Riot Games is ramping up the fun and silliness for the League of Legends community this April Fools’ Day with the release of five hilarious new champion skins and a whacky limited-time game mode. The developer has been teasing surprises over the last few weeks, recently revealing full details that have players buzzing with excitement.
New April Fools Champion Skins Arriving in Patch 14.4
For the 2024 April Fools’ Day celebration, Riot is giving five League champions a goofy makeover with brand new skins currently testing on the PBE:
- Choo-Choo Ornn
- Toy Terror Cho’Gath
- Durian Defender Rammus
- Zesty Dip Zac
- Cheddar Chief Twitch
These skins continue Riot’s tradition of releasing silly, pun-filled skins for April Fools each year, with previous thematic skin lines including animatronic animals, cooking masters, cats vs dogs, and more.
The champion train conductor Ornn skin, called Choo-Choo Ornn, was first teased a few weeks ago during an LCS broadcast. The tanky Freljordian blacksmith is decked out in an over-the-top conductor’s uniform while wielding a train whistle and riding on a minecart.
Riot later followed up by revealing the full April Fools skinline with humorous twitter previews, describing them as “serious skins for serious gamers.” The Twitter reactions show many excited players already calling their mains and planning to snag the goofy new looks.
Special April Fools Game Mode Hits the Rift
In addition to the new skins, Riot is also launching an April Fools game mode on the live servers for a limited time. This whimsical game mode will feature a number of wacky changes and surprises on Summoner’s Rift to celebrate the spirit of April Fools’ day.
Some of the hilarious gameplay tweaks coming in the mode include:
- A Scuttle Train that players can ride between lanes, adding chaos to the battlefield
- Chances to collect adorable Little Legend river critters
- Entertaining new minion special effects and interactions
- Quirky “tentacle bumps” replacing traditional fist bumps
- And the ability to revive fallen champions through skillshot button combos
Players can queue up for this limited-time April Fools mode exclusively in Quickplay from April 1st through April 4th. Those who hop into the mode will have a chance to complete missions and earn the exclusive “Hatty Crabby” icon reward as well.
The leak Twitter account @LoLLeaksNews shared an early sneak peek of some of the game mode’s wild antics, showcasing minions spawning party effects and projectiles as cheerful crabs. Between the skins and gameplay changes, it’s clear Riot is pulling out all the stops for maximum silliness this year.
Continuing a Decade-Plus Tradition of April Fools Celebrations
League of Legends has celebrated April Fools’ Day dating all the way back to 2009 with special game modes and cosmetics. While details varied year-to-year, Riot has consistently delivered surprises aimed at injecting some whimsy and laughter into the game around April 1st.
Some past April Fools highlights include:
- 2023’s “Cats vs Dogs” skins including Woof and Lamb Kindred and Kittalee Nidalee
- 2022’s “AnimaTech” skinline like Battle Cat Jinx and Battle Bunny Miss Fortune
- 2021’s funky Space Groove skins and matching epic cosmetics
- Urf game modes and skins like Urf Warwick, Urf Kench, and Urf the Nami-tee
- Skins poking fun at iconic characters like Definitely Not Udyr and Velk’oz
- And many more silly skins, icons, and events over the years
For over a decade, Riot has shown their dedication to celebrating April Fools’ in true League of Legends fashion with these irreverent cosmetics and gameplay experiences. This year’s new skins and mode look to continue that tradition of embracing humor and having some tongue-in-cheek fun at the game’s expense.
Final Thoughts
Between the five goofy new skins headed to live servers and the limited-time surprise-filled April Fools game mode, League of Legends players have a lot of wacky content to look forward to in the coming days. These festive additions embrace the spirit of April 1st with whimsical takes on champions, the Rift, and gameplay systems alike.
Players looking to get in on the April Fools hilarity can mark their calendars for April 1st through 4th, when both the new skins and special Quickplay mode will be available. Those wanting to show off their participation can even earn a special reward icon from the mode’s missions.
No matter your stance on the holiday’s shenanigans, Riot’s latest April Fools’ offerings for League seem primed to deliver some laughs and change-of-pace gameplay for those willing to embrace the silliness. Whether riding the Scuttle Train or stomping around as a terrifying toy, this April promises to be a memorable one for League fans.