Riot Games
Riot Games business and news from across the web.
SATIATE YOURSELF THIS SUMMER WITH WILD RIFT PATCH 7.2: FEAST ON!League of Legends: Wild Rift Patch 7.2, titled 'Feast On,' is set to release on July 9th UTC, introducing new champions Yunara and Cho'Gath, a visual update for Ahri, and a new AAA ARAM season. The patch also features gameplay changes including a rework of active items and the bounty system, alongside summer-themed updates to Summoner's Rift and new rewards for Ranked and Wild Pass.- MMO Business Roundup: Pocketpair rejects AI tools, Valorant opens a pub, and Epic Games Store unveils updatesThis MMO business roundup covers several industry updates, including Pocketpair's rejection of AI development tools, Riot Games opening a temporary Valorant-themed pub in London for an esports event, and Epic Games Store announcing "Launcher V2" with personalized store pages and other improvements planned over the next year.
Riot went a bit "out there" with some of League of Legends' recent champions. Locke is a welcome return to what players "want."Riot Games is releasing a new League of Legends champion named Locke, designed to be a more traditional assassin with a unique ultimate that can permanently increase its execution cap. Lead Game Designer Blake Smith explains that the team is intentionally returning to more familiar mechanics after a period of creating highly experimental champions. Locke aims to provide a distinct yet familiar experience for players, with clearer visual cues for his abilities to mitigate player frustration.
Start Your Climb in Act 4 with Summit, VALORANT's New MapRiot Games has revealed Summit, a new map for VALORANT, launching on June 24, 2026. The map is set in a Chinese mountain academy and features droppable walls that alter sightlines and rotations. Act 4 also introduces the Retake game mode and the Blackspyre Collection weapon skins.- Game Crossovers and CollaborationsRiot Games is hosting a Valorant-themed 'pub' event in east London, promoted by a British takeaway personality. The article also briefly mentions that Tom Cruise was considered for the role of Master Chief in Halo.
For some reason, Riot Games is creating a Valorant 'pub' in east London hosted by a British takeaway guy who likes to yell "bosh!"Riot Games is hosting a Valorant-themed pub event in East London from June 19-21, featuring British personality 'Big John'. The event at The Phoenix Arms will offer free screenings of the Valorant Masters tournament, custom merchandise, and a 'quintessential British matchday pub' atmosphere, though drinks will not be free.
gamescom dev announces opening keynote by Amir Satvat and first program highlightsgamescom dev 2026 has announced its first program highlights, including an opening keynote by Amir Satvat on the future of the games industry. The event will feature new curated tracks for Animation, Level Design, and AI, with initial speakers and sessions revealed. The conference, taking place August 23-25 in Cologne, aims to bring together global industry professionals.- Crytek Strengthens Global Publishing with Appointment of Zoher Toutanji as Chief Publishing OfficerCrytek has appointed Zoher Toutanji as its new Chief Publishing Officer to lead global publishing operations and expand the company's self-publishing capabilities. Toutanji, formerly of IO Interactive, Riot Games, Square Enix, and Ubisoft, will oversee publishing strategy and commercial operations, supporting Crytek's live-service portfolio and future titles like Hunt: Showdown. This move is part of Crytek's long-term strategy to strengthen its global commercial presence and drive sustainable growth.
League of Legends patch 26.13 is finally dealing with its Senna problemLeague of Legends patch 26.13 introduces significant nerfs to the champion Senna, addressing her problematic synergy with items like Doran's Helm and Stattik Shiv, and reducing her soul drop rate. These changes aim to rebalance Senna's effectiveness as both a damage dealer and a support. The patch also includes buffs for Aphelios, Kindred, LeBlanc, and Qiyana, and nerfs for Bard, Brand, Cassiopeia, and Rek'Sai, alongside a buff to the Imperial Mandate item.
This Google Chrome extension warns you about Steam games are made with generative AIA new Google Chrome extension called 'AI warning for Steam' helps users identify games on Steam that disclose the use of generative AI in their development. The extension alerts users with a pop-up detailing the AI usage, allowing them to decide whether to proceed with viewing the game's page. This tool addresses Valve's requirement for developers to disclose AI usage, which is often buried deep within game descriptions.
