Riot Games to end League of Legends Classic in January 2027

Riot Games has announced that League of Legends Classic will officially end its current cycle in January 2027, following the conclusion of the 2026 Season 3. The decision comes roughly six months after the mode's debut in July 2026.

Developers Andrei “Meddler” van Roon and Paul “Pabro” Bellezza stated that while many players enjoyed revisiting the game's early years, the majority of the player base has returned to the standard League of Legends modes. This migration led to technical challenges, including increased matchmaking wait times and widening skill gaps in the Classic mode.

Before the shutdown, Riot plans to continue updating the mode with new champions, including Mordekaiser, Yorick, Hecarim, and Lucian in patch 26.21, followed by Volibear, Urgot, and Udyr through patch 26.23. To manage declining populations, certain regions will face restricted matchmaking hours, though custom games will remain available.

Riot Games intends for this to be a temporary departure rather than a permanent end. The company plans to reintroduce the Classic experience in the future as a limited-time event, incorporating community feedback and technical improvements. Additionally, Riot will issue refunds for exclusive cosmetic content and items that will no longer be usable after the mode's closure.