League of Legends Season 3 kicks off with Xin Zhao visual update, Doom Bots return, and Worlds 2025 hype

League of Legends Season 3 kicks off with Xin Zhao visual update, Doom Bots return, and Worlds 2025 hype

League of Legends Season 3 launches in Patch 25.17, pulling together storylines from Spirit Blossom Beyond and Welcome to Noxus. Champions LeBlanc, Yunara, Atakhan, and Xin Zhao take center stage as the seasonal narrative unfolds.

The update also builds momentum for the 2025 League of Legends World Championship, returning to China for its 15th anniversary. Matches begin in Beijing on October 14, with the Finals in Chengdu on November 9. The Worlds Anthem drops October 10, celebrating iconic players from LoL’s competitive history.

Xin Zhao gets full visual update

One of LoL’s most enduring fighters, Xin Zhao, receives a complete visual overhaul this season. His gameplay remains the same, but all skins have been updated.

Vaulted skins return for Patches 25.17 and 25.18, including improved Commando and Imperial variants. Prices for these will rise from 520 RP to 750 RP after the update goes live. A new Epic Xin Zhao skin will also arrive in Act 1.

Quality-of-life upgrades in Patch 25.17

Players get new tools to track in-game details:

• Individual timers for all jungle camps

• Summoner spell usage visible in the death recap

More enhancements are planned for later this year.

Doom Bots return, WASD control to be tested

The fan-favorite Doom Bots mode is back with new difficulty settings, curses, bots, and a boss encounter. The “Trials of Doom” feature rotating challenges each patch.

Doom Bots throws a player and four other teammates into a Player-versus-Environment (PvE) showdown against Veigar and his crew of overpowered bots. Think of it as a gauntlet where you’re just trying to survive the onslaught for 15 minutes. Once weathered that storm, it’s time to go toe-to-toe with Veigar himself, all while making sure the Nexus stays in one piece.

League begins testing WASD movement controls as an alternative to the traditional point-and-click scheme. Testing starts on PBE, then moves to non-Ranked queues before Ranked rollout. Riot will monitor both control styles to ensure no competitive edge.

Stronger action against smurfing and boosting

Starting Patch 25.18, Riot targets smurfing, boosting, hitchhiking, and account trading with penalties for all parties involved. This crackdown is powered by Vanguard detection and player reports.Alternate accounts used in good faith are unaffected.

Riot is also expanding True Skill 2 matchmaking tests to improve MMR accuracy.

New skins, passes, and Worlds rewards

• Prestige Sylas and Prestige Mel enter the Mythic Shop.

• Prestige Jarvan IV and Prestige Zoe arrive via the Act 1 and Act 2 Passes.

• 2024 Worlds Winner skins for T1 drop in September.

• Machine Herald Viktor arrives in Patch 25.19, free for players with Viktor Mastery 5+ as of August 4.

• Legacy TFT Pass emotes and icons return to the Mythic Shop.

This setup keeps competitive players primed for Worlds while giving casual fans plenty of reasons to log in when League of Legends Season 3 goes live.

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Drew Malihan

Drew started writing esports news and features in 2019, and is well-immersed in various MOBA titles. He is also an avid Football Manager enthusiast.

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