Riot Games has announced that League of Legends Classic, a recreation of an earlier iteration of the popular MOBA, will cease ongoing operations at the end of the current season.
The decision comes just three months after its release, with the developer citing a shift in player engagement. "At this point though, most have gone back to other parts of League," the League team stated in an official blog post. Classic will be available through the remainder of Season 3 and will then be taken offline in January 2027.
Riot Games intends to bring League of Legends Classic back in the future, likely as an event mode that will feature adjustments and additions. The company plans to share further insights into what was learned from this run, including an examination of what aspects of Classic were successful, areas where it could have been more faithful to the original, and where adherence to the past may have hindered the experience. Player feedback remains crucial for the development of their games.
Players who purchased cosmetic microtransactions for LoL Classic will be reimbursed with Riot Points, the game's premium currency. Planned additions for the Classic mode, including champions like Volibear, Urgot, and Udyr, will still be released as scheduled.
League of Legends Classic initially generated excitement among long-time fans. However, the mode also faced controversy regarding its microtransaction model. While champions retained their older move sets, acquiring retro visual skins required players to either earn them through a Classic-specific battle pass or purchase them with real-world currency. This monetization approach for cosmetic items within a classic game mode was met with criticism by many.
The closure of the ongoing mode may disappoint fans, but the prospect of a future return as an event mode suggests Riot Games aims to refine the experience. The hope is that a revised iteration will better capture and retain a larger portion of the player base for extended periods.