Riot Games reportedly planning major League of Legends overhaul with League Next update

Riot Games is reportedly developing major update to LoL to revamp visuals and systems without replacing the game

Riot Games is reportedly working on a significant overhaul of League of Legends that would modernise the long-running title without replacing it with a new game.

According to a report from Bloomberg, the project is internally known as League Next and is described as an extensive update rather than a standalone release.

The report states that League Next would involve a full revision of the game’s visual presentation, including characters, the user interface and in-game arenas.

Bloomberg adds that Riot Games is also planning behind-the-scenes technical changes designed to make future updates easier to implement. It remains unclear whether the update would introduce changes to gameplay mechanics.

League Next is reportedly targeted for release in 2027 and would represent the largest update in League of Legends’ history, nearly two decades after the game’s original launch.

Bloomberg also reports that Riot Games has announced an internal reorganisation, although no further details were provided on how this may affect teams or development timelines.

League of Legends was first released in 2009 and has maintained a large global audience since then. The multiplayer online battle arena game, inspired by the Warcraft 3 mod Defense of the Ancients, played a central role in popularising the MOBA genre.

The franchise has since expanded into several spin-offs, including the digital card game Legends of Runeterra, the mobile title Wild Rift and the animated television series Arcane.

According to Bloomberg, League of Legends continues to attract more than 100 million monthly players. The title also remains a major force in competitive gaming, with the 2025 League of Legends World Championship finals held in China reportedly drawing 6.7 million online viewers.

Riot Games has not publicly confirmed the details of League Next or its proposed release window.