The Fearless Draft system that’s been used by the top League of Legends esports leagues will remain in place for the rest of the 2025 season.
The change is the first adjustment to the drafting phase since Riot Games introduced fourth and fifth bans.
First reported by Sheep Esports, the Fearless Draft system will feature across the LEC, LTA, LPL, LCK, and LCP leagues in addition to the Mid-Season Invitational (MSI) and the season-ending World Championship.
The opening split of 2025 was a trial for the new format and has played a role in increasing viewing figures across the LEC and the LCK. The EMEA-based league recorded peak viewership of over 800,000, while the LCK Cup recorded 1.9m during the second day of its playoffs.
The introduction of Fearless Draft has resulted in a greater diversity in the champions selected for teams before a match begins. The system prevents the same champion from being selected twice in the same series, resulting in more unique matches.
For example, Azir was the champion picked the most across the 2024 and 2025 editions of the LEC Winter Playoffs. Last year, they were selected 23 times, while this year saw them picked just 13 times.
Is Fearless Draft a Step in the Right Direction?
The implementation of Fearless Draft in League of Legends esports is a positive step from Riot Games. In February, it reverted its decision to remove Hextech Chests from the MOBA.
The developer and publisher is no stranger to acknowledging community feedback.
Previous seasons have seen fans watch teams pick the same champions and compositions on several occasions, resulting in a lack of variety.
Fearless Draft injects a new lease of life into the highest level of competition, with players having to expand their pool of champions and teams creating fresh strategies to defeat their opponents.
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