League of Legends has a new PvE bullet heaven game mode called Swarm, and it’s got a full Anima Squad theme. It’s getting close to release, and we already know a lot about the gameplay and champions that’ll be available.
This is the first PvE mode LoL has had for over 5 years, and longtime LoL players are excited to hop in once it releases.
Swarm mode will be a departure from the regular LoL gameplay fans have come to know, like Ranked or even modes like Arena. It’ll be a PvE mode similar to indie hit Vampire Survivors, and will put players against the Primordians in a battle for survival.
Here’s everything we know about League of Legends Swarm mode from its release window, playable champions, gameplay details & more.
Swarm: Operation Anima Squad release window
The PvE mode for League of Legends will be released alongside the mid-year Summer event on July 17, 2024. The mode will then be retired on August 19, 2024, and may return at a later date depending on player feedback.
How does LoL’s Swarm mode work?
Swarm mode is ditching the conventional League of Legends control scheme and going for WASD instead, playing more like Vampire Survivors than the traditional League of Legends you’d think of.
Enemies will be thrown at the player with increasing difficulty as the game goes on, along with some boss enemies thrown in that players will have to team up to take down.
Additionally, the game mode has a progression system that’ll let players level up outside of the game and improve their characters from run to run. Exact details on how this system works haven’t been revealed.
How many playable champions are in Swarm mode?
Riot August has revealed that there will be 9 playable champions in Swarm, with each of them having completely different kits.
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Though a complete list hasn’t been revealed just yet, these 9 champs showed up in the trailer, matching with August’s description:
- Jinx
- Leona
- Yuumi
- Xayah
- Seraphine
- Yasuo
- Illaoi
- Miss Fortune
- Aurora
Additionally, the champions who are getting Primordian skins are set to show up as boss fights.
Here are the four Primordian champs we know of that’ll serve as an obstacle to players in the mode:
- Aatrox
- Bel’Veth
- Briar
- Rek’Sai
Will Swarm mode be permanent in League of Legends?
It has been confirmed by the devs that the mode will not be permanent in League of Legends, and it’ll eventually be vaulted.
While the mode itself is being sustainably built, it will not be a permanent addition to League, instead coming back every so often for players to enjoy on a limited-time basis.
The fact that the event is called Swarm: Operation Anima Squad indicates the possibility that there may be other Swarm modes in the future with different skin line universes featured.
Riot dev H28_G_Evo has confirmed that this initial release will be testing the waters on interest for this mode. If it flops, it won’t be coming back, but the team is looking into building a sustainable base for Swarm to potentially bring it back with different playable champions, bosses, and other changes.