Riot announced the end of LoL Classic with the conclusion of the 2026 season. MeinMMO editor Nikolas Hernes finds this unsurprising, as it could never have worked.
On October 14th, Riot announced in a developer blog that League Classic will end in January 2027. Riot itself justifies this by stating that while many players may have had fun, the majority play other modes in LoL.
Classic will first not be available after January. However, Riot also mentions that it still aims to bring back the mode in the form of an event.
Comparing the mode to WoW Classic, some might have expected that the mode could function alongside normal League. But now it turns out that it indeed does not work, which shows what LoL players want.
MOBAs are not suited for a Classic variant
Initially, Classic sounded like a great idea. Many players have nostalgic memories of champions, patches, or just the old map. Moreover, the mode was designed to be played longer. There were missions, passes, and a system with runes that rewarded frequent players. Blizzard also created an experience with WoW Classic that can coexist with the modern game.
And Classic was well received at its release at the end of July. Not only were parts of the community thrilled, but also MeinMMO editor Benedict Grothaus was excited. I, too, found the idea good and enjoyed playing a few rounds in the old Rift of Summoners.
But why is LoL Classic not working as Riot seemingly expected? A MOBA differs significantly from an MMORPG. While a game like WoW touches players in various ways, such as through raids, leveling phases, quests, characters, or simply classes, LoL remains a competitive game even in its Classic variant.
Regardless of which mode people play: victory is the goal of a round, even if you are playing just because you love a champion. Therefore, themes such as balance, matchmaking, and various ranked modes are important to keep Classic alive. However, this conflicts with the idea of giving players a chance to relive old times.
Simply put: Why should I sweat in LoL Classic when I can invest my energy in normal ranked play
, with modern systems and patch notes that aim to balance everything? This turns LoL Classic into a mode that can be nice for a while
, but is not suited for daily play. At the same time, Classic is more competitive than fun modes like ARAM.
Then there is the question of what Classic
even means.
Everyone wants something different
Even before LoL Classic officially launched, there was criticism from the community. While it mainly addressed Classic skins, it was also about the feeling of Classic. Riot decided to create a kind of best-of, as every player had a different definition of Classic. But that is exactly the problem:
- Do you want to play an old champion that is no longer like it used to be? (Like Urgot, Galio, or Yorick)
- Do you want to play a very specific patch because your favorite champion was so strong back then?
To be clear: Riot has chosen the right approach, because if they only brought back individual patches, it would further fragment the player base. But the current situation also shows: it could never have worked.
Unlike WoW, where it is quite clear what a Classic mode means, it is difficult for LoL. Even old champions are a sum of patches and the meta at the time. If one becomes too fixed on a single patch, it becomes difficult to continue the mode. This also means:
LoL Classic could never work as a continuous mode.
Even though I haven’t played it anymore: I love the idea of LoL Classic from a historical gameplay perspective. Unlike remakes or re-releases, it is incredibly challenging to recapture the past in a service game. Interested players can only rely on reports or videos.
LoL Classic could at least provide the feeling and make a few old champions playable again. And despite the criticism behind the concept: as an event mode, Riot has the opportunity to circumvent the problems. They can then focus on a single patch and are not dependent on having to adapt the mode in the long term. If 1 or 2 champions break the mode for 2 or 3 weeks: who cares? But how do you see it? Do you like LoL Classic or have you already forgotten about the mode? Feel free to share your opinion in the comments.
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