In the upcoming League of Legends patch set to release on July 16, Riot Games will introduce a new metagame into the client, designed in the 2.5D beat-'em-up genre. Insider Big Bad Bear published a gif preview of the project, confirming its launch alongside the release of the new champion Yunari. The Meta Game will be part of the ongoing Spirit Blossom event.

Back in June, we reported on the internal testing of this mini-game within the client. It was revealed that the Meta Game will be a standalone mode, not requiring participation in standard League of Legends matches. Players will be able to take control of Yunari and Xin Zhao to unravel the mysteries of Wyldbloom and explore plot twists within the Spirit Blossom universe. More details about early leaks and the game's concept can be read here.

According to the new leak, the Meta Game is visually styled as a retro arcade: smooth animation, side-scrolling, and a focus on dynamic fights. Essentially, it's a mini-adventure embedded directly into the LoL client.

Besides the game itself, the event will also bring back an updated Spirit Bonds system — once again allowing players to build connections with characters, but now requiring participation in regular League matches for progress. In-game rewards will be offered as incentives.

Thus, Riot is creating two engagement vectors: an arcade adventure without commitments and deep interaction with the storyline through the main game. This is the first experiment of its kind with a full-fledged mini-game within the client, and it could set a new standard for seasonal events in League of Legends.