League Classic brought a wave of nostalgia back to Summoner's Rift, but Riot Games has confirmed the mode's current run is coming to a close. In a new dev update, the studio outlined a series of changes arriving with Season 3 Act II — including an end date, regional queue adjustments, refunds, and a fresh batch of champions joining the roster before the lights go out. Here's everything you need to know.

League Classic Will End Its Run in January 2027

The headline news: League Classic will remain available through the end of Season 3 of 2026, then conclude its current run in January 2027. Riot says the decision comes after observing that while many players enjoyed revisiting the old days, most have since migrated back to other parts of League. The mode isn't gone forever, though — Riot's stated goal is to bring Classic back in the future, likely as an event mode with adjustments and additions based on what the team learned.

That learning process is still ongoing. Riot plans to share more about where Classic succeeded, where it could have leaned harder into the classic experience, and where fidelity to the past may have actually held the mode back. Player feedback remains a key part of that equation.

Queue Changes and Regional Adjustments

As player populations shift back to modern League, some regions have seen longer queue times and wider MMR discrepancies in Classic. To address this, Riot is introducing windowed queues in affected regions. Custom games, meanwhile, will remain available at all times in every region.

For players in Japan and the MENA region, Classic will move to custom matches only starting with patch 26.21. The full breakdown of queue windows is as follows:

  • Korea, Latin America North, Latin America South, Taiwan, Vietnam, Turkey, Southeast Asia, Oceania, and Russia: Windowed queues — Monday to Friday from 4 PM to 12 AM server time, and Saturday to Sunday from 10 AM to 1 AM server time.
  • Japan (JP1) and MENA (ME1): Custom matches only.

Refunds, Free Battle Pass, and Store Changes

Riot is issuing refunds on Classic-specific content that will no longer be usable once the mode ends. The Act II Classic Battle Pass, arriving in patch 26.21, will feature a single unified free track. From 26.21 onward, the Classic store will be limited to Champions, Runes, and Rune Pages only.

For dedicated Classic fans, there's still plenty to look forward to before the mode wraps. New (old) champions are joining the fray, including Irelia, Karma, Quinn, Aatrox, and Caitlyn — all of which arrived in patch 26.20. Patch 26.21 will add Mordekaiser, Yorick, Hecarim, and Lucian. Riot will continue releasing champions every patch through 26.23, with Volibear, Urgot, and Udyr confirmed after placing in the top three of the most recent Council poll.

A Nostalgic Send-Off

Riot closed the update with a heartfelt thank-you to the community. The studio called League Classic a labor of love, noting that watching players reconnect with old friends and relive their glory days made the project truly special. Every social media post requesting Classic, every Council vote, and every minute spent leashing for a jungler helped bring the mode to life.

Players should keep an eye on the official Patch Notes for further updates on League Classic and expected queue windows. The mode may be ending its current run, but Riot's commitment to exploring new ways to play League — and potentially reviving Classic down the line — remains firmly in place.

Source: Riot Games — /dev: League Classic. Read the original announcement at https://www.leagueoflegends.com/en-us/news/dev/dev-league-classic