Riftbound is Riot Games’ physical League of Legends trading card game. Instead of a single global Riftbound release date, the game is launching in waves across different regions and supported by a growing organized-play circuit. Because it’s a physical TCG, there isn’t just one “launch day” – instead you get set releases, pre-release events, and regional rollouts.
This guide is your overview of Riftbound release dates. Here you’ll find a regularly updated table of past and upcoming sets, context on China vs. English releases, how often new sets arrive, and how the schedule connects to events and tournaments.
The main Riftbound release date most players care about is October 31, 2025, when Riftbound: Origins launched in English-speaking regions, following an initial release in China on August 1, 2025. From there, new Riftbound sets are targeted roughly every three months.
Riftbound’s first set, Origins, released in China on August 1, 2025 and in English on October 31, 2025. The second set, Spiritforged, followed in China on December 12, 2025 and in English on February 13, 2026. From there, Riot is targeting roughly one new main set every three months, with Unleashed, Vendetta, and Radiance planned through the rest of 2026.
Below you’ll find the full schedule, plus FAQs, rules resources, and where to go to learn to play or find events near you.
Riftbound release date and set schedule at a glance
Riftbound started with a China-first launch and then moved into English and other languages. From 2025–2026, sets are built around a quarterly release cadence, with Riot working toward near-global parity by late 2026. If you just want the key Riftbound release dates for each set, start with this table.
We’ll keep this table updated as dates are confirmed or adjusted.
| Set | Theme / notes | China release | English / global release |
|---|---|---|---|
| Set 1: Origins | August 1, 2025 | October 31, 2025 | |
| Set 2: Spiritforged | ~200+ new cards, new mechanics (e.g. Gold tokens, Equipment), major Core Rules patch | December 12, 2025 | February 13, 2026 (with pre-release “Pre-Rift” events Feb 6–12, 2026) |
| Set 3: Unleashed | First fully post-launch expansion; continues quarterly cadence | Q2 2026 (global target) | May 2026 (planned) |
| Set 4: Vendetta | Expected to be the first set aiming for near-simultaneous global launch | Q3 2026 (global target) | Q3 2026 (planned) |
| Set 5: Radiance | Closes out the 2026 release year, maintaining quarterly rhythm | Q4 2026 (global target) | Q4 2026 (planned) |
Beyond English and Chinese, Riot is also rolling out additional languages; for example, a French localization of the first set, Origins, is slated for a mid-2026 window. Exact dates can shift, so always double-check with the official Riftbound site or your local game store.
For a full overview of the game, you can also dive into our main Riftbound hub and the in-depth Riftbound TCG guide, where we track sets, mechanics, and formats in more detail.
From Project K to full global launch
Before it was called Riftbound, the game was developed under the codename “Project K” inside Riot. The reveal trailer not only renamed the project but also gave the first clear outline of its global roll-out:
- Initial China release in summer 2025
- English release following in late 2025
- Additional regions and languages coming online through 2026
If you haven’t seen that announcement yet, it’s worth watching, because it also shows off the look and feel of Set 1: Origins and how the team reacted to early player feedback on art, UI, and card design.
Riftbound announcement & overview video
In this video, Chengran and Dave walk through how Riftbound evolved from early “Project K” tests, show off Origins cards, and talk about partnering with UVS Games to bring the game to local stores and global events.
After watching, you’ll have a much better sense of why the release has been staggered: physical production, localization, and building a robust organized-play ecosystem all take time.
If you want a structured breakdown of cards, domains, and timing windows after the trailer, our Riftbound rules page gives a clean, text-first explanation of the core rules and terminology.
Set 1: Origins – Riftbound’s launch set
Riftbound: Origins is where everything starts. It’s the first full set and the foundation of the game’s early competitive formats.
Origins release dates:
- China: August 1, 2025
- English-language regions: October 31, 2025
The English release is anchored by:
Origins introduces:
- The idea of Champion Legends and Chosen Champions that define your deck’s identity
- Battlefields you fight over to earn points (8 to win in 1v1, 11 in team formats)
- The rune system with Energy and Power costs
- A full ecosystem of units, spells, and gear that feel right at home in the League of Legends universe
For deeper analysis of Origins archetypes, card cycles, and how the set shapes early metagames, check out our Riftbound hub.
