’s games during their off-hours. Therefore, they believe it’s unfair to restrict their ability to earn money from their streams.

“I just don’t get it, this is how they’re rewarded for their commitment to the game, love from community and transparency? It’s not like the revenue they’ve been gaining will suddenly be reinvested into Riot now…. Worst case it’ll go to streamers of other games… I just don’t get it man”

“That’s like mega stupid. August has great content and basically does free advertising out of his work hours. Let him earn money with that”

The frustration among League of Legends players is palpable, with many expressing disappointment and confusion over Riot’s decision. Some fans have taken to social media platforms to voice their discontent, questioning the rationale behind the new rule and urging Riot to reconsider.

They argue that developers like August, known for his entertaining and informative streams, should be allowed to profit from their efforts.

Despite the outcry, Riot Games has yet to provide an explanation for the change in policy. This lack of transparency has only fueled further speculation and frustration among the player base.

This realignment is part of Riot Games’ efforts to refocus on areas that resonate more with players, while concurrently scaling back commitments to less impactful endeavors.

Riot Games announced the closure of Riot Forge

In a comprehensive player update, Riot Games elaborated on its commitment to concentrate on player-centric initiatives and disclosed the specific impact on two prominent projects. The Runeterra card game, Legends of Runeterra, and the Riot Forge initiative are set to undergo substantial alterations.

Riot Forge, a platform enabling players to delve into the rich lore of League of Legends through single-player experiences, will halt new game development after the launch of its sixth title, “Bandle Tale: A League of Legends Story” on February 21.

Riot Forge, functioning as a publisher, collaborated with various independent studios, each contributing distinct styles and gameplay approaches to create 6 titles that expanded upon the continually evolving narrative of League of Legends.

Alongside the cessation of Riot Forge’s new game development, Legends of Runeterra will transition its focus towards sustainability rather than introducing new updates. Financial challenges are cited as the primary reason for this shift, prompting the game to emphasize the PvE Path of Champions mode.

This pivot allows the remaining development team to explore and experiment more extensively within that space.

While the announcement leaves the future of Riot Forge uncertain, with no clear indication of revival in the near term, Riot Games remains committed to prioritizing projects that align with player interests.

Single-player projects in a similar vein may not be immediate priorities for the company, emphasizing its dedication to strategic realignment and optimization of resources. The company’s ongoing commitment to its player community, combined with these organizational adjustments, aims to ensure a more focused and impactful approach to game development in the future.

T1’s performance took a hit when mid laner Yoon ‘Poby’ Seong-won filled in for Faker, and they dropped to fifth place in the standings with a 7-9 record, including a challenging 1-7 run.

However, Faker made a triumphant return before the regular season’s final week, sparking a remarkable turnaround. T1 finished as runners-up to Gen.G in the playoffs and secured a spot at Worlds 2023. Nonetheless, there have been lingering doubts about his form as the World Championship in South Korea approaches.

Updates on Faker’s wrist injury

On September 25, Faker addressed these concerns and reassured T1 fans with a significant update on his recovery.

“Thanks to the treatment I received in Korea, the discomfort is gone now,”

“I worked my treatment in Korea. Now, a lot of the discomfort is gone. There is little injury concern here. His form has dropped a lot since his injury, but he’s been picking it up so far. I think it’s getting better.”

Speaking to reporters after a 2022 Asian Games group stage match against Kazakhstan, Faker disclosed that he has fully recovered from his wrist injury, although he acknowledged that he is not yet playing at his peak performance level.

Faker is also a part of South Korea’s LoL national team competing in the 2022 Asian Games, which marks the first time that esports tournaments are official medal events at the multi-sport competition.

T1’s mid-laner complete recovery is excellent news for T1 as they aim to once again compete for international titles at Worlds 2023.

The ping system underwent a revamp for Season 13, offering more ways for players to communicate with their teammates quickly without resorting to chat. However, Riot Games has observed player behavior with the new system and decided to make some controversial alterations.

In their ongoing efforts to reduce toxicity in League of Legends, Riot will be removing specific pings from the game. Two pings are on the chopping block due to their association with toxicity.

Riot removing Pings from League of Legends

Chris Roberts, the Product Lead on League, announced that in Patch 13.19, Riot will make scoreboard pings for allies visible only to the player who uses them. The rationale behind this change is to prevent teammates from harassing each other in-game, such as repeatedly pinging that a teammate is alive after a poor play.

Furthermore, Riot is scrapping the Bait Ping and replacing it. The decision to do so stems from the ping’s “unacceptable” misuse, making it into a “h*ng yourself” ping, which does not align with Riot’s intended purpose.

While Riot’s decision to address these issues is justified, some League players believe that completely removing the bait ping may be a hasty move. They have expressed their opinions on social media, sharing Chris Roberts’ initial announcement and adding their own commentary.

On Reddit, a similar sentiment prevails, with users pointing out that this change only eliminates one of the numerous ways players can exhibit toxicity in-game and, in their view, does not tackle the core issue.

Others have even emphasized that there is already a mute button in the game that players can use to shield themselves from harassment by specific teammates.

These modifications to the ping system will become effective on September 27 with the release of Patch 13.19 on live servers. Players will then have the opportunity to assess whether these changes indeed enhance their in-game experience.

Mythic items were included in the early days of the 2021 League preseason, along with a store UI revamp. Despite the community’s mixed opinions regarding new things, notably mythic items, Riot still allows players to develop several build choices around a core item.

However, because the meta changes drastically, and, if not all, these Mythic items are no longer useful. Instead, they’ve become a barrier, and players have joined together to Reddit on July 30, and want them modified or removed permanently.

