Tag: Season 2

League Players Are About to Lose Every Master Rank in Patch 26.9

Posted on by Geekmandem

Riot Games has announced a hard-ranked reset for all Master, Grandmaster, and Challenger players in NA, EUW, EUNE, BR, LAN, and TR when Patch 26.9 goes live at the start of Season 2.


Every player currently sitting in Master tier or above in those regions will have their visible rank and MMR wiped back to Master 0 LP. No LP will be carried over.

Why Is Riot Doing This?

Since the start of season one, and to Riot Games’ own admission, they made a series of mistakes configuring the Ranked system at the start of the 2026 season, and the resulting patch-to-patch instability meant LP gains were inconsistent enough to undermine ladder integrity. Players were bouncing between +10/-30 LP and +/-20 LP depending purely on which patch they played on.

Riot has stated that the underlying matchmaking issues have since been resolved as of Patch 26.6, but the existing ranked ladder no longer reflects player skill. As a result, and with no other option available, they are taking drastic action.

When surveyed, Apex-tier players in the affected regions said they prioritised ladder integrity above everything else, even at the cost of fair matchmaking in the short term. A hard reset was the result.

What Changes With the Reset?

Beyond wiping ranks back to Master 0 LP, Riot is also adjusting LP gains and cutoffs:

  • Baseline LP gains and losses move to +/-30 LP
  • Expected range sits between +35/-25 LP and +25/-35 LP
  • Challenger minimum LP cutoff increases to 800 LP
  • Grandmaster minimum LP cutoff increases to 400 LP

Riot is clear that matchmaking quality will take a hit in the short term. With no memory of previous ranks in the system, you could see five ex-Challengers matched against five ex-Masters and have it register as a fair game. That shakeout period is expected to last several months.

What About Season Rewards?

Because the reset lands mid-year and shortens the effective Season 2 climb, Riot is adjusting how rewards work. Season 1 rewards will be distributed as normal, with the changes not affecting them, as this was Riot’s mistake. Season 2 rewards for Apex-tier players in the affected regions will be reconciled at the end of Season 3. The higher of your Season 2 or Season 3 peak rank counts for both.


Patch 26.9 does not yet have a confirmed release date, but it falls in the standard two-week patch cycle.

League of Legends Season 2 Gets Release Date

Posted on by Geekmandem

League of Legends Season 2 is set to release with Patch 26.9. The new season will be based on the Demons of Runeterra.

League of Legends Season 2 Changes TLDR

Season 2 Theme & Story

  • The season is set on the edges of Demacia and follows Vayne on a demon-hunting journey with backstory exploration.
  • Motion comics featuring Vayne are planned for later in the season.
  • The season runs for 6 patches rather than the usual 8, freeing up space for a longer season later in the year.

Battle Pass & Cosmetics

  • Battle Pass progression has been adjusted to match the shorter season length.
  • Non-Prestige pass skins are now buyable directly; those slots are replaced with demon-themed Epic skin orbs.
  • Upcoming Prestige skins: Shaco and LeBlanc this season, then Veigar in Season 3.
  • New skins include Rain Shepherd Ivern, PROJECT: Quinn, Breadsticks Irelia, and Spaghetti alla Vel’Koz.

Gameplay Changes

  • Role quests for top and mid have been tweaked; roaming and proxying no longer punish you.
  • Top lane now rewards teamfighting more; mid lane trades the empowered recall for a 6% AD/AP bonus.
  • More support is coming for off-meta builds like AP Ezreal or attack speed Xin Zhao.
  • Deathfire Touch and Stormraider’s Surge are returning; the latter replaces Phase Rush.
  • Item changes include updates to Dusk and Dawn, two new starting items, new omnivamp boots, and the removal of Trailblazer and Opportunity.
  • The next new champion will be an AP assassin for the mid lane.

Arena

  • Standard games are being replaced by rotating Events: 3v3 with six teams, a Bravery-only mode, and a fast 2v2 format.
  • A new map called Petricite Grove is being added, plus changes to Ancestral Woods.
  • Augments can now be leveled up to become stronger or gain new effects.
  • Over 20 new or reworked guests of honor, including Nocturne and Shaco.
  • 30+ new augments arriving, some ported from ARAM Mayhem and some brand new.

Other Features

  • WASD controls are coming to Ranked in patch 26.9 after reaching near-parity with mouse controls.
  • Champion-specific keybinds are also launching that patch.
  • A vote-to-end feature is being added for games with detected disruptive behaviour; the offending player loses LP while allies are LP neutral.
  • Discord integration is launching in beta for the US, Canada, and Brazil, allowing easier friend invites and lobby sharing.
  • Your Shop returns May 5th, followed by the Blue Essence Emporium on May 13th.

League of Legends Season 2 Confirmed Skins

The new Season will feature a new Demon Vision skin line with four characters set to star:

  • Shaco as a Prestige)
  • Kindred
  • Vayne
  • Annie