Set 2: Spiritforged – early 2026 expansion
The second set, Spiritforged, keeps the release momentum going and is the first “post-launch” expansion to really reshape the meta.
Spiritforged release dates
Spiritforged release dates are:
- China: December 12, 2025
- English: February 13, 2026
Leading up to the English release, local game stores run “Pre-Rift” pre-release events from February 6–12, 2026, where you can crack packs early, build limited decks, and get a feel for the new mechanics before launch.
What Spiritforged adds
From what Riot has shared so far, Spiritforged:
- Adds 200+ new cards
- Introduces new mechanics like Gold tokens and Equipment-style gear
- Ships alongside a Core Rules update, tightening up some of the edge cases introduced by Origins
The official rule documents and updates are hosted on the Riftbound portal and the broader Riot Games site. We track the practical impact of each rules patch in our ongoing Riftbound TCG coverage.
Future sets: Unleashed, Vendetta, Radiance
After Spiritforged, Riot and UVS move into a regular quarterly cadence with three more sets planned for 2026:
Set 3 – Unleashed
- Targeted for Q2 2026 in China, with an English release currently slated for May 2026.
- Represents the “true” first year of post-launch design, once Origins and Spiritforged have defined the baseline.
Set 4 – Vendetta
- Aims for Q3 2026, and importantly, Riot’s goal is to hit near-global parity for release dates by this point.
- Expect this set to be a big marker for competitive play, with Regional Qualifiers and Championships framed around its environment.
Set 5 – Radiance
- Planned for Q4 2026, finishing the year and keeping the quarterly rhythm alive.
- By the time Radiance lands, most players should feel the full weight of a rotating, evolving format rather than a single launch-set meta.
Longer-term, Riot has already signaled that formal rotation – cycling older sets out of “standard” play into an eternal format – will begin no earlier than 2028. That means everything from Origins through these early sets should remain legal in the primary competitive formats for quite a while.
Learn to play while you wait for the next release
Knowing the release schedule is useful, but Riftbound really clicks once you’ve played a few games with physical cards. The best way to learn is a combination of Proving Grounds plus Riot’s official learn-to-play video.
How to play Riftbound – official learn-to-play video
In this video, Good Time Society walks through everything from the basic victory condition (conquer and hold battlefields) to the anatomy of units, spells, gear, runes, Champion Legends, and multiplayer formats like 2v2 and free-for-all.
Once you’ve watched that and tried a few games, our Riftbound rules page is a great “rules reference in plain English” you can keep open on your phone. For more flavor, lore, and champions’ backstory, the League of Legends Universe is the perfect companion.
Organized play and release timing
Riftbound’s release schedule is tightly tied to its organized-play structure. Riot and UVS are aiming for a full ladder of events, from casual in-store nights all the way to a World Championship.
Local level
- One-time Origins Release Event when the game hits your region
- Prerelease events for each new set, held before the official release date
- Weekly Nexus Nights, focused on casual but repeatable play
- Summoner Skirmish events, the highest local-store competitive tier with promos and a bye into Regional Qualifiers
Premier level
- Regional Qualifiers in major cities, open entry, with promos and cash prizes
- Regional Championships, invite-only, featuring larger prize pools and premium promos
- Starting as early as 2027, a Riftbound World Championship capping the year
Release dates for sets often line up with this ladder. For example, the 2026 circuit features Regional Qualifiers around February and March, shortly after the English launch of Spiritforged, so players can compete in the new environment right away.
To find specific events near you, use the official Riftbound event locator, which pulls in local game store events and major tournaments. Riot also highlights big announcements on the Riftbound X account and the official Riftbound YouTube channel.
Trivia and fun facts about Riftbound’s release
A few bits of release-related trivia to round things off:
- China-only… at first: during early development, Riftbound was originally scoped as a China-only release. Strong global interest from League players and TCG fans led Riot to pivot toward a full international launch.
