LoLleague classicLeague Classic ends its run in January 2027. Let’s explore the key dates, refund details, queue changes, and what Riot says about a future return.
League Classic is ending, and Riot is giving players refunds. Here’s everything to know. Image Credits: Riot Games, @LeagueOfLegends via YouTube
Riot Games confirmed on October 14, 2026 that League Classic is ending. The mode will close its current run in January 2027. The studio says it plans to bring Classic back to League of Legends later, most likely as an event mode.
What changes now, when does it end, and what Riot has said about the future? Let’s explore.
League Classic will stay playable through the rest of Season 3 of 2026. However, its run ends in January 2027. We learned this in a dev update from Riot Games on October 14, 2026.
While Riot has confirmed the mode will leave rotation, it has not named a single exact day for its departure yet. Watch the patch notes for the final date.
League Classic mode is not gone for good. Riot says it wants to “put Classic back in the box” and return it with changes and additions. It will return as an in-game event, staying for periods of time before making room for other game modes.
Riot plans to share more about what it learned from this run after analyzing the mode’s data. It also admitted that sticking too close to the past may have held the mode back in places. Once League Classic returns, it’ll probably be more streamlined with quality-of-life adjustments.
In its dev update on the subject, Riot requests: “Please continue to let us know what you love and don’t love about Classic. Your feedback is a vital part of how we make our games and is always appreciated.”
League Classic was one of League of Legends’ most popular game modes at launch, and players had requested it for years. However, it had a hard time holding that initial interest. Riot says many players had fun at first, then went back to other parts of League. That shift caused problems in some regions. Queue times got long, and matches had extremely wide skill gaps that made them unfun.
In short, fewer players meant a worse match experience. Riot chose to wrap up the run instead of letting the queues get worse.
The studio emphasized League Classic’s importance, calling it a ‘truly special moment’:
“This game mode was a true labor of love from so many Rioters, and seeing you all dive back in to reclaim the nostalgia, reconnect with old friends, and relive your glory days made it a truly special moment for everyone. We will keep exploring different ways to play League and as always, we appreciate all of your feedback. Every post on social media asking for Classic, every vote cast in the Council, and every minute spent leashing for your jungler again helped us bring this to life, so thank you very much.”
Before League Classic shuts down, Riot is making some last-minute changes in patch 26.21. Here’s a quick summary.
Regions with lower play rates now get scheduled queue windows. Classic will only be open during set hours.
These regions are: Korea, Latin America North, Latin America South, Taiwan, Vietnam, Turkey, Southeast Asia, Oceania, and Russia.
Schedule (server time):
Japan (JP1) and the Middle East (ME1) are including custom matches only starting with patch 26.21. Players there can still play Classic with friends, but they cannot queue for it.
Riot says Classic Custom games will be available at all times in all regions. This is good news if you want one last run with your usual group.
The Act II Classic Battle Pass arrives in patch 26.21. It has one unified track, and it is completely free for all players. There is no paid tier this time.
From patch 26.21 on, the Classic store sells only three things: champions, Runes, and Rune Pages.
When League Classic initially launched, Riot made some premium content available for purchase. Players could buy portraits, skins, and chromas.
Now, obviously, these items won’t be usable after the mode shuts. Riot is refunding Classic-only content:
Refunds are available until November 30, 2026.
Despite the planned shutdown, Riot is not slowing down the League Classic champion releases. There are still a few more fan-favorite characters that you’ll see as 2026 comes to a close.
Though League Classic was one of the most popular game modes at its launch, there’s still some work to do before it makes a comeback. Stay tuned for more information as the League Classic updates progress.
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