League of Legends, the popular MOBA, faced an unexpected outage as its digital license expired, rendering the game unplayable for a brief period. This expiration occurred on January 4, 2026, when the digital certificate, which verifies software authenticity, became invalid. Players managed to bypass this issue by rolling their system clocks back, although this could potentially disrupt other applications. Riot Games has since resolved the problem. The situation highlights the vulnerabilities of digital services, similar to a previous digital certificate issue affecting Steam Deck. Riot is currently planning significant updates for League of Legends, including a major overhaul set for 2027.

What caused League of Legends to become unplayable?

The game became unplayable due to the expiration of its digital license, which verified its authenticity. Players temporarily circumvented this issue by rolling their system clocks back to the previous date before the expiration.

League of Legends has been a cornerstone of the competitive gaming scene since its release in 2009. Developed by Riot Games, it has transformed the landscape of esports and has garnered a huge global community. With a new version planned for release in 2027, players can expect substantial changes aimed at revitalizing the game and enhancing the gameplay experience.