- From Runeterra to the tabletop: Riftbound pulls heavily from the champions and regions found across Runeterra lore, but its gameplay is designed specifically for physical play – including multiplayer formats like 3- and 4-player free-for-alls and 2v2 team games.
- Rules as a living document: the Core Rules are updated with each new set, just like a digital game patch. Those updates are published on the official Riftbound site and often timed around new releases.
- World Championship in sight: competitive structure is already planned up through a Riftbound World Championship, tentatively starting in 2027, which lines up neatly with the early-set release schedule and the eventual start of rotation.
FAQ’s about Riftbound release dates and products
When did Riftbound first release?
If you’re looking for the original Riftbound release date, there are two key milestones. Riftbound’s first full set, Origins, released in China on August 1, 2025, with English-language regions on October 31, 2025. That English launch is what most players think of as the “global” release, even though other languages and regions are still being rolled out.
Is Riftbound digital or physical?
Riftbound is a physical trading card game designed to be played face-to-face at a table. There’s no full digital client like Legends of Runeterra – the focus is on real cards, game nights, and in-person tournaments.
You can still follow news, rules updates, and card reveals online via the official Riftbound site and Riot Games, but gameplay itself is physical.
How often do new Riftbound sets release?
From late 2025 onward, Riot is targeting a quarterly release cadence:
- Origins in Q3/Q4 2025
- Spiritforged in Q4 2025 / Q1 2026
- Unleashed, Vendetta, and Radiance spaced across Q2, Q3, and Q4 2026
In practice, that means you can expect roughly one new main set every three months, with pre-release events and rules updates in the lead-up to each launch.
Will future sets release at the same time in every region?
Not immediately, but that’s the direction Riot is heading. Early on, Riftbound uses a China-first, then English, then additional languages pattern.
By Set 4: Vendetta in Q3 2026, the goal is to achieve near-global parity, where China, English-speaking regions, and other major markets get the set on essentially the same date (barring logistics and local regulations).
Where can I buy Riftbound products?
In regions where Riftbound is released, you’ll primarily find products:
- At local game stores, often with attached events and leagues
- Through the Riot Games Store in supported regions (linked from the official site)
Use the official Riftbound event locator to find stores already running events – those stores almost always stock boosters, starter decks, and products like Proving Grounds.
How does rotation work and when will older sets leave “standard”?
Riot has confirmed that formal rotation – where older sets leave the main competitive format and move into an eternal format – will begin no earlier than 2028.
That means everything from Origins through the early expansions (Spiritforged, Unleashed, Vendetta, Radiance, and likely a few more) should remain legal for a long time in the primary competitive formats. For deck-building advice that respects both current legality and upcoming rotation plans, our Riftbound TCG guide is a solid starting point.
What’s the best product to start with?
If you’re completely new, Riftbound: Proving Grounds is the easiest on-ramp. It’s a box for 2–4 players with balanced decks for Lux, Annie, Master Yi, and Garen, specifically tuned to teach rules and fundamentals. After that, you can expand into Origins boosters and later sets to customize and upgrade your decks.
Where can I follow Riftbound news and reveals?
The main places are the official Riftbound site, the playriftbound X account, and the Riftbound YouTube channel. Those channels publish set reveals, rules updates, and event announcements tied closely to release dates.
Where to go next – news, rules, decks and events
If you want to go deeper now that you know the release schedule and key Riftbound release dates, here are some easy next steps:
- Learn the game from the ground up with our plain-language Riftbound rules guide.
- Get a broad overview of sets, products, and organized play in the main Riftbound hub.
- Explore early decks, archetypes, and metagame trends in the dedicated Riftbound TCG breakdown.
On the official side, bookmark these for the latest releases and events:
- Official Riftbound site – news, rules documents, and product info
- Riot Games – broader announcements and press updates
- Riftbound event locator – find local stores and tournaments
- Riftbound on X – fast updates, teasers, and live event coverage
- Riftbound YouTube – trailers, learn-to-play videos, and set spotlights
Between those resources and the release table at the top of this article, you’ll always know what’s out now, what’s coming next, and where to play Riftbound as the game grows.
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