League of Legends Dev Update: New ARAM Mayhem Game Mode, Arcane Fractured Jinx Upgrades, and Punishing Smurfing

League of Legends Dev Update: New ARAM Mayhem Game Mode, Arcane Fractured Jinx Upgrades, and Punishing Smurfing

Martin Arévalo-Östberg

6 Oct, 2025, 16:48

|

Last updated: 6 Oct, 2025, 16:51

Riot Games has dropped a new Dev Update for League of Legends, revealing much to come before the end of 2025. From a new game mode to an all-out celebration of Arcane's finale anniversary, there's plenty to look forward to in Act 2 of Season 3.

New Game Mode: ARAM Mayhem

"Have you ever wondered what would happen if your snowballs were larger? Like, really large? What about if you had multiple flashes for the biggest Zoe Paddlestar you've ever imagined? Or if your ult reset all of your ability cooldowns?"

First up, we have ARAM Mayhem. Combining elements of Arena augments with the straightforward fun of ARAM, the new game mode will be an all-out 5v5 brawl where chaos is turned up to the max.

According to Riot themselves, the game mode draws a lot of inspiration from Wild Rift's AAA ARAM game mode. So, if you're a Wild Rift veteran, this might look a little familiar.

If you're a traditional ARAM lover, you don't need to worry! Regular ARAM queues will remain active and separate from ARAM Mayhem, giving you the freedom to pick and choose what to play.

ARAM Mayhem will officially release with Patch 25.21 on October 22nd. When it comes to ARAM more generally, Riot has promised to keep both the Koeshin's Crossing and Butcher's Bridge maps in the game, despite originally being intended for Season 2 only. Moving forward, both maps will receive improvements as we keep the ARAM fun rolling.

League of Legends Koeshin's Crossing ARAM Map
Koeshin's Crossing is not going anywhere. (Credit: Riot Games)

Arcane Anniversary Celebrations

November 2025 will mark one year since Arcane officially came to an end, and League of Legends will celebrate the occasion in style.

Starting in Patch 25.23, a free mini-reward track will hit the game, allowing you to earn new icons and emotes (presumably related to the show). Additionally, all of the Arcane skins from Season 1 & 2 will become available once more. So, if you missed your opportunity to grab one of these back then, now's your chance!

That's not all, though. The Arcane Fractured Jinx skin will receive several upgrades, including a brand new spawn-in animation and visual updates for all three forms, such as new recall animations and unique Chompers for each and every form.

arcane fractured jinx league of legends
As an Exalted skin, fans expected more from Arcane Fractured Jinx. (Credit: Riot Games)

Riot Brings Down the Ban Hammer

League of Legends is serious in their fight against smurfing. Since Patch 25.18 (just one month ago), Riot has banned over 4 million accounts that were either purchased, botted, or waiting to be sold.

To take the fight to the next level, Riot has now revealed that all bans and punishments will carry over to other accounts that they are confident belong to the same owner. This new policy will become active in Patch 25.23.

For as long as the game has existed, smurfing has always been a problem. Now, it appears Riot is ready to do everything it takes to rid League of Legends of this problem once and for all.

Follow Strafe Esports for all the latest League news and our X account for the latest content and coverage. Also, stay tuned to Strafe YouTube for exclusive interviews, press conferences, and more.

Featured image credit: Riot Games


Read more:

Sentinels Reportedly Set to Join the LCS in 2026

Worlds Patch Arrives! League of Legends Patch 25.20 Preview: Azir Tweaks, Pantheon Buffs, and More

Latest news

Team Secret Whales Eliminate Top Esports from 2026 MSI in Stunning Upset

Team Secret Whales Eliminate Top Esports from 2026 MSI in Stunning Upset

Team Secret Whales successfully landed a decisive knockout blow against the LPL 2nd seed today. The Bo5 series at the 2026 Mid-Season Invitational did not go the way most expected, with the LCP representative coming away with a series victory in 4 games. Top Esports’ elimination marks them as a first team to exit 2026 MSI in the Bracket Stage, and a stark disappointment for a team looking to make another deep run internationally. Team Secret Whales are now bound for a showdown between either Bilibili Gaming or LYON.
3h
Foo Zen-Wen

Riftbound Reveals T1 2025 Worlds Champion Collection with Exclusive Player Cards

T1's historic three-peat is making the jump from Summoner's Rift to the tabletop. Riot Games has unveiled two special collections celebrating the team's 2025 League of Legends World Championship victory through Riftbound, its physical card game based on the LoL universe.
3 Jul
Kaustavmani Choudhury

G2 Esports Reverse Sweep Top Esports in Opening Matchup of MSI 2026 Bracket Stage

EU’s top seed, G2 Esports, refused to go quietly into the night as they took down Top Esports in a 5-game thriller in Daejeon, South Korea. The LEC representative completed the reverse sweep after being down 0-2 to kick start their 2026 League of Legends MSI campaign in the most exciting way possible.
3 Jul
Foo Zen-Wen

MSI 2026 Pick'Ems Guide and Rewards: Bracket Stage

With the Play-In Stage done and dusted, it's time for the main event at MSI 2026. The Bracket Stage is about to kick off, and the Pick'Ems challenge is already open! Exclusive League of Legends rewards are at stake, so let's take a look at our MSI 2026 Pick'Ems guide for the Bracket Stage so you can better guide your selections.
1 Jul
Martin Arévalo-Östberg

T1 Qualify for 2026 MSI Bracket Stage After Flawless Play-Ins Run

To the surprise of very few, T1 are through to the League of Legends 2026 Mid-Season Invitational (MSI) Bracket Stage after blasting through their Play-Ins opposition. T1 secure their spot after a spotless Play-Ins run, not dropping a single game throughout.
1 Jul
Foo Zen-Wen

Team Liquid Eliminate Karmine Corp from MSI 2026

Hence, it’s proven: NA >> EU. On the third day of MSI 2026, North American Team Liquid Alienware clashed with French Powerhouse Karmine Corp with tournament lives on the line. Many expected the LEC squad to come out on top, but the Summoner’s Rift witnessed an upset.
30 Jun
Ganesh Jadhav

League Classic to Arrive in Season 3: What to Expect

We have our first look at the much-anticipated League of Legends Classic — or League Classic — game mode and there’s a lot to be excited about. Earlier today Riot Games mistakenly included files for the upcoming game mode on the LoL PBE (Public Beta Environment) and keen eyes were quick to latch on to the information. Let’s have a look at everything we can expect to see.
27 Jun
Foo Zen-Wen

Comments (0)

Log in to comment on this match