Riot Ending League of Legends Classic in 2027

Did you jump back into League of Legends Classic to relive the old days? Well, enjoy it while you can. Riot Games has announced that the nostalgic spin-off will end its current run in January 2027, after Season 3 wraps up.

League of Legends Classic launched less than three months ago as a way for players to "relive the early days of the 5v5 MOBA that defined the genre," complete with all the original champions, items, and systems. But it seems the trip down memory lane didn't have the staying power Riot hoped for. In a developer update, the team admitted, "We've seen a lot of players have fun revisiting the olden days with Classic. At this point though, most have gone back to other parts of League."

In other words, folks checked it out, had their fill of nostalgia, and then moved on. Riot says League Classic will be available through the end of Season 3 of 2026, and then it will be put back in the box. But don't worry—the goal is to bring it back in the future, "likely as an event mode with adjustments and additions."

If you spent money on Classic-specific content, you're in luck. Riot is issuing refunds for items that will no longer be usable. Plus, the Act II Classic Battle Pass will ship in patch 26.21 with a free track only. From 26.21 onwards, the Classic store will only contain Champions, Runes, and Rune Pages.

For now, the team is still working on Classic because they know some of you REALLY love it. You can expect to see "new (old) champions" join the roster before the end. Riot calls League Classic "a true labor of love" for the devs and promises to "keep exploring different ways to play." So it's not the end end of the road—just a pause.

It's bittersweet, to say the least. Classic gave longtime fans a chance to experience the game as it once was, but ultimately, most players returned to the main League. Riot's decision to end this run and potentially bring it back as an event mode shows they're listening to the community and adapting.

What do you think about League Classic ending? Will you be hopping in for one last nostalgia trip before January 2027? Let us know in the comments!