When does the New League of Legends season Start?

League of Legends Season 15 turned out to be extremely action-packed. First, the developers immersed us in the atmospheric and bellicose Noxus. They released great skins, mini-games, map updates, and, of course, a new champion - Mel. After Noxus, we were moved to an event called Spirit Blossom, where as many as two new champions - Yunara and Zaahen - awaited us. There was a spring map inspired by Asian nature, mini-games, and many interesting patches. And now, let's discuss when League of Legends Season 16 starts and what to expect from it?

When does the New LoL Season 16 Start?

The first patch of LoL Season 16 will be released on Thursday, January 8. Details of the new patch are currently unknown, but what we do know for certain is the full patch schedule for the entire year. In our blog post, " League of Legends Season 16: LoL Roadmap 2026 - Patch Schedule," we have listed the dates for every patch, so be sure to save it so you don't miss any important updates in the game.

What will be the theme of New LoL Season 16?

The theme of League of Legends Season 16 will be Demacia. A return to the white and gold colors of the noble, martial power that became a sanctuary for many beings after the Rune Wars. As we know from the lore, Demacia is currently facing troubled times: King Jarvan III is dead, and Prince Jarvan IV has not yet ascended the throne. Distrust toward all nations outside of Demacia makes the state very vulnerable.

All of this suggests that we can expect an unfolding of the lore of Demacia and Jarvan IV, and Noxus - with LeBlanc and Vladimir - will likely be involved in all of this. We saw what LeBlanc was capable of in the last season, and it seems this is only the beginning of her plan.

What to expect from League of Legends Season 16?

The most significant innovation of 2026 will be the role quest system, designed to strengthen every position and finally eliminate the lane-swap mechanic. Players need to perform standard actions (farming, pushing, kills) to receive unique bonuses:

• Top lane: bonus experience, an increased level cap, and a free (or enhanced) Teleport.
• Mid lane: free Tier-3 boots and a new rechargeable ability for a quick return to the lane.
• Bot lane: bonus gold, increased income until the end of the match, and a separate 7th slot for boots, freeing up space for an extra item. Base critical strike damage returns to 200%.
• Junglers: reduced early-game impact, but accelerated farming and increased movement speed in the jungle after completing the quest. Smite now deals more damage to monsters.
• Supports: a separate slot and a discount on control wards, as well as a small passive income for purchasing expensive items. This system emphasizes the strengths of each role and ensures their relevance until the very end of the match.

Riot Games plans to restore the importance of split-pushing and sieging in 2026 by introducing several key changes:

• New Crystal Bloom mechanic: an effect periodically appears on turrets, allowing players to deal increased damage to them.
• Demolish simplification: the rune now triggers after three consecutive hits on a structure.
• Pressure rewards: players receive gold for each destroyed segment of the health bar of inner turrets and inhibitors.
• Militia buff: the movement speed bonus now lasts until the outer turret, and in the late game - until the furthest minion on the lane.
• Stat changes: melee champions deal 20% more damage to structures, while the overall health of turrets has been increased.
• Wave frequency: in the late stage, minions begin to spawn more frequently (every 20-25 seconds), and inhibitor lanes immediately summon super minions.
• Nexus regeneration: destroyed Nexus turrets now restore up to a maximum of 40% health.

And this is only a small part of what the developers are preparing for New LoL Season 16. If you missed the previous videos from Riot Games that revealed the plot, in the latest one we could observe Xin Zhao and Yunara fighting against Atahan. In this battle, Xin Zhao sacrificed himself for victory and transformed into Zaahen - a fallen God who wields both divine and unholy power. Due to the development of the lore and to change the game balance, the decision was made to remove Atahan from the game.

Leaked Demacia New Champion LoL Season 16

There is also a rumor about a New League Champion. The Demacia theme naturally pushes for the release of a champion associated with this powerful nation. Rumors suggest that we might be expecting a new character named Augatha. She is a female character who, according to the story, is the mother of Lux and Garen.

New LoL Season 16 Conclusion

The lore continues to evolve, while the game is becoming more complex with new mechanics, events, and mini-games. Following tradition, we can likely expect at least three more new champions to be released, all of whom will be tied to future in-game events. Furthermore, we anticipate a shift in the season's theme in about six months; these thematic arcs will either be interconnected or will reveal entirely new, previously unknown parts of the Runeterra lore.

This suggests that Riot Games is moving toward a more cohesive storytelling approach, where every patch and every new character serves as a building block for a larger narrative. The transition from the noble struggles of Demacia to potentially unexplored regions or ancient mysteries will keep the gameplay fresh and the community engaged throughout the entire year.