Riot confirms ‘League Next,’ the largest League of Legends overhaul in 16 years

The future of the Rift is about to change forever. Following a report from Bloomberg, Riot Games has officially confirmed that League of Legends is undergoing a monumental transformation. Internally codenamed “League Next,” this project is described as the most significant update in the game’s 16-year history. While fans have speculated about a “League of Legends 2,” studio head Andrei van Roon and executive producer Paul Bellezza clarified that this is not a sequel, but a complete modernization of the existing game intended to lay the groundwork for the next decade of play.

Targeted for a 2027 release, the overhaul will touch nearly every corner of the experience. The most immediate change for players will be a brand-new “around-game” client. This update aims to eliminate the clunky, separate launcher by fully integrating the navigation menus with the in-game engine, promising a smoother and more cohesive transition from the lobby to the battlefield.

Summoner’s Rift reimagined

Beyond technical improvements, the update will feature a full visual overhaul of Summoner’s Rift. This isn’t just a fresh coat of paint; Riot plans to reimagine the game’s aesthetic, including updated character models, environments, and user interfaces.

The “League Next” initiative also prioritizes the new player experience. By streamlining pre-game systems like Runes and introducing more intuitive onboarding, Riot hopes to make 2027 the “best time ever” to introduce friends to the game. These changes follow recent accessibility experiments, such as the introduction of WASD controls, showing a clear philosophy of making the MOBA more approachable for a younger generation.

While we wait for the 2027 launch, Riot has promised a deep dive into these renovations in late 2026. Fans can expect more specifics to be revealed sometime between the MSI and Worlds tournaments as the studio prepares to usher in the next era of League.

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