When does Smolder, the next LoL champion, release?

Shyvana, make room for a new dragon in League of Legends.

Smolder smiling and looking at the camera
Image via Riot Games

On Jan. 4, Riot Games teased the next League of Legends champion—Smolder. You’re probably wondering when this cute little dragon will be released, and we have the answer.

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Smolder is League’s next marksman champion, bound to the bottom lane, just like Jinx, Kai’Sa, and all other AD carry champions. This small champion gives off How to Train Your Dragon and Spyro vibes and hails from the eastern region of Runeterra, Camavor. This once-glorious kingdom has incredible lore.

If Smolder is giving you cuteness overload and you can’t wait to play him, here’s when you can expect to see this brave dragon on Summoner’s Rift.

When does Smolder release on the League PBE?

Drawing of League of Legends' Summoner's Rift
Smolder will first release on the PBE and then on the official servers. Image via Riot Games

Smolder is currently live on League‘s PBE servers. In addition to Smolder, its debut cosmetics are also available on the PBE. Players who want to master the new champion before its official release can get a PBE account.

During new champion releases, most players in ranked and normal matches try picking it as fast as possible. Unless you get the first pick or have fast fingers in general, it might take a while for you to consistently enjoy Smolder. With Smolder channeling toxic LoL solo queue energy with this hilarious voice line, he’s already one of us.

When does Smolder officially release in League?

Smolder is expected to release in League with Patch 14.3 on Feb. 7, 2024. If Riot decides to delay the launch, the developer can pick another date from its 2024 patch schedule.

The patch and the date were confirmed via the recent PBE previews. The 14.3 PBE cycle features Smolder and related cosmetics, meaning the new champion will likely hit the live servers with the same patch number unless there’s last-minute delay.

Author
Image of Izabela Tomakic
Izabela Tomakic
Staff Writer & World of Warcraft lead. Izabela has a long history with writing and games like World of Warcraft, League of Legends, Fortnite, and The Sims. Before finding her home at Dot Esports in 2021, Izabela was an English teacher and a freelancer at Hotspawn, GGRecon, and Gameranx. In her free time, you’ll find her writing novels, wandering Azeroth, or inting on Summoner’s Rift.
Author
Image of Gökhan Çakır
Gökhan Çakır
Gökhan is a Staff Writer and Fortnite Lead at Dot Esports. Gökhan graduated as an industrial engineer in 2020 and has since been with Dot Esports. As a natural-born gamer, he honed his skills to a professional level in Dota 2. Upon giving up on the Aegis of Champions in 2019, Gökhan started his writing career, covering all things gaming, while his heart remains a lifetime defender of the Ancients.