League of Legends preseason 2023: Top lane overhaul, Spear of Shojin

pcgamesn.com:

League of Legends preseason 2023 comes with some absolutely huge updates, changing up the jungle entirely and reintroducing the MOBA‘s infamous Chemtech Dragon. In addition to these heavy hitters, there’s a top lane rework, the new and improved ping wheel, as well as some huge item changes – yes folks, Spear of Shojin is back.

For many, the League of Legends preseason is a blessing and a curse. The downtime between Worlds and the start of 2023 provides the perfect testing ground for new mechanics but, given the hangover left by 2022’s Chemtech drake, you’d be forgiven for approaching this year with trepidation.

The Chemtech dragon was tested during preseason but was removed only a few weeks into Season 12 because it was, well, broken. Bad news is it’ll make a return in preseason 2023, but the good news is it has an entirely new kit – you can learn about that in our League of Legends chemtech dragon deep dive.

It’s not just the jungle’s most controversial gas-belching lizard that will see major changes. The role itself has new items in the form of adorable new pets, who evolve like Pokemon and play an integral role in the jungle strategy. For the full list of adjustments, check out our League of Legends jungle changes breakdown.

There’s a lot more on the cards, though, so here’s a rundown of what else will be coming in the League of Legends 2023 preseason, including new pings, new item changes, and an attempt to rejuvenate the top lane.

Lead game designer Matthew Leung-Harrison comments that the top lane has been “languishing a bit” and that the “role has lost some of its unique identities, especially after the teleport changes.

“We think that the teleport changes we made were good for the game overall, but top lane