League of Legends Players Prepare for New Champion Release
League of Legends players should quickly familiarize themselves with the latest champion, Naafiri, as another addition is on the horizon. Riot Meddler, the head of the League studio, provided further details about the release of Briar, the “hangry” jungler, in a recent developer update video. This announcement comes just a week after the introduction of Naafiri, the first Darkin champion since Kayn in 2017.
Release on PBE and Dev Updates
“You’ll see Briar on PBE at least between now and the next dev update,” explained Meddler on a Reddit post. Dev updates are usually scheduled to release within four to six weeks of each other, but the timeline may vary. Thus, any upcoming information about Briar may not be definitive.
Currently, little is known about Briar aside from her name, Noxian heritage, and insatiable hunger. Riot has emphasized her vampire-like characteristics and the constant need for sustenance. Once Briar hits the PBE, she will undergo extensive testing to ensure her hunger mechanic is balanced.
Briar’s Availability in Professional Play
If Briar is released in the next few months, she will most likely not be available for professional players at this year’s World Championship in Busan and Seoul, South Korea. Champions released or heavily reworked close to Worlds are disabled to avoid disrupting the established meta of the tournament.
Release Schedule and Future Champions
Briar will be the third champion released this year, joining Milio and Naafiri in the evolving lineup of playable characters. However, if Riot continues to prioritize updating older champions, there is a possibility that the schedule of five new champions per year will not be met in 2023.
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