From what I remember this is the first time the ranked icons have been based on actual lore locations rather just a random matching design. These are really cool to look at! These are great to go with how far the LoL IP has grown this year and to come as Legends of Runeterra launches~
Click on the Imgur link to see them all
The art department for in-game assets having been doing this for a long while, inspired by aesthetics from the established world-building that could be carried over into the game. Ranking and leveling badges, art for items, Hextech crafting, background art for Runes and for a lot of promotional content too. It's a visual language thing- helps players understand what they're looking at if its familiar to them. A deliberate thing simply for maintaining the recognizability of the IP.
I'm missing two references here:
Silver - Pilltover Gold - Shurima Platinum - Ionia Diamond - Targon Master - Void Grandmaster - Noxus Challenger - Demacia
But what about Iron and Bronze?
