Should League of Legends bring back more old game modes?

League of Legends (LoL) is not just about Summoner’s Rift. While the 5v5 game mode is part of the core experience, Riot Games has often looked to bring refreshing ways of playing the champions through seasonal game modes from the MOBA title. 

From the chaos of playing Ultra Rapid Fire (URF) to the nightmare that is Doom Bots, the devs have done a great job at balancing out the competitive aspect with the more fun and less grind-focused modes.

That being said, many game modes don’t come out as often, and some have also been retired for quite some time. This left us wondering: should League bring back more old game modes? 

By looking at the past history of LoL and its rotating game modes, here’s what would need to happen for those game modes to be reintroduced.

How have LoL modes evolved over the years?

Since its release in 2009, League of Legends has had several game modes added. Some of them, such as ARAM, have been made permanent, while others have stayed for a limited time, usually tied to special events. Here’s a quick timeline of all rotating game modes released at least once so far:

These modes were often linked to in-game events or real-life celebrations, such as Ultra Rapid Fire during April Fools’ Day. Over the years, however, the number of new game modes has clearly decreased, and even the old ones haven’t been brought back that much. 

While there isn’t a black-or-white answer here, the game modes that usually get brought back in the current era of League of Legends are the most popular ones, or the ones that Riot knows will have players constantly play them during those limited periods. Game modes like URF or ARURF are always well-loved by the community; Doom Bots is brought back somewhat consistently due to how challenging it is. 

Among the previous game modes, the ones that have seen good feedback from the community and could realistically be brought back are the PvE game modes, such as Odyssey and Swarm.

They not only offer a completely different dynamic compared to the traditional PvP game modes, but they were well executed and offered a great way for players to test their skills in a different dynamic.

The other reason tied to these game modes is nostalgia. Seasoned players, especially those who played the game from an early age (myself included), have spent a lot of time outside of Summoner’s Rift, often with friends. The memories tied to those experiences and the fun coming from something less competitive than the traditional 5v5 made those times magical.

League is a stressful game with little to no downtime until the Nexus explodes. It can be very taxing from a mental perspective, and alternative game modes were a perfect way to continue playing while not having that burden. 

So, could Riot realistically bring back these old modes? Riot has always said it is open to those opportunities, but it often has to look beyond just the nostalgia factor.

One of the main criteria is popularity. If there are not enough players who jump into these game modes, the likelihood of bringing them back is slim. This is because Riot pours resources into bringing back and maintaining such game modes, and it would be a non-efficient investment if no one plays it. After all, it’s also a business.

Other reasons might be tied to the planning of large events or seasonal campaigns. Usually, rotating game modes are reintroduced to ensure higher player engagement—if Riot isn’t already building an event around them, the incentive to spend development resources is much lower.

In short, Riot could bring any of these modes back, but it would require dedicated resources and a clear plan to ensure they can also achieve set business goals.

So, should League bring back more old game modes? The answer lies somewhere between nostalgia and practicality. Riot knows that crowd favourites such as URF will always deliver strong engagement, which is why they reliably return. This is also why Arena is now staying until 2026.

Other modes, like Nexus Blitz, Ascension, or PvE experiences, carry deep nostalgia and strong community backing but might also face higher uncertainty in terms of consistent engagement while having to put additional resources into maintaining and balancing said game modes.

Ultimately, Riot has to weigh player demand against business priorities. If enough players consistently show interest—like with Arena’s success—those modes stand a much greater chance of being revived or even extended into semi-permanent features. For players, that means voicing support and playing these modes when they appear.