League Next: What Riot Confirmed for 2027, and Will LoL Apps Still Work?
League's 2027 update moves the client into the game, gives Summoner's Rift a full visual overhaul and changes runes. Here is what Riot has actually said, what is only reported, what nobody knows yet, and what it could mean for the apps you run next to League.
Disclosure: we build Hexgate, a League companion app that uses the League client and Riot's game APIs, so we read every word Riot says about this. Every claim below links to its source.
The Short Answer
League Next is a big upgrade of the League you already play, planned for 2027. Riot has not given a date, and it has not said what happens to the APIs that apps use.
What is it?
Riot's plan for League after 2026: a new client built into the game, a full visual overhaul of Summoner's Rift with gameplay changes tied to it, rune and pre-game changes, and a new player experience.
League of Legends on X, December 18, 2025When does it come out?
In 2027, with no date or season announced. In September 2026, Head of League Studio Andrei van Roon said the update at Worlds would be small, not a full reveal.
Riot Meddler on Reddit, September 8, 2026Is it League of Legends 2?
No. Asked about a sequel, executive producer Paul Bellezza said
GosuGamers, quoting Riot's videothe answer to that has been, and remains, no.
It is an upgrade of the current game.Will my LoL apps still work?
Nobody can say yet, and Riot has not said. The apps most tied to the change are the ones that use the League client's own API, because the client is the part being rebuilt. What it means per kind of app.
Two Programs Become One
Today League is two programs: the client you queue in, and the game that opens when the match starts. Riot is building a brand new around-game client that's fully integrated with the in-game experience
. Apps plug into each of the two programs separately, so this is where the question for apps starts.
League Client API
On your PC, while the client is open Works today. Riot's docs call it not officially supported for third-party apps. Riot hasn't said. It belongs to the part being rebuilt. Used for: rune import, champion select help, lobby tools, match history. In Hexgate: runes and counters Free, Lane Scouting Pro+, Match Breakdown Pro+Live Client Data API
On your PC, during a match Works today. Documented by Riot, read only, served by the game. Riot hasn't said whether it changes. Used for: in-game overlays that react to the match. In Hexgate: items re-ranked against the five enemies FreeYour own screen
Not a Riot API Works today. Apps read what is on screen, or record it. No API to change, but new visuals can change what is on screen. Used for: reading augment cards, recording games. In Hexgate: ARAM Mayhem augment tiers Free, Clips Pro+
Status on October 8, 2026. "Riot hasn't said" means exactly that: no announcement either way. Sources: Riot's League Client API docs, Live Client Data API docs.
What Riot Confirmed, What Is Reported, What Nobody Knows
Most of what Riot has said comes from one short developer video posted on December 18, 2025, and one Reddit reply in September 2026. A lot of what circulates online goes further than that. Here it is sorted.
Confirmed by Riot
From Riot's own video and posts
- A brand new around-game client, fully integrated with the in-game experience.GosuGamers
- A full visual overhaul of Summoner's Rift, with gameplay changes tied to it.Dexerto
- Changes to runes and pre-game systems, not yet detailed.GosuGamers
- A rebuilt new player experience, so that it
should be the best time ever to get your friends into League
.GosuGamers - Planned for 2027, as an upgrade of the current game, not a League of Legends 2.Inven Global
- A small League Next update around Worlds 2026, not a full reveal.Riot Meddler on Reddit
Reported
From the press, not from Riot's own words
- "League Next" is Riot's internal codename for the project. Riot's own posts call it its plans for League after 2026.Bloomberg, December 18, 2025
- Players keep their data when the game is upgraded.Inven Global
Not announced yet
As of October 8, 2026
- A release date, or even a season, in 2027
- What the new client and the new Rift look like
- How runes change
- PC requirements
- What happens to the League Client API and the Live Client Data API
- Whether today's third-party apps will need changes
Timeline
League Next lands in the same year as another deadline that matters for apps: the end of Riot's grace period for approved tools that still read game memory.
- Dec 18, 2025Riot shows its plans for League after 2026Bloomberg reports the project the same day. Andrei van Roon posts the video early:
We were planning to share this video with you in early January as part of the bigger Season Start moment, but since some early speculation is making the rounds, we felt we should share it earlier.
Riot promises more between MSI and Worlds 2026.Riot Meddler on X - Sep 8, 2026"Not at full reveal state quite yet"Asked whether League Next is still coming at Worlds:
We'll have a small update to share yes. Hopefully stuff you all think is cool/promising, but we're not at full reveal state quite yet and don't want to unintentionally create unrealistic expectations.
Riot Meddler on Reddit - Oct 6, 2026Riot blocks game memory access for unknown appsKnown, approved tools that read memory keep working until April 2027, then must use the official APIs. The whole change explained.Riot Support
- TodayOctober 8, 2026
- Oct 15 to Nov 14Worlds 2026, and Riot's small League Next updateWorlds starts in Los Angeles on October 15; the final is in Brooklyn on November 14. Riot has not said on which day it shares the update.Riot, Dev Update TL;DW
- April 2027Grace period for memory-reading tools endsRiot has not given an exact day.Riot Support
- 2027League NextNo date announced.
Will LoL Apps and Overlays Still Work?
Riot has not said, so anyone promising a yes or a no today is guessing. What we can show is where each kind of app gets its data, and how close that is to the part Riot is rebuilding.
