League of Legends closes out 2025 with one of its most festive and content-packed updates yet. The LoL patch notes 25.23, going live on November 19, deliver a flurry of new content, long-awaited returns, champion balance changes, and a special celebration for Arcane fans. Let’s dive into everything arriving with Patch 25.23 and how it sets the tone for the final weeks of the year.

Winter Map Returns to Summoner’s Rift

When Mariah Carey starts singing, you know the season has officially begun—and Riot Games agrees. Patch 25.23 marks the long-awaited return of the Winter Map, transforming Summoner’s Rift into a snowy wonderland draped in Christmas lights, frosted structures, and holiday-themed creatures. Even Baron Nashor and the Elemental Drakes are joining the festivities with a fully decked-out holiday spirit.

All Winter Legacy skins are also returning to the shop for a limited time, giving players until early 2026 to pick up any seasonal cosmetics they may have missed. And if you’re hungry for more festive style, you won’t have to wait long—brand-new winter skins are already planned for Patch 25.24.

The holiday season is the perfect moment to treat yourself or a friend, and even a Riot Games Gift Card can go a long way toward securing new skins during this limited-time window.

Zaahen Joins the Rift

Patch 25.23 also introduces League’s newest champion: Zaahen, a unique top-lane juggernaut ready to shake up the meta. His arrival comes packaged with an immersive backstory, distinctive kit, and the promise of fresh strategies across high-level play.

However, Riot confirmed that Zaahen’s Eternals will not launch immediately. Due to a shortened development cycle, the team needs additional time to polish them, so they’ll arrive in the next patch.

Arcane Anniversary: Free Rewards & Skin Updates

It’s been one year since Arcane Season 2 concluded, and Riot is rolling out a dedicated celebration. All Arcane skins from Seasons 1 and 2 are returning, including Arcane Fractured Jinx, who is receiving extensive visual and animation upgrades across all forms. If you already own the skin, the improvements are free, though the original loading border won’t return.

Players can also unlock eight exclusive Arcane-themed rewards simply by playing matches during the patch. Playing with a premade counts twice, letting you breeze through the event:

• Jinx Butterfly Icon

• Yelling Caitlyn/Vi Emote

• 500 Battle Pass XP

• Salad Cat Jinx Emote

• Robot Mask Icon

• 500 Battle Pass XP

• Guitar Heimerdinger Emote

• “Arcane Anomaly” Title

These rewards are patch-limited, so be sure to complete them before 25.23 ends.

Champion Updates: Buffs, Nerfs & Jungle Adjustments

Riot is taking a focused approach to balance this time, particularly with adjustments aimed at smoothing the first jungle clear for champions who could benefit from more stability. Some changes carry deliberate risk, especially new additions like Sylas jungle, but the goal is to make the role more accessible—especially for autofilled players.

Key jungle-supportive updates include buffs to:

• Aatrox

• Jayce

• Ornn

• Sion

• Riven

• Fizz

• Cho’Gath

• Ambessa

On the flipside, several strong ADCs receive nerfs, including Ashe, Caitlyn, Kai’Sa, and Jinx, due to their consistently dominant performances across multiple patches.

A few standout buffs also arrive for Jhin, Swain, and Skarner, giving them significantly improved performance potential in both lane and team fights.

ARAM Mayhem & Gameplay Adjustments

The Howling Abyss isn’t being left behind this patch. ARAM Mayhem receives updates to several underperforming augments and system-level tweaks for better pacing. The Bloom Portal now functions more like a Hexgate, allowing more control and strategic teleporting without sacrificing the chaos that ARAM players love.

Stat Anvil is a new late-game item that lets players convert spare gold into raw stats once they hit level 9. It doesn’t include enhanced Shard Holders yet, but it opens up a clever path for keeping up in prolonged games.

Blue Essence Emporium Returns

The fan-favorite Blue Essence Emporium is open once again, running from Nov. 19 through Jan. 7, 2026. From rare chromas to exclusive cosmetics, it’s a perfect opportunity for players to unload their stockpile of Blue Essence. Riot is also adding a new title to honor the community’s biggest BE hoarders.

And if you’re short on RP for chromas or skins, Buy Riot Points Key can help you access the seasonal shop while it’s still open.

Champion Select Improvements

To streamline the pre-game experience, Riot is trimming down several parts of the draft phase:

• Intro animation: 10s → 5s

• Hover pre-select: 15s → 7s

• Ban phase: 30s → 25s

• Total pick time: 3m → 2.5m

These changes debut in NA and OCE queues first before rolling out globally.

New Rain Shepherd Skins

Cuteness overload arrives with new Rain Shepherd skins for Tristana and Gwen. Each comes with a charming set of chromas, offering a lighthearted style amid the winter frost.

Final Thoughts

LoL Patch 25.23 is one of the year’s most content-rich updates, bringing festive flair, a new champion, Arcane rewards, gameplay refinements, and fan-favorite shop returns. Whether you're stocking up on winter skins, tackling the Arcane event, or exploring Zaahen’s potential, there’s plenty to enjoy as 2025 concludes.