League of Legends Patch 26.12 Buffs Yuumi, Gwen, and Sylas Ahead of MSI

Riot Games has released Patch 26.12 for League of Legends, bringing a new round of champion balance changes ahead of MSI 2026. The update includes buffs for Yuumi, Gwen, and Sylas, nerfs for Varus, as well as adjustments to ARAM: Chaos and Arena mode.

In addition to gameplay changes, Riot is introducing a new skin collection featuring LeBlanc, Brand, and Hwei.

General Changes

Riot announced that Draft Pick normal games will now be available 24/7 in the ME, OC, and SG regions. According to the developer, player activity in these regions has grown significantly since late 2025, allowing for expanded queue availability.

The studio also confirmed that duo queue restrictions for high-MMR players will remain in place for now. Riot stated that it continues to monitor top-level ranked play before making any further adjustments.

Another quality-of-life improvement arrives with the communication panel. Players will now be able to view:

• Current Honor level
• Active penalties or restrictions
• Requirements needed to remove penalties

You can view the full list of changes on the official website.

New Sinful Shores Skins Arrive

Patch 26.12 also introduces three new cosmetics from the Sinful Shores skin line.

The new skins include:

• Prestige Sinful Shores LeBlanc
• Sinful Shores Brand
• Sinful Shores Hwei

All three skins will become available on June 10, 2026.

Also, check out the news about the new hero — Locke.

Champion Balance Changes

One of the primary goals of Patch 26.12 is preparing the game for MSI 2026. Riot has buffed several champions that have struggled in recent patches, including Yuumi, Gwen, and Sylas, while targeting Varus with nerfs to reduce his impact in both professional and ranked play.

Additional balance adjustments have also been made across multiple champions, ARAM: Chaos, and Arena mode.