Riot Games has published the second Riftbound State of the Game for August 2026, celebrating the trading card game's first year with reflections from the team and a look ahead toward 2027. We got a candid rundown from Editor-in-Chief Trick Jarrett alongside Executive Producer Chengran Chai, Game Director Dave Guskin, and Design Director Nik Davidson, and there's a lot to dig into.
Quote From Riftbound We intend to publish these twice a year, usually around February and August. The Spring edition will generally focus on the year ahead, whereas the Fall edition is when we begin turning toward the next year.
What Else Is Riot Sharing This Week?
The State of the Game is just the opening act. Jarrett confirmed a full week of content rolling out alongside it:
A "Looking Ahead for 2026 and 2027" product rundown covering this year's products and future Riftbound sets, plus a high-level overview of the booster sets planned through 2027.
Plans for Organized Play in 2027, along with details about the European Regional Championship.
A Roadmap article update and an update for Creators heading into 2027.
How Is Riftbound's First Year Going?
According to Game Director Dave Guskin, the launch has gone well. He said it's safe to say Riftbound has succeeded after its global launch last year, with a thriving competitive scene, players hyped about new sets, and plenty of discussion around new decks for new Legends. He called out the Unleashed meta as one of the best yet, and pointed to excitement for collectible items like the Ultimate Baron, the upcoming T1 bundle, plated Legends, and more.
Executive Producer Chengran Chai singled out the community as a personal highlight. He described a tremendous outpouring of support from the newly formed Riftbound community, from creative content for every reveal season to players supporting each other by giving cards to newcomers, whether at their local game store or at Regionals.
We're also seeing Secret Garden, "your gateway to a lush world of alternate art cards from Riftbound's third set, Unleashed. Become one with the forest with alt-arts of Lillia, Bashful Bloom, Ivern, Green Father, and Ultrasoft Poro, plus five alt-art tokens and a bunch more!"
As announced, this product will be available at select events, including this past weekend at Gen Con.
What Has the Team Learned Since Launch?
Guskin was refreshingly honest about the bumps. He said it's never great to have to ban cards, pointing to Spiritforged and the evolution of the meta, where Miracle decks and Draven were both powerful in a distorting way. Even so, he doesn't regret making powerful things, because the team wants players to have cool stuff to experiment with. He added that there's still room to grow in how the team approaches designing the six domains and gauging the true power of certain mechanics, as well as learning how and when to use powerful mechanics and cards across sets.
The other big area of learning has been the precision of rules and card text. Guskin noted that Riftbound is attracting a diverse group of players from different backgrounds, which is exciting but has also made clear there's work to be done to make the game accessible to the newest Riftbounders. He said the team has already taken strides to improve the clarity and learnability of the game.
Chai echoed that details matter a lot, describing TCGs as complex projects with many teams and partners, and reiterating that the team is approaching Riftbound with a growth mindset focused on learning and improving. He said the team is constantly refining and improving its processes, both internal and external, to meet its own high expectations and those of players.
What Did Players Want to Know?
Jarrett noted that many of the questions came from community submissions gathered on social media. Here are a few of the highlights:
When will my favorite champion arrive? Guskin's stock answer is "One day!" He explained that the universe of League of Legends is vast, and the team evaluates whether a champion fits a set on a few axes:
Does it fit with the theme? Some champions might be less popular but are a great fit for a particular set's theme and lineup.
Does it let the team tell cool stories or explore cool relationships?
Do the champion's mechanics align with the mechanical identity of the set?
He added that the best fits check all those boxes, but the team is also always looking for oddballs that fill a puzzle-piece shaped hole in a set's themes or mechanics.
Will Riftbound stay reactive to player feedback as it grows? Guskin's answer was an emphatic yes, full stop. He said the team is building the game with players, and believes the strongest version of Riftbound is one where the team listens carefully and integrates player feedback and experiences. He stressed that the team plays the game, are all long-time TCG fans and veterans, and share the same mission as the players.
How has the team changed after a year? Chai said it's bigger than a year ago, with many more critical roles added since launch, including Creative Director Brice, Art Director Allen, and Publishing Director Rachel, among others.
A Thank-You to the Community
Jarrett closed his note by thanking the community, calling Riftbound's first year a lot of fun to work on and expressing excitement to keep building the game together. He praised the community as something special, from the previews it produces to regional communities like the one in Poland, community creations such as #Liftbound, the growth of the judge community, and the welcoming nature players find as they venture out to events.
With Organized Play details, a product roadmap through 2027, and a Creators update all landing this week, it looks like a busy stretch for Riftbound. Which champion are you hoping makes it into a future set? Let us know in the comments.
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