New map, "Fame" and "Guests of Honor" systems for LoL Arena

Big Changes Coming to LoL Arena in 2025!

Great news for Arena players — League of Legends Arena mode is making a highly anticipated return with major updates! This year, players can look forward to a brand-new map, a reworked Koi Pond, and several system improvements designed to keep the mode fresh and engaging.

Farewell, Rings of Wrath—Welcome, Grand Reckoning! With LoL Season 1 centered around Noxus, Arena is following suit by transitioning from the Rings of Wrath to the Grand Reckoning. Visually, the battlegrounds will undergo a dramatic transformation, moving away from floating arenas and instead embracing a gladiator-style setting, complete with a live audience. While these changes are mostly aesthetic, the new Noxus-themed map promises to bring even more excitement — details on that below!

Koi Pond Gets a Long-Awaited Overhaul

The infamous Koi Pond map is finally receiving a much-needed update after frustrating a large portion of Arena players. The revamped version introduces "The Ring"—a surrounding terrain designed to prevent players from getting trapped on isolated islands. Additionally, Blast Cones have been removed to further reduce frustration and create a smoother gameplay experience.

New Koi Pond map in LoL Arena:

Introducing the Reckoner Arena

The previously teased Noxus-themed Arena map now has an official name: the Reckoner Arena! This battleground features several destructible pillars that, once damaged enough, will collapse into walls of rubble, altering the battlefield. However, developers have confirmed that these new terrain mechanics will not impact vision, ensuring strategic clarity during fights.

Crowd Favorite and Bravery Systems: Rewards for the Bold

In true Noxian spirit, courage and adaptability in battle will be rewarded with the new Crowd Favorite and Bravery systems.

During champion select, five randomly chosen champions will be highlighted as Crowd Favorites. Choosing one of these champions grants a free Stat Anvil at the start of the match, giving players an early advantage.

For those who truly embrace the chaos, Bravery offers an even greater challenge. This option locks in a completely random champion, which won’t be revealed until you load into the game. Players who take this risk will be rewarded with one free Stat Anvil and two Rerolls to adjust their build.

"We don’t expect everyone to choose a Crowd Favorite or Bravery, but we hope these systems add more excitement for Arena veterans while encouraging the adaptation and experimentation that are crucial to success," say LoL developers.

Guests of Honor: A New Twist on Arena Gameplay

Cameos are being removed from LoL Arena and replaced with the Guests of Honor—legendary Noxians and Reckoners who introduce unique game-changing rules.

Unlike Cameos, Guests of Honor are not randomized. Instead, players in the lobby will vote on which Guest of Honor will be active. Each game can feature up to two Guests of Honor, depending on how far players progress.

Riot has confirmed that 22 champions will take on the role of Guests of Honor. "Our goal with Guests of Honor was to make each game feel unique and force players to adapt—not just to their opponents, but to the ever-changing battlefield," say LoL developers.

A Sneak Peek at Some Guests of Honor:

• Darius – Noxian Might: Every team loses 50 Health, but players heal 5 Health when a team is eliminated.
• Vladimir – Universal Donor: All players receive a bonus matching augment.
• Mordekaiser – Die Alone: One player from each team starts combat trapped in the Death Realm.

When Arena launches, 14 Guests of Honor will be available, with 8 more arriving later in Act 2.

Introducing Fame: A New Progression System for Arena

To give players a stronger sense of progression and more reasons to keep playing Arena, Riot is introducing the Fame system. According to Riot, many players stopped playing after reaching Gladiator, feeling unsatisfied with the competitive progression track. Fame aims to fix this by providing a clear and rewarding way to advance.

Fame progression is tied to both match placements and mission completions. Each champion will have three unique missions, and completing them will significantly boost your Fame level.

Fame Rewards – First Few Levels:

• Level 1: Overflow (Silver Augment) added to the pool
• Level 2: Hattrick (Gold Augment) added to the pool
• Level 3: Matchup Intro upgrade
• Level 4: Slow and Steady (Gold Augment) added to the pool
• Level 5: +1 Reroll
• Level 6: Matchup Intro upgrade
• Level 7: And My Axe (Gold Augment) added to the pool
• Level 8: Transmute: Chaos (Prismatic Augment) added to the pool
• Level 9: Matchup Intro upgrade

Riot emphasizes that Fame does not provide additional power. The rewarded Augments aren’t necessarily stronger—just different—ensuring balance while keeping gameplay fresh and engaging.