Riot will be making adjustments to Mythic items

Many items were adjusted or brought back in League Patch 13.10 like Statikk Shiv, or Rod of Ages, but players claim it wasn’t enough to justify obtaining Mythics because they limit build possibilities and don’t give enough value.

The fact that they are essential in making your champions stronger compared to Legendary items annoys a lot of players as well.

What’s intriguing is that the Riot balancing team is already aware of the Mythics issue and is working on a solution.

Riot balancing boss Matt “Phroxzon” Leung-Harrison addressed this problem in an interview with Broken By Concept weeks ago, claiming that Mythics didn’t work out as planned and didn’t provide players with the options they want.

Internally, the devs are also dissatisfied with Mythic items themselves and plan to make some modifications in the future.

Unfortunately, we don’t know when Mythic item adjustments will arrive on the Rift, but we do know Riot isn’t thrilled either, so keep your fingers crossed! 2024 preseason is getting close and probably, Riot will implement some changes to the Mythic items at that time.

The champion was revealed earlier this year and is expected to be released in 2023. Riot revealed Naafiri’s playstyle today in a Champion Roadmap penned by head champion producer Alexia Gao.

Assassins have always been incredibly micro-focused in League; the ability to discover windows of opportunity to knock down opponent champions and execute precise kills is essential to the assassin gaming experience. However, Riot’s goal with Naafiri is to decrease the cost of that killing and allow much more level on the macro plays, according to today’s Champion Roadmap.

“We hope to lower the burden of that execution and allow much more concentration on the macro plays with Naafiri.”

“With the change to assassin gameplay that Naafiri brings, we also built a lot of new tech to accommodate her unique gameplay thematic that should help make it feel more alive, dynamic, and decluttered.”

Since the Darkin Assassin was first teased earlier this year, the champion design team has made it readily apparent that the champion is an assassin. The champion is intended for gamers “who want to focus on the hunt,” according to Gao. However, there could be a world where assassins can make the flashy play while still assisting their team in the macro game.

“While working on Naafiri, game designer Glenn “Riot Twin Enso” Anderson explored tons of kits with fervent hunger. But the team felt like they were losing control over Naafiri’s kit, so they decided to icebox what Riot Twin Enso had uncovered, especially since they felt it was more in-line with a diver/skirmisher’s gameplay rather than an assassin’s.”

Despite having known some details of Naafiri’s gameplay style and background, players are still unaware of the champion’s appearance and kit. The champion is rumoured to be the next champion to be introduced to the League roster, and he looks to be the most advanced of all champions in the development process, so gamers should learn more about him soon. 

The League of Legends scene has been treated to one of the most diversified metas in a long time during the previous month. Bryan “CatchesAxes,” Riot Games’ lead champion designer, provided his opinions on League of Legends’ changing pre-season meta in a Quick Gameplay Thoughts post on the title’s official website.

“The meta in bot lane is in a weird state, with a number of related problems we’re trying to solve.”

Riot Games highlighted some of the rising tides within the support role, as well as how enchanters and marksmen supports have risen to prominence since the preseason began.

ADC Supports picks like Caitlyn and Jhin gained prominence in pro play, with others tank supports left in the dark. To maintain League of Legends’ strong reputation for quick game balancing, Riot addressed the bot lane’s chronic overwhelming problem.

The team has already shown some love to melee supports such as Alistar, Braum, Galio, Nilah, and Leona in patch 13.3, and some bigger discussion for larger systemic solutions will be given in future releases.

Riot also plans to weaken AD-build items like Umbral Glaive and Yellow Trinket in addition to balancing champions and tweaking gameplay. They’re also hoping to increase early ward availability to assist laners in protecting themselves.

“Besides looking at the champions in the meta, we’re also acting on Umbral Glaive and increasing early ward availability a bit this patch to help laners protect themselves, and are looking to trim some power from the jungle.”

Riot will be implementing some direct nerfs to the jungle as well in order to reduce its effect on games through rapid ganking. Early dives and roams will be considerably more severe if they aren’t effectively completed, thanks to adjustments to yellow trinkets, Umbral Glaive, and tower buffs.

The devs are also exploring a buff to power farming to encourage fewer ganks, although Riot is still experimenting to ensure that any adjustments do not significantly enhance the jungle’s net power.

Looking ahead to the midseason, Riot will be making some broad sweeps at enchanter items and support items from a gameplay satisfaction standpoint, since many enchanter fans believe there aren’t enough build choices that are realistic to follow.

Riot has promised the community that it will be closely monitoring the problem, and it is probable that multiple further follow-ups will be required over the next several patches.

Riot is releasing many features this year, including Champion Select Anonymity for League of Legends. As the company attempts to combat toxicity, we have already got the anti-toxic chat system, which has collected positive feedback from players.

Future system updates and reworks will improve the game as well. Riot is also continuously looking at new ways to combat toxicity in League of Legends. As a result, Riot plans to create a Champion Select Anonymity mechanism to improve player behavior.

Champion Select Anonymity is a new feature that hides player names during the champion selection. The purpose behind it is to prevent players from making judgments about their teammates during the draft.

As of now, many third-party apps use the League of Legends API to extract the skill level, history, and other information from the player’s name. As anonymity is arriving in League, Riot has requested that third-party apps stop revealing player identities and data as of Patch 12.22.

Riot’s policy has altered due to the system’s implementation, and the applications have been asked to follow standards as well. It will be fascinating to observe if or not this occurs. It will also be interesting to see how they respond to apps that do not follow the procedure.

Riot, on the other hand, has opted to go forward with the alterations. As a result, third-party apps will need to update their systems to reflect the new modifications.