Mark your calendars, Riftbounders: Vendetta preview season officially kicks off Monday, July 6. Riot confirmed the date just before heading into its summer break, and with Set 4 of the League of Legends TCG hitting shelves July 31, the next four weeks are going to be a nonstop stream of new cards, new mechanics, and some of the most personal matchups Runeterra has to offer. Here’s everything you need to know going in — whether you’ve been grinding Regional Qualifiers all season or you’re just now Rift-curious.
What Is Vendetta?
Vendetta is Riftbound’s fourth main set, and its theme is right there in the name: rivalries. Instead of a loose collection of champions, Set 4 is built around iconic League grudges — Zed vs. Shen, Nasus vs. Renekton, Vi vs. Jinx, and Jayce vs. Viktor. Nine new Legends anchor the set (in Riftbound, your Legend is the champion that defines your deck’s identity and domains), including Akali, Mel, and Ambessa alongside the feuding pairs. Expect some deliciously weird domain pairings as Riot leans into what makes each rivalry tick.
The flashiest new collectible is the “Overnumbered” Showcase variant: two rival champions printed on facing artwork, so when you set the pair side by side they complete one connected battle scene. The first pair Riot showed off is Jayce vs. Viktor, and it’s a stunner — half the fun of Vendetta will be chasing the matching halves.
The Preview Schedule
Previews run July 6–17, opening with a Dev Drop video and a full Vendetta Overview article at 6pm Pacific on day one — timed to align with the set’s simultaneous release in China. From there, Riot has tapped a small army of creators and outlets to reveal cards daily, with the official Card Gallery updating every afternoon at 5pm Pacific. Don’t want to chase every drop across the internet? Follow the #RBVendetta hashtag and you’ll catch them all. The whole run caps off with China Major event coverage on July 18.
Showdown Decks: Riftbound’s Best On-Ramp Yet
Vendetta also introduces Showdown Decks, Riftbound’s first two-player preconstructed product. The debut box pits Zed against Shen — two ready-to-play 56-card decks, two booster packs, two paper playmats, and a rules booklet for $34.99. Crack it open with a friend and you’re playing a thematic grudge match in minutes, no deckbuilding required. If you’ve been waiting for a low-commitment way to try Riftbound, this is it: one box teaches two people the game, and the rivalry theme means the decks are actually designed to fight each other.
Hartford Sends Off the Unleashed Era
Vendetta’s arrival also closes a competitive chapter. At Regional Qualifier Hartford — the final RQ of the Unleashed season — Factor finally broke through with Master Yi, Wuju Bladesman, taking down the whole tournament after Top 8 finishes at the previous two RQs. Master Yi was the most-played Legend in the room by a wide margin (18.2% of Day 2), with Diana, LeBlanc, and Irelia rounding out the top of the metagame.
It’s a fitting send-off, because Vendetta triggers Riftbound’s first big Best-Of rotation: Riot maintains premium “Best Of” prizing for Legends from the last three sets, so Origins and Proving Grounds Legends lose that prize support once Set 4 lands. Those older Legends stay tournament-legal — but expect the competitive field to look very different come August.
Key Dates
- July 6–17: Vendetta preview season (Dev Drop + Overview article July 6, 6pm PT)
- July 18: China Major event coverage
- July 24–30: Pre-Rift early-play window
- July 31: Vendetta global release
Bonus news for the global community: Riot also announced that Korean is joining Riftbound’s printed languages, following French earlier this year — another sign this game’s momentum keeps building.
We’ll be tracking the biggest Vendetta reveals as preview season unfolds, so keep an eye on this space. Which rivalry are you rooting for — Zed’s shadows or Shen’s balance? Come tell us on our socials, and find more spotlights, deck techs, and TCG news at manariotgames.com.