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3 clusters · 21 sources · 26 days · First seen · Last updated

Riot Games League of Legends structural changes

Overview

Riot Games has announced several structural and operational changes for League of Legends. In September 2026, the company revealed a restructuring of its esports ecosystem for 2027. The League Championship Pacific (LCP) will move away from a consolidated format to allow regional leagues, such as the VCS, PCS, and LJL, to return to domestic competition models featuring wildcard splits. This change is intended to combat declining viewership and engagement by providing more opportunities for mid-tier teams.

In October 2026, Riot announced that the League of Legends Classic mode will end its current cycle on January 6, 2027. Developers Andrei “Meddler” van Roon and Paul “Pabro” Bellezza noted that while the mode saw initial interest in recreating elements of the 2013 version, most players have returned to standard modes. This migration caused technical challenges, including increased matchmaking wait times and widening skill gaps.

To manage the decline, Riot will implement restricted matchmaking hours in several regions, including Korea, Latin America, Taiwan, Vietnam, Turkey, Southeast Asia, Oceania, and Russia. In Japan and the MENA region, the mode will transition to custom matches only starting with Patch 26.21. Before the shutdown, Riot plans to release final champion updates for Mordekaiser, Yorick, Hecarim, Lucian, Volibear, Urgot, and Udyr.

As compensation, Riot will issue automatic refunds by the end of November 2026 for exclusive cosmetics purchased with Riot Points, and the battle pass for the second act of version 26.21 will be provided free of charge. Riot intends to potentially reintroduce the Classic experience as a limited-time event in the future.

Entities

Riot Games · League of Legends Classic · PCS · LJL · LCP

Timeline

  1. [TECHNOLOGY] 5 sources
    Riot Games to end League of Legends Classic in January 2027

    Riot Games will shut down League of Legends Classic on January 6, 2027, due to declining player numbers, though developers may return the mode as a future event.

  2. [TECHNOLOGY] 13 sources
    Riot Games to end League of Legends Classic in January 2027

    Riot Games will shut down League of Legends Classic in January 2027 due to declining player engagement as users return to standard modes. The company plans a potential future return as a limited event.

  3. [TECHNOLOGY] 2 sources
    Riot Games to restructure VCS and LCP esports formats by 2027

    Starting in 2027, Riot Games will restructure League of Legends esports, returning VCS, PCS, and LJL to domestic league formats to boost viewership and competitive opportunities.

Sources

20xxnoticias.com · automaton-media.com · beyondpixels.de · columnadigital.com · criticalhits.com.br · gamefragger.com · gamek.vn · gamerfocus.co · gamesite.zoznam.sk · gameswelt.at · gamewave.fr · gry.interia.pl · kenh14.vn · lecafedugeek.fr · netthings.pt · new-game-plus.fr · nhi.gov.tw · novini247.com · piranot.com.br · recentlyheard.com · vidaextra.com

This summary has been updated 1 time: see revision history