Riot Games is expanding voice communication beyond premade parties, with the feature initially launching in North America and Oceania.
League of Legends players will soon have a new way to communicate with their teammates. Riot Games has announced plans to expand voice chat beyond premade parties, allowing players to communicate with their entire team during matches.
The feature will begin rolling out in North America and Oceania with Patch 26.20. Riot is also introducing an Honor-based system for access, along with improvements to voice quality and new voice customization options.
The announcement was part of Riot’s latest Dev Update, which also covered Season 3 Act 2, ARAM: Mayhem, Ranked 5s, and League Classic.
Team Voice Chat Is Coming to League of Legends
Currently, League of Legends voice chat is limited to players who are already grouped together in a premade party. That will change with the upcoming rollout, as Riot prepares to make team-wide voice communication available.
Riot says it has made several technical improvements ahead of the launch, including better noise cancellation, faster connections, and improved stability. These changes are designed to make voice communication more reliable during matches.
Player behavior will also play a role in accessing the feature. Team voice chat will be available to players who have reached Honor Level 3 or higher. Riot says it will continue working on the Honor system as part of its efforts to encourage positive behavior.
The update also revealed voice skins, which will allow players to change how their voices sound while using voice chat. Riot says the voice effects will remain clear and understandable, even during intense moments such as teamfights.
The initial rollout will be limited to North America and Oceania. Riot plans to bring team voice chat to additional regions once the necessary technical and moderation systems are ready.
Season 3 Act 2 Will Focus on Music
Riot also provided an early look at Season 3 Act 2, which will put music at the center of the upcoming content.
The developer confirmed that the first major musical reveal will arrive on September 9. More details about the theme are expected as the new act approaches.
Music will also play a role in ARAM: Mayhem. A new Mayhem set will introduce musical acts that players can encounter when entering games, adding another layer of variety to the mode.
The new set will also include additional Augments and a separate collection of missions with their own rewards. Some existing skin lines will also receive music players, giving players more ways to experience music while playing.
Ranked 5s and League Classic Are Also Getting Updates
Riot is bringing Ranked 5s back in Patch 26.18 following its initial June-to-September run.
The returning mode will feature several changes based on player feedback. Teams will receive a new strategic draft phase that provides information about opponents before picks and bans are made. Riot is also extending queue windows by allowing players to queue earlier and later on weekends.
Rewards from the first Ranked 5s season will also be distributed with Patch 26.18.
Meanwhile, League Classic is receiving several updates. Riot is introducing brighter lighting, updated map textures, increased IP and XP gains, two additional Rune Pages for all players, a second daily win bonus, and lower rune prices.
Several Demacian champions will also join Classic in Patch 26.18, including Poppy, Xin Zhao, Shyvana, Galio, and Fiora. Graves and three additional Bilgewater champions are planned for the following patch.
Riot also confirmed that applications for the League Partner Program are now open.
Team Communication Could Change League of Legends
The expansion of team voice chat is one of the biggest changes announced in Riot’s latest update. After years of limited voice communication, players in the initial regions will soon be able to coordinate directly with their full team.
The rollout will begin with Patch 26.20 in North America and Oceania, with additional regions expected to follow as Riot continues to address technical and moderation requirements.
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