Legends of Runeterra enters open beta Jan. 24, more details revealed

Riot Games’ upcoming digital card game Legends of Runeterra will be entering open beta later this month. In a video on the Legends of Runeterra YouTube channel, design director Andrew Yip and executive producer Jeff Jew discuss what is coming for the game in 2020.

“The beta season will last until launch. You can expect balance and seasons and balance updates that will reduce the grind while making the competitive meta more dynamic,” said Yip. “Ranked is a key element of the Legends of Runeterra experience.”

How Riot plans to experiment more with the meta

During ranked play, players will climb from Iron through Master. Players also lock in those tiers throughout the season, so if you drop a few games once the game won’t penalize you too much. Yip and Jew explain that one of the problems with card games is that, in order to climb ranks, players might feel pressured to play only a few decks. By allowing players to test and experiment with new decks and play styles with minimal threat to their ranking, they hope to make a better competitive environment.

Some of the features that will be available include ranked play, friend challenge feature, a social panel, and more. Because of the emphasis on cosmetics in the game, players will have the option to purchase three new guardians that sit on the battlefield while you play: Snapper, Gromp Jr., and T-Hex, with T-Hex being the best of course.

Players will have new boards available too, with unique music and effects based on the different regions of Runeterra. The video also promises that in the future there will be more cosmetic options to choose from, along with emotes to express yourself in-game.

Throughout 2020, Riot Games will release new sets to Legends of Runeterra, each representing a different region of Runeterra. Each set will add new mechanics to the game and will also give every previous region a new champion.

Yip and Jew also confirm that once the open beta begins, there will be no more account resets. Players can feel safe in building their collections and not worrying about losing the progress they make between betas.

Legends of Runeterra enters open beta Jan. 24 on PC. Mobile versions of the game are expected later in 2020, but a release window was not given in the video.

Excited to get into the open beta? Ready to climb the ranks in a fresh new card game? Let us know in the comments, and follow Daily Esports for all your Legends of Runeterra news!