League of Legends Fearless Draft to Remain for 2025 Season
The Fearless Draft system that has been utilized by the top League of Legends esports leagues is set to stay in place for the remainder of the 2025 season.
The change marks the first modification to the drafting phase since Riot Games introduced fourth and fifth bans.
According to Sheep Esports, the Fearless Draft system will be featured across the LEC, LTA, LPL, LCK, and LCP leagues, along with the Mid-Season Invitational (MSI) and the season-ending World Championship.
The debut split of 2025 served as a trial for the new format and has contributed to an increase in viewership across the LEC and the LCK. The EMEA-based league recorded peak viewership of over 800,000, while the LCK Cup saw 1.9m viewers during the second day of its playoffs.
The introduction of Fearless Draft has led to a greater variety in the champions selected by teams before a match commences. The system ensures that the same champion cannot be picked twice in the same series, resulting in more unique matchups.
For example, Azir, the most picked champion in the 2024 and 2025 editions of the LEC Winter Playoffs, was selected 23 times last year, but only 13 times this year.
Is Fearless Draft a Step in the Right Direction?
The inclusion of Fearless Draft in League of Legends esports signifies a positive move from Riot Games. Earlier this year, the company reversed its decision to remove Hextech Chests from the MOBA.
Riot Games has a history of listening to community feedback. Past seasons have seen fans witness teams repeatedly choosing the same champions and compositions, leading to a lack of variety.
Fearless Draft breathes new life into the highest level of competition, compelling players to diversify their champion pool and teams to devise fresh strategies to outplay their opponents.