During PAX Unplugged in Philadelphia, Riot Games shared the near-future roadmap for their newly released trading card game, Riftbound—and shared a first look at Riftbound Spiritforged, the second set in the title. The game itself has tapped into the resurgence that Magic: The Gathering’s Commander format and Universe Beyond sets have kicked off this year, particularly with Wizards of the Coast’s Final Fantasy set release.
With each Riftbound game taking about half the time to complete, it’s become what I play between Commander sessions when I have been eliminated. I’m pretty sure that as more people get their hands on the game, it will only grow, thanks to easy to learn mechanics and its release with beginner starter kits to help players learn.
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Launching a new TCG isn’t an easy feat. Still, Riot has showcased its dedication to developing the game, not just for casual LCS (Local Card Shop, not League Championship Series), but for competition too. We’re breaking down everything we learned at PAX Unplugged.
Dave Guskin, Game Director, offered this comment via a release to press:
“With the launch of Origins, we learned a tremendous amount about how players experience Riftbound. From Nexus Nights to theorycrafting, it has been incredible to see how the community makes Riftbound their own. Spiritforged builds on that foundation with new Champion Legends, new mechanics, and even greater collectability. Spiritforged combines the essence of the Spirit Blossom universe with the new tools needed to get the job done, and we cannot wait to see what players create next.”
What is Riftbound?
Riftbound: The League of Legends Trading Card Game is Riot Games’ physical TCG, bridging League of Legends lore and iconic champions of Runeterra into a strategic, competitive format (but you can still be casual too).
Designed for both new players and veterans in the TCG community, Riftbound blends accessible mechanics with rich deck-building complexity, offering fresh ways to engage with the League of Legends universe, clearly finding a synergy from the popular Commander format in Magic.
With each deck led by a Champion, players build for strategy and battle for a fast-paced game, much like League of Legends. The game can be played 1v1, 2v2, or 4-person free-for-all, with each pushing you to think differently and develop different strategies and synergies.
What is Riftbound Spiritforged?
Riftbound Spiritforged is the second set for the League of Legends physical card game. It’s currently set with a release date of December 12, 2025, in China and February 13, 2026, for players in English-language countries. The set will debut 12 new Champions to the game and introduce several new mechanics.
One of the key elements of any good card game is to make sure that every new set synergizes with the last. And because of that, Spiritforged synergizes with Origins. Spiritforged is also introducing the Ionia Spirit Blossom, which influences both the Champion Legends and new artwork.
For those looking for more out of the TCG when it comes to collecting, Game Director Fave Guskin revealed unique Spirit Blossom-themed alternate card art editions, 30 Overnumbered cards with twelve of them having Signature variants, and the addition of twelve Champion Units to the Overnumbered lineup in Spiritforged—showcasing the TCG’s approach to collecting.
New Riftbound: Spiritforged Champions
- Rek’Sai
- Draven
- Irelia
- Rumble
- Lucian
- Sivir
- Azir
- Ezreal
- Ornn
- Renata Glasc
- Fiora
- Jax
Rifbound: Spiritforged New Mechanics
- Equipment: This new card subtype can be attached to units to make them stronger, and remains in play even if that unit is killed.
- Gold: Featured by Draven and Renata Glasc, players can “spend” this new type of token card to generate Power of any color.
- Repeat: Spells with effects that can be doubled if players pay their cost a second time.
What is next on the Riftbound Roadmap?
Riftbound: Unleashed, Riftbound: Vendettas, and Riftbound: Radiance, the next three sets in the physical Riftbound TCG, will all launch in 2026.
- Riftbound: Unleashed: Releases in May 2026 and will feature new Champion Legends, including Vi, Rengar, and Master Yi.
- Riftbound: Vendettas: Releases in Q3 2026, will see long-standing vendettas play out, featuring new Champion Legends like Akali, Mel, and Ambessa.
- Riftbound: Radiance: Releases sometime in Q4 of 2026
Competitive Riftbound Events
Riftbound Regional Qualifiers are coming to Houston, Texas, Las Vegas, Nevada, and Bologna, Italy in 2025 and 2026. You can find the specifics below:
- English Regional Qualifier in Houston, Texas (U.S.) from December 5, 2025, to December 7, 2025.
- European Regional Qualifier in Bologna, Italy, from February 20, 2026, to February 22, 2026.
- Second Spiritforged Regional Qualifier in Las Vegas, Nevada, from February 27, 2026, to March 1, 2026.
Riftbound will host twelve Regional Qualifiers across next year, with more event details to be announced for 2026.
