New League of Legends Region Created for Next Champion

For the longest time, League of Legends has had a set number of regions that players have become familiar with. There's the big ones like Noxus, Demacia, and Ionia, where many of the champions in League hail from, and then there's the smaller areas and subsets like Bandle City, Piltover, and Zaun. With the reveal of the latest champion, Qiyana, another region has been created that's called "Ixtal." It's a jungle region that's been teased before, and it's one that doesn't much of an association with the other regions since its inhabitants prefer to remain secluded. There are a few champions though who have already been connected to the region.

Riot Games revealed the new Ixtal region when it unveiled Qiyana and her abilities. With its inhabitants preferring to stay away from outsiders since they've seen how the rest of the world has ruined itself with wars and other problems, Ixtal has a certain Wakandan vibe to it.

"Secluded deep in the jungle for thousands of years, the sophisticated arcology-city of Ixaocan remains mostly free of outside influence," Riot said about the region. "Having witnessed from afar the ruination of the Blessed Isles and the Rune Wars that followed, the Ixtali view all the other factions of Runeterra as upstarts and pretenders, and use their powerful magic to keep any intruders at bay."

Ixtal is an old region, according to its new page on the League Universe. Its people have survived otherworldly forces like the Void and the Darkin and have secluded themselves in the jungle to avoid coming in contact with other threats. According to the "Champions of Ixtal" part of the page that's found on every respective region's directory, Malphite, Neeko, Nidalee, Rengar, Zyra, and of course Qiyana are all champions associated with the region.

Interestingly, the elemental dragons that players fight over on Summoner's Rift are also connected to Ixtal. Like other inhabitants of Ixtal, these dragons prefer to be left alone.

"Curiously, the abandoned ruins scattered throughout Ixtal are home to a surprising number of dragons," Riot said. "These terrifying creatures have not fought alongside mortals since the last days of Shurima's war against the Void—now, for the most part, they seem content just to be left alone."

Riot has discussed more than once the possibility of adding a new dragon to the Rift, so perhaps this is opening the door for a smooth way of introducing a new dragon type. It could very well be that this is just worldbuilding though, but whatever it is, you can expect more to be heard about Ixtal and its champions when and after Qiyana is released.