Sure, League of Legends' Shyvana rework is finally here, but did Riot just talk about Twisted Treeline?

I was there the day that Riot removed Twisted Treeline from League of Legends. It’s etched into my soul as a #BadDay: the day, to quote American Pie, that the music (a medley of toxicity) died. “Is Twisted Treeline coming back?” is like “Silksong?” for OG LoL fans: it’s in every AMA, every stream, and every conversation. In its latest devblog showcasing the new Shyvana rework, head of League studio Andrei ‘Meddler’ van Roon and executive producer Paul ‘Pabro’ Bellezza have finally answered the one question we’ve been asking: and the answer isn’t a no.

Sure, there’s the Shyvana rework to talk about, but let me cut to the chase. When asked if the MOBA’s much-beloved 3v3 mode would ever make a reappearance, Pabro answers with a solid “maybe.” He admits that the team are “not working on this right now,” but that “I’ll be real, we’d like to some day.

“Unfortunately it’s not as easy as flipping on a switch, as some things needs to be entirely rebuilt in the League of Legends engine nowadays. But, it is something we are excited and nostalgic for, so maybe.” Okay, pessimists, I know that isn’t a yes – but it also isn’t a no.

The duo also confirm that there’s no champion coming this season, with the priority being on “the large update to League,” which many believe is big enough to basically be a sequel. The next champion will arrive with Season 2, and “relates to the thematics” we’ve seen this year, so presumably something Demacian.

League of Legends Shyvana abilities

The main focus of the video is, of course, Shyvana’s rework. The Half-Dragon returns with a much-needed glow up, with some much-needed changes to her kit, and a general lore update. We’ve been waiting for this one for a very long time, and Riot’s focus is making her feel more draconic, while maintaining the AP, AD, and even artillery mage builds that you know and love.

I’ve listed her reworked kit below in full:

• Passive: Scalemail –  Takedowns on enemy champions, large minions, and large monsters grant Shyvana Scalemail stacks, improving her defenses.
• Q: Emberstrike – Shyvana’s next attack strikes both the target and the surrounding area. This ability can be recast. While in Dragon Form, it gains an additional recast, dealing massive damage to a single target.
• W: Inferno Aegis –  Shyvana gains a shield, movement speed, and after a short delay, the area around her detonates. While in Dragon Form, the explosion will heal her if it strikes an enemy champion or monster.
• E: Molten Burst – Shyvana launches a fireball that explodes upon striking a large target and slows them. In Dragon Form, it passes through and explodes upon striking large enemies, leaving behind a trail of fire.
• R: Dragon’s Descent – Shyvana transforms into a Dragon and leaps forward, fearing enemies along her path. While in Dragon form, she becomes larger and her basic abilities are empowered.

Generally her kit still feels in line with her juggernaut identity, especially when her Dragon Form is active. It’s still reminiscent of her original kit, with big ol’ fireballs and speed boosts still forming the backbone of this rework. As someone who loved playing Shyvana toplane back in the day, I really hope that she does make her way back into the meta organically, while making her feel like the “epic dragon” she’s supposed to be. We still don’t know if she lays eggs, though.

The Shyvana rework arrives with League of Legends patch 26.6, currently slated to land on Wednesday, March 18 at 11am PST / 2pm EST / 7pm BST / 8pm CEST.

Meddler and Pabro also confirm that 2026’s ranked matchmaking changes have seen “more [players] start and stay consistent with [their] climbs than in previous seasons.” The average time to find a game is also “down substantially, about 30% on average, with lobby dodgers dropping from 19% of lobbies to just 4%.”

Pabro confirms that there’s been MMR adjustments for “a range of cases where the ranked system wasn’t doing a good job of identifying and distinguishing between different skill levels.” This has helped pull some more seasoned players out of Iron, which Riot wants to be purely for beginners. It even teases adding a rank beneath Iron – Wood Division when?

After far too many years of waiting, it’s exciting to see this new and improved Shyvana on the Rift, as well as what seem like genuinely positive changes to matchmaking. The FAQ section of the video was a nice little touch, too: it feels like Riot is starting to engage with its players a little more, which has long been a criticism. Hopefully that momentum and excitement carries forward into the rest of 2026, and, perhaps even more hopefully, we’ll see the return of Twisted Treeline. Man, what a time to be alive.