League of Legends experimenting with bringing back jungle pets ahead of preseason

Leaks indicate that League of Legends is considering bringing back jungle pets, a mechanic from Season 6.

LoL fans are often nostalgic for years past, bemoaning that the game has gotten worse with the removal of past mechanics.

One of the most common complaints from players is that the jungle role was much better and more balanced back in Season 6.

According to some recent leaks, though, it seems that Riot Games might be coming around on this opinion.

A report from Dotesports points to a now-deleted developer update from Riot, which discusses some experimental features that may be tested for the 2022 preseason at the end of the year.

The developer post addressed the discrepancy between jungling in professional games versus solo queue, with Riot saying they want to “lessen [the] barrier for entry” regarding game knowledge and jungle strategy.

To ease this barrier, Riot is experimenting with new ways for junglers to communicate with their teammates, more pathing options, and new jungle item builds.

But the most interesting addition is the introduction of “pets” that will help players clear the jungle.

This sounds remarkably similar to the Rift Spirits first introduced in Season 4 and removed in Season 6. By smiting a jungle camp, League of Legends players could summon unique pets that would grant different abilities.

It’s unclear if these pets will function in the same way as they did back in earlier seasons, but it appears that Riot games is trying to update the jungle with a throwback.