LoL Dev Update - WASD Movement, Smurfing, Xin Zhao VGU and More

On August 11, a new LoL Dev Update video was released on the official League of Legends channel, where Paul “Pabro” Belezza and Andrei “Meddler” Van Roon shared exciting details about what’s coming in the next patches. They started with what awaits us in the third season — the merging of the Noxus and Spirit Blossom storylines. But let’s go through everything step by step. In this blog, I’ve gathered the most important and interesting information.

Xin Zhao VGU

The first change coming in the upcoming patches is the Xin Zhao VGU model update. Developers had been receiving questions about the Spirit Blossom event — specifically, why Xin Zhao appeared in the storyline alongside Yunara without getting a new skin, and what the point was of including him in the plot. Now we have the answer — it wasn’t without reason.

Xin Zhao recently celebrated his 15th anniversary, and in honor of this milestone, he’s getting a complete model overhaul as one of the most popular junglers in the game. His existing skins will also be updated to match the champion’s new look, but they will be unavailable for the next two weeks. Players will be able to access them in patches 25.17 and 25.18.

In addition, the devs delighted Xin Zhao fans with the news that a brand-new epic skin will also be released a bit later, during Act One of the new season.

Credit: League of Legends Youtube

The developers also noted that they understand the game has long since moved to a new level, and older champions stand out from the overall visual standard. That’s why they are actively working on VGUs for other champions and will be integrating them into storyline-appropriate events and seasons.

Skins Update

Sylas and Mel will be getting Prestige skins, which will be available for purchase in the Mythic Shop. Jarvan IV and Zoe will also receive their own Prestige skins, but these will be obtainable through the Battle Pass in Acts One and Two.

For Viego fans, there’s some less pleasant news — the Exalter Viego skin has been pushed back to 2026. This decision was made because the developers want to improve the skin’s quality and avoid the kind of criticism that previously arose with Spirit Blossom Morgana, which received heavy backlash for poor quality.

A new skin for Viktor — Machine Herald Viktor — will be released in Patch 25.19. It will be granted to all fans of the champion who have at least Mastery Level 5 with him, with the exact date set for August 4. For everyone else, it will be available in the store alongside other skins.

Doom Bots Coming Back

Credit: League of Legends Youtube

Doom Bots are back! You’ll have to defend your Nexus from the sinister Veigar, armed with every kind of bot ever created by Riot Games. Expect new bosses, new bots, new modes, as well as new curses and missions. And watch out for Blitzcrank — he can now knock minions away.

Additionally, each patch will introduce challenges called Trials of Doom. Since many players complained that the last event was too easy, the developers have apparently decided to bring true hell to the Rift, in classic Dark Souls fashion.

WASD Movement

The developers are looking to introduce WASD controls to the game — a common feature in most genres but a rarity in MOBAs. They believe that the traditional click-to-move system can be off-putting for newcomers, and this change could make it easier for players unfamiliar with the genre to get into the game.

The WASD development team has conducted extensive testing with both casual players and MSI participants, and they are ready to roll out WASD controls to the test servers in the upcoming patches. This will allow even more players to provide feedback and help improve the system. The feature will be implemented gradually — starting on the PBE, then moving to normal matches, and finally being enabled for ranked games.

Smurfing

Starting with Patch 25.18, the developers plan to take additional measures against accounts using the two most common forms of smurfing they’ve identified: boosting and account stopping. Vanguard has provided more information, expanded capabilities, and improved accuracy needed to determine whether accounts are being shared or sold. Back in Patch 25.13, a new report option — “Rank Manipulation” — was added so players could flag such cases.

If you’ve created or purchased a new account simply to play with friends at lower levels or to practice new champions, the protection system might skip over you. In case of a mistaken ban, you’ll be able to submit an appeal to Player Support. The main focus of this system will be on purchased accounts, as they remain the most common form of rank manipulation.

EGW’s Opinion on the LoL Dev Update

With each new LoL Dev Update video, we can see Riot Games making an effort to improve their product for a more comfortable gaming experience. This applies to all areas — both the esports scene and the regular player base.

One of the most intriguing points is how quickly WASD controls might become relevant in the professional scene and whether we could see this system used at Worlds or other top-tier tournaments. Or perhaps it won’t catch on at all, and Riot Games will eventually remove it from the servers.

It’s also great to see that Riot Games understands the importance of updating older champions, as some of them really do feel like they’re from a different game. We look forward to seeing more champions with refreshed visuals.

Fighting smurfing is a crucial issue for all players, so strengthening control and banning such accounts is excellent news for the entire community. Of course, it’s worth watching how this system will work in practice — on paper, it sounds great, but in reality, it could prove problematic, especially with accidental or incorrect bans.