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A Historic First for League of Legends: Wild Rift

Riot Games has officially confirmed a groundbreaking moment for League of Legends: Wild Rift, the mobile version of the legendary MOBA is set to introduce its first-ever exclusive champion in 2026.

Revealed during Wild Rift’s 5th Anniversary livestream, this marks a massive step for the mobile title, which until now has only featured champions adapted from League’s PC roster. Riot teased that the mysterious new champion will be a female mage who’s set to dominate the mid lane, but she won’t be found on Summoner’s Rift in League PC, at least, not for now.

The First Original Champion Made for Mobile

For years, Wild Rift has reimagined League’s champions for touch controls and smaller screens, offering familiar gameplay with a fresh feel. But this new mage represents something entirely different: a champion created from the ground up for mobile.

The announcement instantly set social media on fire. The official @wildrift X post teased, “A new year is for new experiments,” sparking thousands of theories and over half a million views within hours.

Could It Be Norra, the Long-Teased Yordle Mage?

Fans quickly jumped into speculation mode. Many believe the champion could be Norra, the mysterious Yordle mage and Yuumi’s long-referenced master in League lore.

Hints hidden in the teaser, particularly what looks like a Bandle City-style teleportation portal, fuelled the theory. Norra has appeared before in Legends of Runeterra and Teamfight Tactics, but never as a playable champion. If true, this would mark her long-awaited debut in the League universe.

However, Riot has yet to confirm any names, leaving the community to connect the dots as excitement builds.

A Divided Community Reaction

The reveal has stirred passionate debate across the League fandom. Some players are thrilled to see Wild Rift branching out with its own identity, while others feel alienated by the idea of champion exclusivity.

One user wrote, “Champions should not be exclusive to Wild Rift. Cosmetics is one thing, but not core gameplay champions.” Another added that it feels “unrewarding to be a long-time fan and have a known character locked behind a different version of the game.”

Still, many fans defend Riot’s decision, arguing that certain mechanics may simply work better on mobile — and that Wild Rift deserves room to evolve as its own title rather than a mirror of PC League.

This moment could redefine how Riot approaches the balance between its PC and mobile ecosystems.

Wild Rift’s Fifth Anniversary Celebrations

The reveal coincides with Wild Rift’s fifth anniversary, marking five years since its global release on October 27th, 2020. The celebration also introduced a new anniversary anthem, Miss This Life, featuring aespa’s NINGNING, as well as details about the upcoming Wild Rift Round Smash event.

Taking place in Vietnam from November 14th to 16th, the event will bring together community players and pros for 5v5 and 1v1 ARAM competitions, featuring teams from Vietnam, Korea, Brazil, Turkey, and the Philippines, alongside two pro teams from China.

Fans can expect live broadcasts, YouTube drops, and plenty of anniversary surprises along the way.

Wild Rift Steps Into Its Own Future

Riot’s decision to develop a fully mobile-exclusive champion marks a turning point not only for Wild Rift, but for the entire League franchise. It’s a bold signal that the mobile version is ready to stand independently — carving out its own champions, stories, and experiences tailored for a new generation of players.

Whether fans embrace or question the move, one thing’s clear: Wild Rift’s next chapter has officially begun, and it’s going to be one for the history books.