League of Legends YouTuber unearths the original investor pitch from when the game was called Onslaught: War of the Immortals
League of Legends content creator Necrit has discovered the original investor pitch for Riot Games’ flagship title, revealing significant differences between the game’s early concept and its current form. The game was originally titled “Onslaught: War of the Immortals” and featured a 6v6 team structure rather than the current 5v5 format.
Early character designs were notably distinct from their modern counterparts. Sion, for instance, originally featured facial hair, while Lee Sin—originally named Xizun—had the passive ability “Built like a brick wall on roids,” a substantial departure from his current mechanics. The game’s narrative framework also differed significantly, with the story centered around “an antichrist of sorts.”
Necrit documented the discovery in a video uploaded recently, with collaboration from Paul “Pabro” Bellezza of Riot Games, lending official credibility to the findings. The investor pitch appears to date back to the mid-2000s, evidenced by visual and design elements reminiscent of that era—around the time “Paralyzer” by Finger Eleven was a charting single.
This discovery provides valuable insight into League of Legends’ development evolution and serves as an important contribution to gaming history and preservation. It demonstrates how significantly Riot Games’ vision evolved from initial concept to the globally dominant esports title that exists today, reshaping the competitive gaming landscape over nearly two decades.