Riftbound: League of Legends Trading Card Game is Riot Games’ official entry into the physical TCG world. Drawing from the deep lore and global popularity of the League of Legends universe, Riftbound delivers a strategic, collectible card game focused on champions, spells, and battlefield control.
The debut set, Riftbound Origins, features over 300 unique cards and includes champions such as Jinx, Viktor, Lee Sin, Annie, Garen, Lux, Master Yi, Volibear, Yasuo, Kai’Sa, and Ahri.
The game launched in China on August 1, 2025. The English-language rollout begins October 31, 2025, in North America, Europe, Latin America, and Oceania. Riot opened preorders on August 4 through its official merch platform. Every detail presented here has been verified through official Riot sources and trusted industry reporting, ensuring reliable information for players, collectors, and investors.
Game Modes and Mechanics
Riftbound supports three core formats:
- 1v1 duels with best-of-three match rules and sideboards for competitive play
- 2v2 team battles with shared turns and battlefield points
- Free-for-all matches with three or four players competing simultaneously
Gameplay focuses on area control rather than player elimination. Players earn points by deploying units to control key zones across a shared battlefield. Each match ends when a team or player reaches a predetermined point total.
Each deck centers on a specific Champion who defines its playstyle. Resource management relies on a separate rune deck, with players drawing two rune cards per turn. These runes are spent to play units, spells, and gear. Strategic timing and synergy between champion spells and units create high-impact moments similar to casting ultimates in League of Legends.
Riftbound Origins Product Line
Riot offers several products to help different types of players get started:
- Proving Grounds Starter Set: A box for two to four players that includes preconstructed decks based on Annie, Garen, Lux, and Master Yi. Features acrylic champion figures and guided learning materials.
- Champion Decks: Three ready-to-play 56-card decks built around Jinx, Viktor, or Lee Sin. Each deck includes a themed playmat, a booster pack, a deck box, and a deck-building guide.
- Booster Packs and Booster Boxes: Standard 14-card booster packs include a mix of common, uncommon, rare, and foil cards. Booster boxes contain 24 packs and typically include more than six epic rarity cards and at least two alt-art versions.
Riot also released card sleeves and playmats themed after key champions such as Ahri, Jinx, Miss Fortune, and Volibear. Each Riot ID could preorder up to two booster boxes, three Proving Grounds sets, and three copies of each Champion Deck.
Competitive Play and Events
Riftbound is launching with structured competitive support through UVS Games, a publisher known for distributing other licensed TCGs. Riot is supporting launch events across major conventions and global League of Legends events in 2025. These include:
- League of Legends World Championship in China
- Teamfight Tactics Open in Paris
- Gen Con in Indianapolis
- PAX Unplugged in Philadelphia
- MSI Vancouver and additional Riot-hosted fan events
At Gen Con, players had access to the first English-language Riftbound promo card. The event featured 1v1 and multiplayer demos with assistance from the UVS Games team.
Why Riftbound Is Built to Last
Riftbound benefits from Riot’s decade of champion development, storytelling, and competitive infrastructure. Unlike digital-only entries, this card game brings the flavor of Runeterra to a tangible format with clear paths for collectors and tournament players.
Champion-focused decks are designed to appeal to character loyalists while also supporting modular deckbuilding for competitive players. Riot’s use of unique card types such as Legends and Gear expands gameplay variety and opens new opportunities for alternate art collectors.
Riot has committed to responsive production runs, meaning future product availability will be adjusted based on demand. The company also plans special product drops, such as a boxed Arcane-themed set and a Riftbound x Worlds bundle later in 2025.
Market Relevance and Collector Value
The trading card market continues to grow, with analysts projecting over 20 billion dollars in annual revenue by 2027. Riftbound enters this space with high visual standards, multiple play formats, and alt-art chase cards designed to appeal to both players and collectors.
Riot’s collaboration with UVS Games ensures access through established hobby stores across the US and abroad. The initial print run offers strong early signals for long-term collectibility, including full-art champions, epic rarities, and mechanically exclusive promos available only at events.
Riftbound Origins launches August 1 in China and October 31 in English-speaking regions. With strategic game modes, modular deck options, and immediate retail and event presence, Riot Games is positioning Riftbound for competitive and collectible longevity. Whether you’re building a team deck around your favorite champion, drafting boosters for gameplay, or collecting rare art pieces, Riftbound is a well-supported TCG worth watching.
Disclaimer: eBay links on this page use a referral system that helps support the content—at no extra cost to you.
