Riot Games Makes Classic Skins Free After Player Backlash

Riot Games launched the "League of Legends Classic" mode on its public test environment, reviving old champions and builds from before 2013. The initial release used modern character models, with classic skins obtainable only through tokens or real‑money purchases. A Reddit thread about the mode attracted more than 6,000 up‑votes, criticizing the paid‑for classic skins. Within days, Riot’s Brian "FeralPony" Feeney announced on a video blog that all classic skins would be unlocked by default for every champion, responding to the community feedback. The change was posted on July 16‑17, 2026, and Riot indicated further adjustments will follow player voting on future patches.