League of Legends Classic will end its current run in January 2027
Riot says League of Legends Classic will end its current run in January 2027, with custom matches and a possible event-mode return planned.
Riot Games is ending the current run of League of Legends Classic in January 2027, bringing the throwback mode’s first season to a close after player numbers fell back towards the modern game.12
What Riot is changing
Riot says Classic will remain available through the end of 2026’s Season 3. After that, it will be taken offline as a regular mode, although the developer wants to bring it back as a limited-time event with adjustments and additional content.1 The mode launched as a way to revisit an earlier version of League of Legends while retaining some modern conveniences, including a progression system that did not require players to buy runes individually.2
The immediate changes will arrive before the shutdown. Riot plans to add more champions through patches 26.21 to 26.23, including Mordekaiser, Yorick, Hecarim, Lucian, Volibear, Urgot and Udyr. Classic-specific content that will no longer be usable is also eligible for refunds, with Riot directing players to its support information for the details.12
Why League Classic is ending
Riot says many players enjoyed returning to the older style of League of Legends, but most eventually went back to the current game. That migration has left some regions with long queues and wider matchmaking-rating gaps, making the mode harder to sustain as a permanent service.1
Queue access will therefore vary by region before the final shutdown. Riot says some regions will use limited queue windows, while Japan and MENA will move to custom matches only from patch 26.21. Custom games will remain available in every region, so the mode will not disappear immediately for players who want to organise their own matches.12
Our opinion
Classic ending is disappointing, but Riot’s explanation is more useful than a vague sunset notice. A nostalgia mode needs enough players to make its queues work, and splitting a shrinking audience between old and current systems can quickly turn the appeal of authenticity into a frustrating wait. Keeping custom matches alive, adding the promised champions and leaving the door open to a better-shaped event return gives Classic a more sensible second act than simply abandoning it.
The important caveat is that an event comeback will only work if Riot learns from this run. A shorter, better-timed return with a clear queue plan could preserve the fun of old League of Legends without asking players to treat a low-population mode like a full-time competitive service.