en
League Classic to Arrive in Season 3: What to Expect
We have our first look at the much-anticipated League of Legends Classic or League Classic game mode and there’s a lot to be excited about.
Earlier today, Riot Games mistakenly included files for the upcoming game mode on the LoL PBE (Public Beta Environment) and keen eyes were quick to latch on to the information. Let’s have a look at everything we can expect to see.
What is League Classic?
For those out of the loop, League Classic is an upcoming game mode that will serve as Riot Games’ attempt to recreate gameplay from the earlier days of League of Legends.
The 16-year-old game has seen incalculable patches since its release and the modern League of Legends resembles very little of its original counterpart. But what if you could go back? Play your favourite iteration of your favourite champion or re-experience a specific Season from the past. That’s what League Classic is attempting to capture.
As of the time of this writing, we have some information on what to expect with the debut launch of League Classic, but the main information will come with the announcement during the Mid-Season Invitational (MSI) Finals on July 11th, 11 PM PDT.
What Can We Expect on Launch?
According to the Skin Spotlight video, League Classic very much appears to be a separate game within the client; complete with its own battlepass, levelling system, and shop. Influence Points (IP), one of the legacy in-game currencies that League of Legends phased out with the introduction of Blue Essence, will also be making a return.
Players will be able to experience the original Rune and Mastery systems along with the return of old shop items. A token system and voting mechanic have also datamined but their purpose is unclear at this stage. Not every League of Legends champion will be made available in Classic. Only 60 champions will be available, the full list available below:
| 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 | Leona | Lulu | Lux |
| Malphite | Malzahar | Master Yi | Miss Fortune | Morgana |
| Nasus | Nidalee | Nunu and Willump | Olaf | Pantheon |
| Rammus | Ryze | Shaco | Singed | Sion |
| Sivir | Skarner | Sona | Soraka | Taric |
| Teemo | Tristana | Tryndamere | Twisted Fate | Twitch |
| Vayne | Veigar | Warwick | Wukong | Zilean |
Most notably of all the expected features is of course the return of the old Summoner’s Rift map from all those seasons ago. Riot Games also released their own official announcement video following the leak.
Based on the announcement, it appears likely that Riot Games wishes to take a different approach from other game developers such as Blizzard, who released World of Warcraft Classic back in 2019. From the short announcement video, it is clear that the central focus is on when. Since League Classic was initially hinted at, dataminers have been trying to determine which era(s) Riot would would be returning them to; and the results are from all across the timeline.
League Classic is expected to arrive sometime in Season 3, with more details to come during the MSI Finals announcement. Stay tuned for more information.
Follow Strafe Esports for the latest League of Legends news, and our X account for the latest content and coverage. Also, stay tuned to Strafe's YouTube channel for exclusive interviews, press conferences, and more.
Featured Image Credit: Riot Games
