What is League Classic? Game Mode Info

League of Legends has now been live for over fifteen years, and countless players have discovered esports through the MOBA. Now, Riot Games is teasing a new game mode that will bring Summoners back to the past. Here’s everything we know so far about League Classic, including its reveal date, features, and key info.

Riot Games Announces League Classic Will Return

For several weeks, the League of Legends community has speculated that something special is in the works. Riot Games devs were dropping hints, and rumors were swirling in the community. Plus, MSI 2026 has just kicked off, and Riot tends to drop big in-game updates after revealing them at major events.

On June 26, 2026, Riot Games confirmed that a fresh game mode is indeed coming to League of Legends. The announcement came in the form of a comedic teaser trailer, called ‘200 Years of Experience.’ The video featured League of Legends Executive Producer Paul “Pabro” Bellezza and League Studio head Andrei “Meddler” van Roon discussing the “good old days” of the MOBA. The two discuss finding “a way to go back” in time, before League had all the complications and updates it has now. The resulting game mode is called League Classic, and it will reportedly arrive soon.

What is League Classic?

League Classic is a game mode that takes veteran players back to the title’s early days. According to the X.com leak account @LeagueofLeaks, players “will be able to play with the old champions, runes, and items on the original League of Legends map.“

Everything will look different: graphics, Champions, abilities, etc. The ‘200 Years of Experience’ video references Heart of Gold, an item Riot removed in December 2012. This means League Classic will likely focus on the 2009-2013 era, or the first four/five years after its original 2009 release. In addition, players will be able to use items that have since been removed or changed.

League Classic will become a Featured Game Mode once it goes live. This means it will have its own dedicated queue. Users including @SkinSpotlights have also datamined the update, revealing more information. According to these leaks, League Classic may include:

• Its own Battlepass
• A Summoner leveling system ranging from 1 to 30
• Influence Points
• Original Runes
• Original Mastery system
• A Token System
• Voting

So far, dataminers have identified a starting pool of 60 Champions. Devs have confirmed Urgot, and Master Yi will likely be available. This is a far cry from today’s 173 Champion roster, including new hero Locke.

Devs also revealed new information on Reddit after a commenter asked, “Can I play old Fiddlesticks with the bouncing bird? Old Swain with the bird laser?” Riot Meddler replied, “I’m going to hold off commenting on gameplay specifics generally for now, want to see exactly how much we leaked and how much we can still hold as something to reveal next month. But yes, we’re doing old gameplay kits.”

What Are Influence Points in League Classic?

In early League, players could earn Influence Points by simply playing. Influence Points were a completely free currency, and they could unlock Champions, Runes, and more items. Riot Games eventually replaced these with the Blue Essence we know today.

Uniquely, your performance in a game dictated how many Influence Points you earned. A winning player earned more than a losing player, with different amounts depending on your stats relative to the team.

League Classic Release Date

Riot Games has not yet revealed when League Classic will release. It may enter a PBE before fully integrating into the game. Stay tuned for future info, since we’ll update this when the studio announces a formal date.

The Big Reveal at MSI 2026

In the League Classic teaser video on YouTube, the description reminds viewers to “Tune in to MSI Finals […] for more.” This means Riot Games will likely reveal the game mode during the event’s conclusion.

This is a pattern in Riot Games’ operations. The studio favors announcing big updates during important esports tournaments. For example, they recently revealed a new map, Summit, during VALORANT Masters London. The tactic helps keep esports fans and casual gamers connected, also ensuring the updates spread quickly with high esports viewership.

How to Watch MSI 2026

MSI 2026 is occurring between Sunday, June 28 and Sunday, July 12, 2026. This year’s event occurs in Daejeon, South Korea, paying homage to the country’s massive influence in the industry. Fans can participate in Pick ‘Ems, so check out our guide on how to lock them in!

The League Classic reveal will occur during the MSI 2026 Grand Finals matchup. This will take place on July 11 at 11 AM PDT. Here’s a quick time zone conversion for other locations:

• PDT: 11 AM
• EDT: 2 PM
• Brazil: 3 PM
• BST: 7 PM
• JST/KST: 3 AM (July 13, next day)

Riot Games will broadcast games live on the official League of Legends YouTube channel, @lolesports. The matches are also visible on twitch.tv/riotgames and the dedicated League of Legends esports website.