April Fools' Joke Confirms Locke as Next League of Legends Champion Riot Games officially confirmed that the next League of Legends champion will be Locke, a Demacian comic character, after an April Fools’ joke inadvertently revealed the news. The announcement came through a now-deleted tweet by Pu “Pupulasers” Liu, the game’s director, who humorously claimed that Locke’s release would require removing one existing champion from the roster. This marked the first direct confirmation of Locke as a champion, aligning with the Demacian theme of the current season and following the Shyvana VGU rework. The revelation was tied to a motion comic titled “For the Fallen,” released earlier this year, which introduced Locke as a hooded figure interacting with a bartender. In the comic, the character is warned that “no one that goes into those woods comes back, at least not the same as they were,” a line that resonates with the dark themes of Sona’s recent cinematic and hints at potential lore connections. This narrative thread reinforces the Demacian storyline, which has been a recurring theme in the game’s recent updates. Rumors about Locke’s abilities had already circulated, with speculation suggesting he might be an AP jungler or mid laner using giant nails as part of his kit. Leaked images and tweets from sources like @BigBadBear_ and @LeagueOfLeaks fueled these theories, though no official details have been confirmed. Despite the hype, Riot emphasized that Locke will be the only new champion released in 2026, with the release expected around mid-year. The timeline for Locke’s release was outlined by Andrei “Meddler” van Roon, head of League Studio, who noted that most of the team working on new champions is currently focused on a large update slated for post-MSI.#riot_games #locke #andrei_meddler #pu_pupulasers #demacian
Gameplay of League of Legends' New Champion Locke Leaks Locke, the next champion set to release in League of Legends, has allegedly had footage of his gameplay leak online. The Demacian character, confirmed as LoL’s next champion unintentionally by a Rioter in an April Fools’ tweet, is expected to launch sometime in Season 2, 2026, which will run from April 29 to August 12. So far, Locke’s only appearance was in a motion comic released by Riot earlier in the year, though his in-game design appears to differ significantly from the cloaked figure shown in that comic. Locke is the sole new champion for 2026 and will be released in Season 2, according to a tweet from @LeagueOfLeaks on March 2, 2026. The leaked footage, which has circulated online, shows Locke throwing around a giant nail in what is claimed to be his Q ability. Additionally, the footage includes spooky “sealed artefacts” that spawn around the map for Locke to collect, though their exact function remains unclear. This ghostly theme is likely tied to the lore introduced in the motion comic, where Locke receives a warning from a bartender at a tavern: “No one that goes into those woods comes back, at least not the same as they were.” The lore hints at a darker, more mysterious backstory for the character, which aligns with the eerie elements in the leaked gameplay. Riot Games’ senior vice president, Andrei ‘Meddler’ van Roon, confirmed that only one new champion will be released in 2026. This decision is part of the company’s focus on developing ‘LoL Next,’ a large-scale revamp for the MOBA. Meddler also mentioned that another Demacian champion is set to receive a rework following the Shyvana VGU (Visual and Gameplay Update). While the specifics of this rework remain undisclosed, the community is speculating that it could apply to Quinn or Nocturne.#riot_games #league_of_legends #andrei_meddler #locke #season_2_2026
