LoL 2026 cinematic brings players to Demacia, but lacks intensity

The 2026 League of Legends season is almost here, and the new opening cinematic officially brings players into Demacia. The song “Salvation” is performed by Forts while its video was created in partnership with Unit Image, both previously worked with Riot Games on the 2024 cinematic “Still Here.”

However, while the song fits the themes of League's first season of 2026, it does not fully reach the emotional impact or intensity that players have come to expect from previous cinematics.

Similar to past League videos, “Salvation” tells its story through several scenes that switch back and forth. One of them starts in the Demacian woods, where a hooded figure rides a horse through the forest. This character is later revealed to be Yunara, arriving from Ionia and carrying the broken spear once belonging to Xin Zhao, who is believed to be dead after Trials of Twilight cinematic. All of a sudden she’s chased, for seemingly no reason, by a herd of corrupted stags, and while running away towards the Capital of Demacia she’s saved by Jarvan IV to whom Yunara offers the broken spear of his former guard.

Another scene follows Garen as he trains four Demacian soldiers in another forest far from the Capital. Noxian spies hiding nearby tend an ambush to the five. After struggling with what appears to be Black Rose magic, Garen defeats the five enemies one by one, letting one run away and killing the other four—the four dead mirror the losses on his side, showing how evenly matched the war with Noxus is.

In another part of Demacia the camera shows the statue dedicated to Morgana, the Veiled Lady. A shrine built in her honor is surrounded by darkness, likely a reference to Nocturne, who had manifested in Demacia, specifically haunting Fossbarrow. That darkness later spreads into a nearby town, feeding on fear as people run toward a central plaza. There, Sona uses her music to protect civilians and push the darkness back.

Another scene shows the visually-updated Shyvana, who will be released in Act 2 of the season. She fights a dragon to protect a town enclosed in a cavern. Switching between her human and dragon form, Shyvana, with help from Quinn and her eagle, Valor, slows down the dragon just enough to escape from the collapsing cavern.

All of these scenes help move the story from the previous cinematics in Noxus and Ionia into Demacia. However, while the cinematic looks strong and clearly sets up the story of the upcoming Demacian chapter, it does not hit as hard as the past two season openers.

The storyboard feels uneven and fails to fully match the cinematic’s music and song's theme. The track itself also struggles to stand out. When compared to songs like “Still Here” or “Bite Marks,” it lacks a powerful moment that truly defines it. This may be because the audio mix keeps the music and scene sounds at the same level, instead of letting the song rise during key moments and then pulling back to let sound effects of the action shine.

The 3D-animated video shows some camera angles and cuts that provide genuine surprises for the viewer. Pairing it with high-quality CGI makes for a visually captivating short movie. However, the realistic aesthetic lacks striking lighting contrasts, which makes most of the cinematic scenes feel flat.

Whether it is the song’s tempo occasionally clashing with the on-screen action or the generally lower stakes compared to more explosive cinematics, this Demacian chapter feels more restrained than what League fans are accustomed to.

Still, the small details and hidden Easter eggs, like the ward-shaped fountain in Sona’s scene, help tie every moment together and make the world feel cohesive.

Ultimately the cinematic does its job. It leaves many storylines open and gives Riot plenty of room to explore Demacia throughout the season. But the hope is to see the stakes rise and the darker side of Demacia coming more clearly into focus.