The world of League of Legends is set for an exciting shift as Riot Games gears up to revamp its Ranked system for 2026. With changes aimed at addressing player concerns around autofill, dodging, queue times, and rank distribution, the upcoming season promises to deliver an enhanced gaming experience. Riot is introducing duo queuing at all ranks, including Challenger, ensuring that players can team up while maintaining strict controls on boosting.
Innovative Matchmaking and Aegis of Valor
Reports suggest that Riot Games is implementing a fresh matchmaking approach, focusing on balancing teams with autofilled players. The system aims to pair autofilled players against others in similar roles or balance the number of such players across teams. If this balance isn’t achieved, the team with more autofilled players will benefit from higher MMR teammates. Additionally, the introduction of the Aegis of Valor system offers LP protection and bonuses, activating when autofilled players achieve at least a C mastery grade, either doubling LP gain or shielding from LP loss. This initiative aims to motivate players to embrace their autofilled roles. Furthermore, new penalties for dodging include carrying over the autofilled status and counting it as a loss at higher ranks.
Faster Champ Select and Better Rank Alignment for 2026
The 2026 season brings faster champion select phases, shortening pre-game timers by about 30 seconds and eliminating bans on champions hovered by allies. Riot Games is also recalibrating the ranked ladder’s lower tiers with a new climb indicator to highlight discrepancies between a player’s visible rank and their MMR. By better aligning MMR between Flex queue and Solo/Duo, the aim is to enhance queue quality and mitigate autofill frustrations. These changes are set to take effect when the new season launches in January.