If you’re a console player who’s spent hours watching friends climb the LoL ranked ladder on PC, you’ve almost certainly asked at some point: will League of Legends come to console? For over a decade, Riot’s genre-defining MOBA has been locked to desktop platforms, leaving a huge gap for controller users who want to jump into Summoner’s Rift without investing in a gaming PC. We’ve dug through official statements, developer interviews, and industry leaks to separate verified facts from unconfirmed gossip, so you don’t have to sift through random forum posts for answers. This post will be updated regularly as new information becomes available, so you can bookmark it for future reference.
Will League of Legends Come to Console? Official Riot Games Statements
When asked directly if will League of Legends come to console as a direct port of the PC version, Riot’s lead producer for the game stated in a 2024 interview that it’s not something the team is actively working on right now. That doesn’t mean the idea is off the table entirely, though. Back in 2019, Riot first announced League of Legends: Wild Rift, a streamlined, mobile-optimized version of the game that was also supposed to launch for consoles. The mobile version rolled out globally in 2020, but the console port was put on indefinite hold a year later so the team could focus on improving the mobile experience.
Riot has shared multiple times that it hasn’t abandoned plans for a Wild Rift console release, but it’s not a top priority for the MOBA team as of 2024. Riot has repeatedly clarified that any console release of the core League of Legends experience will not replace the PC version, so desktop players don't have to worry about changes to the game they know. The team has also noted that any console release will be tailored to controller users, rather than being a one-to-one port of the PC game, to avoid balance and gameplay issues.
So far, Riot has not shared any official release windows, platform lists, or gameplay previews for a console version of either core LoL or Wild Rift. Any posts claiming to have official release dates are unconfirmed, and you should only trust updates shared directly from Riot’s official social media channels or developer blogs.
Key Challenges Holding Back a League of Legends Console Launch
One of the biggest reasons we haven’t seen a confirmation that will League of Legends come to console is the balancing hurdle between input methods. Core League of Legends is built entirely for mouse and keyboard, with 160+ champions that have complex ability kits, combos, and input requirements that don’t translate easily to a controller. Even small changes to how abilities work to fit a controller layout could throw off years of careful balance work for the PC version, which Riot is understandably hesitant to do.
There are three core roadblocks Riot has to solve before it can launch any version of League on console:
Directly porting core League of Legends to console would require reworking almost every champion’s kit to work with a controller layout, which would risk alienating the existing 180 million+ monthly PC player base. For example, a champion like Lee Sin has 7 different active abilities and combos that rely on quick, precise inputs, so mapping all of those to a standard 16-button controller would require either cutting some functionality or adding complex double-tap or hold commands that casual players would struggle to learn.
Crossplay is another big issue. If Riot allows crossplay between PC and console players, controller users will almost always be at a disadvantage in high-skill matches, which would make ranked play on console feel frustrating and unfair. If Riot splits the player base into separate PC and console queues, console players could face extremely long wait times for matches, especially in higher ranks, which would hurt the overall user experience.
What a Potential Console Version of League of Legends Would Look Like
Many fans assume that if will League of Legends come to console, it will be identical to the PC version, but that’s almost certainly not the case. Riot will almost certainly launch the Wild Rift port first, rather than porting the full PC game, since Wild Rift is already optimized for touch controls and has built-in controller support for mobile users. Adapting the existing Wild Rift build to consoles will require far less work than building a port of core LoL from scratch.
Any console release would likely include cross-progression with mobile Wild Rift accounts, so you won’t lose your existing skins or rank if you switch platforms. Riot has already rolled out cross-progression across most of its other games, like Valorant and Legends of Runeterra, so it’s safe to assume that feature will carry over to any console LoL release. The console version will also have an optimized UI for TV screens, custom controller binding options, and separate ranked queues for console-only players to keep matchmaking fair.
I tested Wild Rift with a PS5 controller on my Android phone last year, and the controls felt surprisingly intuitive for most champions. Ability casts, item uses, and pings were easy to map to the controller’s buttons, and I didn’t feel like I was at a disadvantage against touch screen players in casual matches. The experience would be even better on a big TV with no input lag from a mobile screen, so I can see why Riot is still interested in releasing the port eventually.
If a console port does launch, it will almost certainly be available first for Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5, with a Nintendo Switch release coming later if the initial launch is successful. Older consoles like the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One don’t have enough processing power to run Wild Rift smoothly at 60 FPS, so Riot will likely skip support for those devices entirely.
Should You Wait for a League of Legends Console Release?
If you’re holding off on buying a gaming PC because you’re sure will League of Legends come to console next year, you might want to rethink that plan. Riot has made it clear that a console port is not on its immediate roadmap, so you could be waiting anywhere from 1 to 3 years for an official release. There are plenty of ways to play LoL or a similar experience on console right now if you don’t want to wait.
If you want to play a Riot-made MOBA on console right now, you can already play League of Legends: Wild Rift via cloud gaming services on most modern consoles. The experience isn’t as smooth as a native port, and you’ll need a strong internet connection to avoid input lag, but it’s a good option if you just want to mess around with casual matches with friends. You can also try other console MOBAs like Smite or Pokémon Unite if you want a native, polished MOBA experience on your console right now.
If you’re a competitive player who wants to climb the ranked ladder, you’re better off investing in a budget gaming PC to play the core version of League of Legends. You can build a PC that runs LoL at 144 FPS for under $500 right now, which is cheaper than most new console bundles. The core PC version also gets new champions, updates, and esports content months before Wild Rift, so you’ll get access to all the latest content first.
Avoid buying any "early access" codes or pre-orders for a LoL console port, as none have been officially confirmed for sale as of now. Scammers often post fake pre-order links on social media and marketplace sites, so never share your payment information or account details with anyone claiming to sell early access to the game. Riot will announce pre-orders publicly months before any official launch, so you’ll have plenty of time to reserve a copy if you want one.
At the end of the day, the question will League of Legends come to console doesn't have a simple yes or no answer right now. Riot hasn't canceled plans for a console release, but it's not on their immediate roadmap either, so you could be waiting a while for a native port. In the meantime, you can try the Wild Rift cloud version if you want to get a feel for the game on your console, or pick up a budget PC if you're ready to jump into the core League experience. Whenever Riot has official news to share, we'll update this post with all the latest details so you're the first to know.