League of Legends won't follow TFT to Unreal Engine, but it is changing its clientRiot Games has confirmed that League of Legends will not be transitioning to Unreal Engine, unlike its sister title Teamfight Tactics. Instead, the studio plans to further invest in its custom Hextech Engine, which will also encompass the game's client as part of the 'League Next' initiative. This overhaul aims to create a more seamless experience and address long-standing client challenges, with further details expected after MSI and at Worlds 2026.
There's rumors of a League of Legends Classic, and I'm not sure how I feel about itRumors suggest Riot Games is planning a 'League of Legends Classic' server, potentially launching soon. This follows a trend of classic versions of games like World of Warcraft and Old School RuneScape, sparking debate about the industry's reliance on nostalgia versus player desire for improved current experiences.
Now-deleted TFT job post hints that it could be moving to Unreal EngineA now-deleted job posting from Riot Games suggests that Teamfight Tactics may be transitioning from its current Hextech Engine to Unreal Engine. The job description for a Director of User Experience (UX) Design mentioned partnering on the transition into Unreal Engine. This move could indicate a standalone version of the game and potentially improve the mobile experience, aligning with other Riot titles like Valorant that utilize Unreal Engine.
Stranger Than Heaven director says GTA 6 may force devs to use generative AIMasayoshi Yokoyama, Executive Director at Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio, suggests that the immense scale of Grand Theft Auto 6 might compel developers to adopt generative AI for future game development to remain economically viable. While Stranger Than Heaven does not use AI, Yokoyama believes that if player expectations shift towards games of GTA 6's magnitude, generative AI could become a necessity for smaller teams to create comparable titles.
Valorant is Sage-posting again, and the timing doesn't seem to be a coincidenceRiot Games is dropping significant lore updates regarding the character Sage's ongoing crystallization in Valorant, leading to speculation about a potential gameplay rework. The latest narrative beat involves an email from Deadlock to Brimstone discussing the implications of Sage's condition, hinting at a major development possibly tied to VCT Masters London.- Envar Games' Magical Open-World Adventure Game ‘Witchspire’ Launches on PCEnvar Games has launched its new magical open-world adventure game, Witchspire, into Early Access on Steam for PC. The game features co-operative multiplayer, character customization, base building, and a variety of familiars to collect and level up. Witchspire is the debut original IP from Envar Games, a subdivision of co-development studio Envar.
South of Midnight wins big at the 2026 Gayming AwardsCompulsion Games' South of Midnight won Game of the Year at the 2026 Gayming Awards, an event celebrating LGBTQ+ themes and creators in gaming. Other notable winners included Date Everything! for Best LGBTQ+ Indie Game and Team Liquid for LGBTQ+ Contribution to Esports. The ceremony, hosted by Erika Ishii, also highlighted the importance of queer representation in the industry.
Nintendo Direct June 2026: Everything Announced!Nintendo held a surprise Nintendo Direct presentation showcasing numerous upcoming titles for the Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2. The showcase included new releases, ports of existing games, and DLC announcements across various genres, with many titles slated for release in late 2026 and into 2027.
Riot finally unveils Locke, League of Legends' Ashen ExorcistRiot Games has officially unveiled Locke, the Ashen Exorcist, as the newest champion for League of Legends. Locke is a midlane AP assassin designed to fill a gap in the roster, focusing on a mobile, high-damage kit centered around his Soul Nails. Senior Game Product Manager Edward Zhao and Game Designer Blake Smith discussed Locke's abilities and design philosophy, aiming to re-excite assassin players. Locke is scheduled to release on June 24 with patch 26.13, and his debut skin is High Noon Locke.
Date Everything wins two accolades at The Gayming Awards 2026The Gayming Awards 2026 celebrated achievements in LGBTQ+ representation within gaming. Sassy Chap Games' 'Date Everything' won Best LGBTQ+ Indie Game and the Gayming Fan Favourite Award, while Compulsion Games' 'South of Midnight' took home Game of the Year. The ceremony recognized various categories, including voice acting, content creation, and contributions to esports, highlighting diversity and inclusivity.