Riot is bringing League of Legends’ lore to a new level in an upcoming single-player turn-based RPG game. The Ruined King: A League of Legends Story is in development and scheduled to launch in early 2021, Riot Forge announced today during Worlds 2020.
Ruined King: A League of Legends Story is developed by Airship Syndicate, the studio that created games like Battle Chasers: Nightwar and Darksiders Genesis, and is led by comic book artist Joe Madureira. It’ll be the first game published by Riot Forge.
Fans will recognize two regions of Runaterra, while new players will be able to discover a part of the League universe in an immersive way. The story is set in Bilgewater and the Shadow Isles. They’ll hold many mysteries for players to uncover while exploring the world.
“Ruined King is a great way to expand the world of Runeterra for brand new players as well as our dedicated League of Legends fans,” said Leanne Loombe, the head of Riot Forge. “We are excited to take this plunge into exploring stories and champions that players have enjoyed over the years, and can’t wait for our players to embark on this new adventure with us.”
Bilgewater is a port city that’s home to champions such as Miss Fortune, Illaoi, Graves, Gangplank, and Fizz. Players will encounter sea monster hunters, dock gangs, and smugglers living in this land. In the Shadow Isles, players will have to deal with the Black Mist curse, which corrupts those who come in contact with it. Champions like Kalista, Thresh, Karthus, and Hecarim originate from the Shadow Isles.
To defeat a common and mysterious enemy, players will form an unlikely party of beloved League champions: Miss Fortune, Illaoi, Braum, Yasuo, Ahri, and Pyke.
League fans will be able to play on console for the first time, too. Ruined King will be available on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Steam, and the Epic Games Store.
The game will also be compatible with the upcoming next-gen consoles, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. Those who buy it for PS4 or Xbox One can later upgrade to PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, respectively, for free.
Riot Forge is a publishing label within Riot Games that complements the company’s research and development program. Forge is focused on working with experienced studios outside of Riot, so Riot isn’t developing the games, only publishing them.
The creation of Riot Forge indicates that more single-player games exploring and expanding on the League universe could be developed in the future. Riot Forge hasn’t announced a specific release date nor any game mechanics yet. Ruined King: A League of Legends Story will launch in early 2021.
