Riot Games Refuses to Abandon LoL Arena Despite Player Exodus

A Riot Games developer revealed the reasons behind the decision to not make Arena mode a permanent feature in League of Legends, highlighting the complexities involved in player retention.

Arena mode is Riot’s take on a brawling experience within League of Legends, allowing players to engage in 2v2 combat, utilizing power-ups and items similar to those found in Teamfight Tactics, while still adhering to MOBA mechanics.

The developer initially indicated that this latest version of Arena, which is the third iteration, had the potential to become a permanent addition to LoL. However, it was announced during an August 9 update that the mode would be temporarily shelved. In the September 23 Dev Update, Eduardo Cortejoso explained that after two months, player engagement in Arena significantly declined.

“Unfortunately, even our mid-run content update didn’t quite encourage many players to return. But don’t worry; Arena won’t be disappearing forever. We plan to reintroduce it in the first half of next year with essential quality of life improvements and some exciting new augments,” Cortejoso stated.

.@RiotPabro and @RiotMeddler are joined by @RiotPhroxzon and @ed_corte in today’s Dev Update. In it, they cover:👾Modes🥇Matchmaking🍄Teemo🏆Worlds 2024🖥️LoL Player Days🤔Seasons in 2025 pic.twitter.com/0BDnY4ouwe

— League of Legends (@LeagueOfLegends) September 23, 2024

Andrei van Roon, the head of Riot’s League studio, elaborated on the challenges of player retention in a Reddit discussion. He mentioned that LoL Arena attracts “a range of overlapping audiences,” and that they are still identifying which demographic is most likely to engage consistently with the mode.

“Some players prefer a straightforward mode focused on high-skill expression in 2v2 matches. Others are interested in learning new champions. Some seek a more chaotic gameplay experience. And then there are those who want to showcase their adaptability,” Roon explained.

Riot has been exploring new modes built around the League of Legends client for several years, following the early success of Teamfight Tactics. In 2024, they introduced Swarm Mode, a PvE game inspired by Vampire Survivors, which has received a positive response from some players.

However, even Swarm is set to leave the client as it was never intended to be a permanent game mode.

It remains uncertain whether Arena will find a lasting place in the League of Legends ecosystem after its fourth attempt. However, Riot seems committed to iterating on the mode and continues to strive for its success.

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