League of Legends ranked season 2023 finally has a January start date

While Riot Games revealed the start dates of many of the professional League of Legends tournaments around the world last month, the company had not yet provided insight on the start of the upcoming in-game season. Nearly a week into the new year, a date for the beginning of season 2023 has been given, leaving players just a few days to practice before the descent into ranked madness begins.

As part of the Patch 13.1 preview, Riot Phlox, designer on League’s Summoner’s Rift team, confirmed the next season of League will officially begin on Tuesday, Jan. 10, the same day as the release of the first patch of the year.

This follows weeks of worry from fans and professional players alike that the season did not have a definitive start date other than sometime in early January.

Riot previously announced the structure of the 2023 ranked season will differ vastly from every year prior in the game’s history. Instead of the season lasting a full year, it will instead be split into two halves, where players will be able to earn two distinct ranks and separate rewards for where they place.

All players will also be eligible to earn the Victorious skins awarded at the end of both halves of the season, though it is expected to be locked behind the number of ranked games that players participate in, alongside a plethora of other rewards for playing.

It is not yet clear when the second half of season 2023 will begin, though it is expected to start at some point this summer.

Read: League Patch 13.1 patch notes: all buffs, nerfs, and changes

The season will begin on Patch 13.1, which will be bringing buffs to champions and items like Sion and Rod of Ages, more nerfs to both Zeri and Yuumi, and the debut of the Jax midscope update. No specifics regarding the changes have been provided yet, though they are expected to be released onto the PBE later this week.

Players can continue their preseason ranked grind until Jan. 10, when the League ladder will reset and players will be required to complete their placement games once more.