Riot Games has given players a first look at its next League of Legends champion: Locke, the Ashen Exorcist. He’s set to arrive on June 24, 2026, with patch 26.13. Locke is a new AP assassin built for mid lane, and Riot is presenting him as a version of the role that feels fairer to play against, with counterplay that’s easier to read.
His kit is built around setting up Soul Nails, then cashing in on clearly telegraphed skillshots and visible threat windows. opponents are supposed to see the danger coming and have a real chance to react before Locke dumps his damage.
What makes the reveal stand out even more is Riot’s current release schedule. By the studio’s own account, Locke is the only completely new League of Legends champion planned for 2026. Champion releases are slowing down while Riot puts time into the League Next engine, the game’s visual refresh, and updates to older parts of League that have needed attention for a while.
There’s still an obvious balance question hanging over him. Locke’s execute ultimate can reset, which is exactly the sort of mechanic that can get out of hand, especially in coordinated play. Still, the first wave of reactions has been warmer than the usual blowback Riot gets when a new champion shows up with an overloaded kit, like Viego, Akshan, or K’Sante.
If you’re still playing League on a regular basis, Locke already looks like someone worth trying for the cleaner counterplay alone. And the theme helps. The Demacian exorcist angle, with that darker occult streak running through it, gives him a sharper and more memorable identity than a lot of recent champion reveals.
You’ll be able to unlock Locke in League of Legends on PC when patch 26.13 goes live on June 24, 2026.
Author: Jesús Bosque
{
"de-DE": "Ich bin Journalist mit über 30 Jahren Erfahrung in Videospielen und Technologie. Obwohl Videospiele schon immer mein Fachgebiet waren, habe ich begonnen, auch die komplexen Strukturen von Projektmanagement-Tools wie Asana sowie die Automatisierungen mit Make.com und N8N zu entdecken und zu genießen.",
"en-US": "I’m a journalist with more than 30 years of experience in video games and technology. Although my specialty has always been video games, I’ve recently started enjoying exploring the intricacies of project-management tools like Asana, as well as automations with Make.com and N8N.",
"es-ES": "Soy periodista con más de 30 años de experiencia en videojuegos y tecnología. Aunque mi especialidad siempre ha sido el videojuego, he empezado a disfrutar también de descubrir los laberintos de los programas de project management como Asana y las automatizaciones de make.com y de N8N",
"fr-FR": "Je suis journaliste avec plus de 30 ans d’expérience dans le jeu vidéo et la technologie. Bien que ma spécialité ait toujours été le jeu vidéo, j’ai commencé à prendre plaisir à explorer également les méandres des outils de gestion de projet comme Asana, ainsi que les automatisations avec Make.com et N8N.",
"it-IT": "Sono un giornalista con oltre 30 anni di esperienza nei videogiochi e nella tecnologia. Anche se la mia specialità è sempre stata il videogame, ho iniziato a divertirmi anche a scoprire i meccanismi degli strumenti di project management come Asana e delle automazioni con Make.com e N8N.",
"ja-JP": "",
"nl-NL": "Ik ben een journalist met meer dan 30 jaar ervaring in videogames en technologie. Hoewel videogames altijd mijn specialiteit zijn geweest, ben ik ook begonnen te genieten van het verkennen van de ingewikkelde wereld van projectmanagementtools zoals Asana en van automatiseringen met Make.com en N8N.",
"pl-PL": "Jestem dziennikarzem z ponad 30-letnim doświadczeniem w grach wideo i technologii. Choć moją specjalizacją zawsze były gry wideo, ostatnio zacząłem również czerpać przyjemność z odkrywania zawiłości narzędzi do zarządzania projektami, takich jak Asana, oraz automatyzacji w Make.com i N8N.",
"pt-BR": "Sou jornalista com mais de 30 anos de experiência em videogames e tecnologia. Embora meu foco sempre tenha sido os videogames, recentemente passei a gostar de explorar também os labirintos de ferramentas de gestão de projetos como o Asana e das automações com Make.com e N8N.",
"social": {
"email": "jesus.bosque@softonic.com",
"facebook": "",
"twitter": "",
"linkedin": ""
}
}
View all posts by Jesús Bosque