Websites and apps on Riot's web API Furthest from the change
Stats sites and profile lookups get match data from Riot's servers with a developer key, not from the client on your PC. Nothing Riot said about League Next points at the web API.
Riot Developer PortalApps that use the League Client API Most exposed
Rune import, champion select helpers, lobby tools and match history readers talk to the client while it runs. The client is exactly what Riot is rebuilding, and Riot's docs already set expectations low for this API:
We provide no guarantees of full documentation, service uptime, or change communication for unsupported services.
Riot Developer Portal, on the League Client API That is our reading of where the risk sits, not a Riot statement about League Next.
Riot docs: League Client APIIn-game overlays on the Live Client Data API Unknown
The game itself serves this API during a match, and Riot documents it. Riot has not said whether moving the client into the game changes it.
Riot docs: Live Client Data APIApps that read or record your screen Depends on the new look
They use no Riot API, so no API change can break them. But a full visual overhaul can change what appears on screen, and text recognition has to follow it.
Apps that read game memory Blocked or on a deadline
Unknown ones have been blocked since October 6, 2026. Known, approved ones must switch to the official APIs by April 2027, the same year League Next is planned for. Riot also tells developers they can
Riot Supportformally request new API data
, which is the route any app would take for something new.
Wondering what is allowed until then? Read what Riot allows and what gets accounts banned.
What to Watch For
Riot's League Next update around Worlds
Expect a first look, not the full picture: Riot has said as much. Worlds runs from October 15 to November 14, 2026.
Riot's developer docs
Riot documents the League Client API and the Game Client API there today, so changes to either are worth watching for in those sections.
Riot docs: League of LegendsYour app developer's news
It is Riot's own advice for the memory change, and it fits here too: each developer knows which of its features depend on the client.
This page
We will update it when Riot shares more about League Next or its APIs.
Nothing changes until 2027. Hexgate works on today's League: runes in champion select, items against the enemy team in game, ARAM Mayhem augment tiers, and with Pro+, Lane Scouting, Match Breakdowns and Clips.
Where Hexgate Stands
We build Hexgate, so here is where each of its features gets its data, and how League Next could touch it. Hexgate never read game memory, so the October 6 change did not affect it. League Next is different: it changes the client itself, so we will follow whatever Riot ships, like every app that helps you in champion select.
Runes with one-click import, counters and ban targets Free
Swiftplay picks per slot with Import to slot Free
Lane matchup scoring and OTP builds Pro
The League Client API, in champion select and the lobbyFollows the new client when Riot ships it
Lane Scouting of your lane opponent and the enemy jungler, on the loading screen Pro+
The League Client API: the enemy team once the game loads, and their recent ranked gamesFollows the new client when Riot ships it
Items re-ranked against the five enemies, with the reason on every move Free
Riot's Live Client Data API, during the gameRiot hasn't said whether this API changes
An S to D tier under every ARAM Mayhem augment card Free
Your own screen, read with Windows' built-in text recognitionFollows the new visuals if the cards change
Match Breakdown after every ranked, Draft and Swiftplay game Pro+
Habits that repeat across your last 10 breakdowns of a role Pro+
The League Client API: your finished game's details and timeline, plus what the Live Client Data API showed during itBreakdowns and habits already saved stay in your account
Clips of every death, kill and assist Pro+
Your own screen and the game's sound, recorded on your PC and never uploadedClips you saved stay on your PC
What it never does
- Read game memory
- Inject into the game
- Modify game files
- Automate any input
- Show ads, in game or out
Frequently Asked Questions
What is League Next?
League Next is the name Bloomberg reported for Riot's 2027 upgrade of League of Legends. Riot has confirmed what it contains: a brand new around-game client fully integrated with the in-game experience, a full visual overhaul of Summoner's Rift with gameplay changes tied to it, changes to runes and pre-game systems, and a rebuilt new player experience.
When does League Next come out?
In 2027. Riot has not announced a date or a season. It promised more details between MSI and Worlds 2026, and in September 2026 Andrei van Roon said the update around Worlds would be small, not a full reveal.
Is League Next League of Legends 2?
No. Riot's executive producer Paul Bellezza said the answer to a League of Legends 2 "has been, and remains, no." League Next upgrades the game you already play.
Will I lose my account, skins or rank?
Riot describes League Next as an upgrade of the current game, not a new one, and Inven Global reported that player data is kept. Riot has not published details about ranks or how the switch will work.
Will LoL overlays and apps work after League Next?
Riot has not said. Apps that use the League client's own API are the most exposed, because the client is the part being rebuilt and Riot's docs already say that API is not officially supported for third-party apps. Websites on Riot's web API are the furthest from the change. Follow each app's own news.
Will Hexgate work with League Next?
Hexgate works on today's League and uses Riot's official routes: the League client, the Live Client Data API and your own screen, never game memory. When Riot ships the new client, Hexgate's champion select and match history features will have to follow it, and we will update this page when Riot shares more.
Will League Next be shown at Worlds 2026?
Riot plans a small update around Worlds, which runs from October 15 to November 14, 2026. Andrei van Roon said Riot is not at full reveal state yet and does not want to create unrealistic expectations.
Is League Next related to the October 6 memory access change?
Riot has not linked them. They point the same way, though: since October 6, 2026 unknown apps can no longer read game memory, and approved ones must move to Riot's official APIs by April 2027, the same year League Next is planned for.