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League Classic ends its run in January

Riot is closing League Classic in January 2027. Before then: set queue hours in quieter regions, custom games only in Japan and the Middle East, a final Battle Pass, and four more champions in 26.21.

Mordekaiser, Yorick, Hecarim and Lucian, each tagged Classic in 26.21.

League Classic is ending its run. In a /dev post on October 14, Riot's Meddler and Pabro said the mode stays available through the end of Season 3 of 2026, then closes in January 2027. Riot hopes to bring it back later, "likely as an event mode with adjustments and additions."

Why it's ending

Riot calls Classic "a true labor of love" for the team, but says most players have gone back to the rest of League. In some regions that means long queue times and big gaps in matchmaking. Riot says it will share what it learned from this run later.

What changes before January

  • Windowed queues in quieter regions. Korea, Latin America North and South, Taiwan, Vietnam, Turkey, Southeast Asia, Oceania and Russia move to set hours: weekdays 4pm–midnight, and weekends 10am–1am, server time.
  • Custom games only in Japan and the Middle East, starting with Patch 26.21.
  • Custom games everywhere, all the time. Classic customs stay open in every region.
  • A final Battle Pass. Act II of the Classic Battle Pass shipped in 26.21, with one free track.
  • A smaller store. From 26.21, the Classic store sells only champions, runes and rune pages.
  • Refunds for Classic-only content that won't be usable once the mode closes. Riot's post links to a support page with the details.

Champions still coming

Classic keeps adding champions until it closes:

  • 26.20: Irelia, Karma, Quinn, Aatrox and Caitlyn.
  • 26.21: Mordekaiser, Yorick, Hecarim and Lucian.
  • Through 26.23: more each patch, including Volibear, Urgot and Udyr.

The returning champions come back as they once were. Mordekaiser returns with his 2010–2015 kit, Yorick in his 2011–2016 version, and Lucian with his 2013 release kit and 550 attack range.

Balance in Classic's last months

Patch 26.21 also retunes the mode:

  • Kassadin: all his Classic nerfs are reverted. His Q is back to 80–280 damage, with a 1–2.6 second silence.
  • Irelia: base health 546 → 515.
  • Karma: her Q, W and healing all get stronger.
  • Atma's Impaler: gains crit chance, 15% → 18%.

Sources

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