Highlights:
* The trailer for Rune Battlegrounds emerging from the Chinese gaming website Bilibili shows multiple Champions from League of Legends.
* A RIOT Games member confirmed that the team is busy developing a League of Legends TCG.
* Unfortunately, RIOT currently isn’t planning a global release of the physical card game.
RIOT Games has revealed they are working on a physical trading card game based on their popular MOBA title, League of Legends. It would be the organization’s first dive into the TCG market.
Given that League of Legends has created a huge fanbase in its 15-year run, a physical TCG seems to be a smart choice by RIOT to magnet more fans to LoL. Yet, they will need to compete with established competitors like Disney: Lorcana and Magic: The Gathering.
What Is RIOT Games’ Rune Battlegrounds?
Rune Battlegrounds is a physical trading card game that features Champions from RIOT Games’ League of Legends. The trailer shared by @LeagueOfLeaks, emerging from the Bilibili website, shows characters like Ahri, Lee Sin, Miss Fortune, and Darius appearing out of the cards.
Since the TCG is still in development, the gameplay wasn’t disclosed, but it will be interesting to see if it somehow incorporates the ‘lane’ combat popularized by the MOBA game. The beginning of the trailer featured different elements so the card game could include that aspect.
When Will Rune Battlegrounds Be Released?
The trailer for the upcoming card game teased a global release in 2025. However, Joe Hixson, a member of the RIOT Games comms team, clarified that the team isn’t preparing for a global launch yet. They are excited about the project but nothing is set in stone for the worldwide release of Rune Battlegrounds.
In an update, RIOT Games mentioned that they will launch the League of Legends TCG exclusively in China. The company is probably going to gauge the reaction of fans before deciding whether to proceed with a global release.
RIOT Games loves to take things slow, ensuring that the best product is available in the global market. Recently, another beta test for their shooter title was launched in China. The new VALORANT mobile leaks revealed features such as 120 FPS and even a Replay System, the latter of which hasn’t appeared in the PC version of the game.
2025 seemingly will be dedicated to the planning phase of the League of Legends TCG. As such, fans can expect a global release of Rune Battlegrounds at the end of the next year or in 2026.
