Patch 7.0 AAA ARAM and Rift Updates

New year, new map, new AAA ARAM?! Okay, so maybe not new AAA ARAM, but it's here to stay for good, and with some fresh updates. We were so excited to share that news and that we’ll be packing our bags and heading to Ionia in our latest Patch Preview. We were only able to briefly cover these updates, so let’s dive in and learn more about the Ionia Rift and permanent AAA ARAM update.

AAA ARAM 

Last year we gave AAA ARAM its shiny new re-brand and upgrade from Hextech ARAM. We also tinkered with various themes and updates. Across our patches, we heard a lot of feedback from you all. The main one being that you wanted more AAA ARAM, and didn’t want to wait for it to release mid-patch, which is why we’re making it a permanent mode starting in Patch 7.0!

Now, it’s not just coming back as a permanent mode in the same way you saw it in Patch 6.3. We also heard a lot of feedback from you all about the overall AAA ARAM experience, especially about the amount of content we are adding to the mode and how we are informing you about it. Like we said, we tinkered with a lot of various themes and updates last year in this mode (my personal favorite was us adding Faker’s Augment… you can’t blame me for having fun playing as the goat.) However, we heard from you all that sometimes there were too many updates, and it was sometimes hard to queue up and know what you’re getting. So you’ll notice a smoother onboarding process when you queue up for all the awesomeness waiting for you.

We also wanted to take a look at the Runes with this update. Have you ever noticed when sometimes you’re playing as Aurora, but you get Runes that might be more fitting for let’s say… Caitlyn? Yeah, we hated when that happened. So, we’ve optimized Runes in AAA ARAM, and you’ll now not only receive more appropriate Runes based on the champion you’re playing, but also better options overall.

We’ll also have updates to our Augments like always. Some favorites, like Magic Bolts, Goliath, Reprisal Armor, and Dragon Soul will be making their returns. We also have some updated descriptions and balance changes to some other Augments.

And of course, it’s not a new AAA ARAM season without a fun, maybe slightly chaotic twist. This time, we’ll be introducing a brand-new mechanic: Flying Swords. It’s fitting with our Ionia map, but also slightly terrifying… so be careful not to stab yourself in the process of taking down your foes. Everyone will be able to bring their unique sword into the fight, which will activate extra Rune effects and unlock new combos mid-game.

This is just a taste of what's to come for AAA ARAM this year. We’re grateful for your feedback about AAA ARAM and excited to hear what you think about these new updates. We’ll have more detailed information about these updates in our upcoming Patch Notes. 

IONIA RIFT

Throughout this year it’s always been new Rift when? And never, how are you Wild Rift dev team? And honestly, we can’t blame you. While we all love Bandle Rift, a change of scenery is always nice and in this patch we’re delivering you a peaceful, pink Rift. So grab some tea, take a breath, and let's see what Ionia has waiting for us.

The core of our Ionia map update is the optimization of vision clarity. We aim to enhance battlefield visibility and adjust the distribution of terrain barriers and brush in the jungle, making the Rift feel more open and bright overall. In order to do this, we needed to make it so that you felt more secure when you go to place wards to protect you from those pesky Kha’Zix ganks or set you and your team up to ambush the enemy team’s jungler. This update, as well as the Ionia Rift as a whole, is not just about the theme, but it's a part of our ongoing effort to keep Wild Rift feeling fresh, not just through our themes, but our gameplay updates as well.

The first special feature the Ionia Rift will bring is the Spirit Flower. Once a teammate dies, the Rift will show its respect by putting a flower down. You or your ally can pick it up and carry their energy forward, so the fallen can help your team even from the fountain. Now your duo can help you secure that win… even from the grave. Spirit Flowers don’t just show compassion for you, they have a soft spot for your jungler monsters, and whenever an enemy champion kills a large monster, Spirit Flowers will drop as well.

One of the most infamous Ionia champions, Yasuo (love him or hate him), inspired our next addition, the new Mid Lane Wind Zone. This will give all midlaners a special movement boost, making it easier for them to roam and support their allies across the map. We can’t wait how you’ll use this boost to your advantage and look forward to seeing all the new strategies you come up with it!

As always, our Patch Notes for 7.0 will launch before the Patch goes live and include more in-depth information and numbers for all the changes coming day one. We hope you have fun in Patch 7.0, and we can’t wait to see ya on the Rift!