Riot Games has released a new League of Legends Dev Update, revealing some significant changes coming to the game over the next few patches. The biggest announcement is the expansion of voice chat beyond premade parties, but Riot also shared updates for League Classic, ARAM: Mayhem, Ranked 5s, Season 3 Act 2, and Worlds 2026.
Team Voice will begin rolling out with Patch 26.20, while League Classic is receiving new champions and quality-of-life improvements much sooner.
In brief:
- Team Voice will launch in NA and Oceania with Patch 26.20.
- League Classic is getting new champions, faster progression, cheaper runes, and visual improvements.
- ARAM: Mayhem will return with a music-focused set and new Augments.
- Ranked 5s returns in Patch 26.18 with a strategic draft system and longer queue windows.
League of Legends Team Voice Is Finally Expanding
The biggest announcement from the latest LoL Dev Update is Team Voice, which expands League’s existing voice system beyond premade parties.
Players will be able to communicate with everyone on their team through voice chat. Riot says it is also improving noise cancellation, connection speeds, and overall stability to make the system more reliable.
However, access to speaking in Team Voice will be connected to a player’s Honor level. Riot wants to make sure moderation systems can handle the increased number of players using voice communication before expanding the feature globally.
Team Voice will initially launch in:
- North America
- Oceania
The rollout begins with Patch 26.20, with additional regions planned depending on how the initial launch performs.
Riot is also introducing voice skins, allowing players to change how their voice sounds while communicating. The developer says these effects are being designed to remain understandable even during hectic teamfights.
League Classic Is Getting New Champions and Progression Changes
Riot also provided several updates for League of Legends Classic, an experience inspired by different eras of old-school League.
The first Classic Council vote has now concluded, with Riot preparing to reveal the results soon. Meanwhile, the Classic map is receiving brighter lighting and updated textures designed to better capture the old League atmosphere while maintaining readability.
Several progression changes are coming as well:
- Increased IP and XP earning rates
- Two additional Rune Pages for every player
- A second Win of the Day bonus
- Reduced prices for many runes
Classic will also expand its champion roster in Patch 26.18, adding Poppy, Xin Zhao, Shyvana, Galio, and Fiora.
Graves and three additional Bilgewater champions are scheduled to arrive in the following patch.
ARAM: Mayhem Returns With a Music Theme
ARAM: Mayhem is also getting another set, this time built around the musical theme of Season 3 Act 2.
New Augments will be introduced, while musical acts will appear when players spawn into matches. Riot compares the system to Arena’s Guests of Honor, with different acts helping add more variety between games.
New in-game missions and rewards will also be available separately from the regular Mayhem progression track.
Riot says Season 3 Act 2 itself will place a major spotlight on music, with its first musical reveal scheduled for September 9, 2026.
Ranked 5s Returns in Patch 26.18
Ranked 5s will begin another run starting with Patch 26.18, featuring several changes based on feedback from its June to September period.
One of the biggest additions is a new strategic draft phase. Similar to Clash, teams will be given information about their opponents before champion select, allowing players to make more informed picks and bans.
Weekend queue windows are also being extended with earlier opening times and later closing times.
Rewards from the previous Ranked 5s run will arrive with Patch 26.18, while another set of rewards will be available during the upcoming September through December period.
Riot Confirms Worlds 2026 Dates
Riot closed the update with another reminder about League of Legends Worlds 2026.
The tournament begins on October 15 in Los Angeles, California, before eventually heading to Brooklyn, New York, for the Worlds Final on November 14.
With Team Voice finally expanding beyond premade groups, League Classic continuing to grow, and both Mayhem and Ranked 5s receiving new content, Riot’s latest Dev Update outlines a particularly busy end to League of Legends’ 2026 season.
