Riot Games has announced a series of updates and changes for Riftbound Organized Play in 2027.
Riftbound on a Local Level
Riftbound on a local level is getting a big update in 2027, starting with the retirement of the Summoner Skirmish events.
According to Riot, Summoner Skirmish missed the mark on multiple levels – attempting to attract both competitive and casual players in one event. As a result, Summoner Skirmish is being retired in 2027 and replaced by two separate events, one with a more casual focus and another for the competitive crowd.
On the casual side, the Nexus Cup will be a “monthly celebration of local organized play” that further enables local competition without “driving and incentivizing players to push hard to earn their way onto the competitive ladder.” For the competitive crowd, the new Challenge Series will provide monthly opportunities for players to take their first step onto Riftbound’s Premier Play ladder.
Important to note, Summoner Skirmish events will continue through the release of Radiance, however they will no longer offer byes as prizing.
Riftbound Premier Play
In 2027, Regional Qualifiers will be rebranded to Riftbound Regionals. While the structure will remain the same, the number of events and their locations will be greatly increased.
Along the same vein, Regional Championships are changing to Riftbound Continentals, and will be held at “…four marquee destinations around the world each year.” Additionally, Continentals will be three-day events, with Day 1 being an open opportunity for players who haven’t qualified to battle their way into the main event on Day 2.
As for the pinnacle of Riftbound Premier Play, the World Championship, Riot plans to announce these details at later date.
For additional information, read the full August 2026 State of Play article from Riot.
