Riot, the insanely successful MOBA League of Legends developer, has just announced two new heroes. They have also discussed some upcoming changes to their ranked system.
New heroes
The first of the heroes is named Milio, an Ixtal enchanter. For people unfamiliar with the game’s lore, Ixtal might not mean much. To put it simply, Ixtal is a region filled with magic where some of the most powerful spellcasters in the universe come from. Milio sounds interesting, as he will be a fire-focused spellcaster but not an offensive one. Apparently, he will use his magic flames to heal or even possibly buff his teammates, which sounds unique since fire is mainly seen as an element of destruction.
Naafiri is the second hero revealed, a Darkin assassin focused on hunting down her enemies. Like other Darkin champions from the past, such as Varus or Aatrox, Naafiri is also imprisoned by her weapon. Since she is an assassin, her weapon of choice is a creepy-looking dagger. From what we know, she will be a domineering mid-lane hero, and her kit will make her an excellent ganker.
It looks like Milio will be launched first with Naafiri coming a month or two later. Future plans have also been hinted at, with Riot stating that we will also be getting a “hangry” jungler and an artistic midlaner later this year. We will need to wait for more information from Riot before we understand what this means exactly.
Ranked changes
One of the main changes that will be brought to the ranked system is the resets for 2023. The first split will occur during January, with the second coming in the middle of the year. Riot has also announced they will lower the promotion series between tiers from a best-of-five format to a best-of-three one. To make players rage less after losing a ranked match, you will no longer see how each loss immediately influences your ranking.
The reward system will also be enhanced for the ranked system. Players will be able to get Hextech Keys, Chests and many other goodies that can unlocked as you progress through the current split. And two splits for Ranked also means the chance of getting two Ranked skins. And starting with the following season, these Ranked skins will no longer be limited only to players of Gold and above ranking. If you want to learn more about all these ranked changes, you can read more about them here.
Even though MOBAs are becoming less popular, League of Legends still has a firm grip on millions of monthly players. And with new consistent additions to the game, it looks like the future is still pretty bright for Riot’s most successful title.
