Riot dug through the nostalgia chest and pulled out League of Legends Classic — a throwback mode that brings pre-rework champions, a 2013 Summoner’s Rift vibe, and all the glorious chaos of looking up runes on YouTube. It’s basically a time machine, but with more ganks and fewer tutorial pop-ups.
Release date and how long it’ll hang around
LoL Classic launches on July 29, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. (Spanish peninsular time). Will it be a limited-time nostalgia romp or a permanent lane on the client? Riot is playing coy, but they’ve set things up like a long-running mode: plans to add up to 40 more champions, voting tools for the community, and a separate progression system that suggests they want Classic around for a while.
What you need to play
Pretty simple: an active League of Legends account that isn’t suspended. If you haven’t logged in for ages, dig out your credentials ahead of launch so you don’t miss the retro kickoff.
Want to play right now?
If you’re impatient (same), Classic is already on the public test environment. Fair warning: the test server lives in North America, so players far from that region may feel the ping. It’s helpful for early looks, but not ideal for buttery-smooth gameplay.
Who’s in the roster (short version)
Classic focuses on champions released between 2009 and 2013. The initial lineup has 60 champs and Riot plans to grow it toward 100. The idea is to keep things simple so returning players don’t have to relearn a million kits.
The first 60 champions are: Ahri, Alistar, Amumu, Anivia, Annie, Ashe, Blitzcrank, Brand, Cho’Gath, Corki, Dr. Mundo, Evelynn, Ezreal, Fiddlesticks, Gangplank, Garen, Gragas, Heimerdinger, Janna, Jarvan IV, Jax, Karthus, Kassadin, Katarina, Kayle, Kog’Maw, Lee Sin, Morgana, Nasus, Nidalee, Nunu & Willump, Olaf, Pantheon, Rammus, Ryze, Shaco, Singed, Sion, Sivir, Skarner, Sona, Soraka, Taric, Teemo, Tristana, Tryndamere, Twisted Fate, Twitch, Vayne, Veigar, Warwick, Wukong, and Zilean.
How to unlock champions in Classic
If you already own a champion in your main account, it will be unlocked in Classic. If not, you can either earn them through the Classic-specific progression track or buy them via the main store. Riot says acquiring champs will be easier than in the old days, so panic not.
Which patch does Classic use?
Short answer: it’s a mashup. Riot is blending different moments from LoL’s history. You’ll get a map that screams 2013 but some champions will behave like older versions you remember (or forgot existed). The community can influence future direction through a voting system called The Council, so balance will be part nostalgia, part democracy.
Progression, currencies, and goodies
Classic gets its own free progression path. Play games, earn levels, and unlock classic-era things like masteries, runes, Influence Points (yes, the old-school currency makes a comeback), Blue Essence, and cosmetics — including delightfully crusty skins. Reach level 10 to unlock Summoner’s Adventure, a chill ranking track that’s a bit like Arena’s system. There will also be a Battle Pass with free and premium tracks and tokens you can spend on classic skins.
What’s still unclear
Classic is on test servers, so some details—exact level rewards, cadence of new content, and final monetization mechanics—are still TBD. Riot is drip-feeding info, so expect updates and tweaks as the mode nears full release.
Bottom line: dust off your old hotkeys and prepare for a gloriously imperfect blast from the past. We’ll keep watching Riot’s announcements and update this post as more details land.
