Riot Games releases League of Legends Patch 26.20

Riot Games has released Patch 26.20 for League of Legends, a version intended to set the stage for the Worlds 2026 tournament. The update includes significant balance changes to various champions, with eleven receiving buffs and five receiving nerfs. Notable item adjustments include reductions to the power of Experimental Hexplate and Runaan’s Hurricane, alongside changes to Hextech Rocketbelt.

Beyond gameplay balance, the patch introduces a controversial change regarding private replays. Riot Games is removing the ability for players to download replays of matches they did not personally play, and third-party applications will lose access to replay downloads entirely.

Riot Games stated this decision aims to address security vulnerabilities that have been exploited by cheat developers to create unauthorized tools. However, the move has surprised the community, as it impacts content creators and professional teams who rely on these replays for analysis and broadcasting.