League of Legends is kicking off 2025 with a bang, introducing its first themed season under a brand-new seasonal model. Starting January 9, 2025, the influence of Noxus will invade Summoner’s Rift, bringing major gameplay updates, a new champion, themed cosmetics, and more.
The Noxian influence will be felt throughout Summoner’s Rift with new art, music, structures, and a new in-game objective: Atakhan, Bringer of Ruin. Atakhan will spawn at the 20-minute mark, bringing permanent terrain changes and granting a permanent buff to the team that slays him. Players can also look forward to new runes, items, changes to Teleport, and a system called Feats of Strength, which grants access to newer, more powerful boots. This year will have only one Ranked reset, taking place on January 9 at 12:00pm local time across regions. Season One will span eight patches and is split into two Acts, each with its own Battle Pass offering various Act-themed rewards, including skins, borders, and more. The Season One 2025 cinematic, “Welcome to Noxus,” released yesterday and is set to the original song “Bite Marks” featuring TEYA.
Mel Medarda, a character first seen in Arcane, will join the game’s roster of playable champions in this season’s next patch. Mel arrives with a new, Noxian-inspired appearance, reflecting her embrace of her Noxian roots and heritage at the end of the final season of Arcane. She brings a new type of gameplay to the roster: projectile reflection. Her Rebuttal ability enables her to reflect targeted abilities back at their original caster and non-targeted abilities back in the enemy’s direction. In celebration of the launch of the Season of Noxus, Mel will be unlockable for free through one of the seasonal missions. Players can explore her backstory further in the upcoming novel Ambessa: Chosen of the Wolf, releasing in February.
As Season One progresses, more in-game thematic narrative expressions, like the Reckoning Pits of Noxus, will make their way into League of Legends, including the game mode Arena in Act Two, as well as out-of-game media like motion comics and mini-games. A new mini-game will debut later this season, aiming to continue bringing the world of Runeterra to life and connecting in-game and out-of-game experiences. A visual update for LeBlanc will be released this season and will be followed by another champion update later this year. The League of Legends team also revealed that season thematics will be open to alternate universes in addition to the core Runeterra universe.
Season One will release many skins focused on Noxus, with the first set being the Masque of the Black Rose skins: Masque of the Black Rose Samira, Masque of the Black Rose Renata Glasc, Masque of the Black Rose Ezreal, Masque of the Black Rose Vladimir, Masque of the Black Rose Elise, and Prestige Masque of the Black Rose Katarina. These will be the first Battle Pass reward skins of the Season. Elise will be earnable with the free pass, while Samira, Renata Glasc, and Vladimir will be earnable with the paid version, with Katarina as the Prestige capstone for the paid Act One Battle Pass. Ezreal will be available through direct purchase. The Prestige skins for Katarina and Darius will be available through their Battle Pass, while upcoming Prestige skins for Cassiopeia and Qiyana will be available for Mythic Essence. Battle Pass reward skins will be exclusive to the Season and Act that players earn them in and will not return to the reroll pool. Beyond skins tied to Season One, fan-favorite skin thematics, such as Cafe Cuties, will return and completely new thematics for skins will make their debut. Three Victorious skins will release this year, remaining their own thematic outside of the Season to which they’re tied. Radiant Serpent Sett will release as the first Exalted skin of the season to celebrate the Year of the Snake. The second Exalted skin of the season will be for Mordekaiser, with its specific theme to be announced at a later date.
All Random URF will be active during Act One, and Act Two will bring back Arena with a Noxian update, featuring a Noxus map themed after the gladiator pits with its own map-specific mechanic. Additionally, a system called Guests of Honor will be introduced across all Arena maps, where players will vote on which famous Noxian they would like to alter the rules of each game. New items and augments will also be added to Arena, along with changes to maps like Koi Pond, based on player feedback.
With all these exciting updates and additions, League of Legends fans have a lot to look forward to in 2025. The Season of Noxus promises to bring fresh experiences and challenges, making it a thrilling time to be a part of the League community.
