Riot introduces LoL’s new Vampire Survivors-inspired PvE game mode

Players, prepare to Swarm together.

Battle Bunny prime Riven hops into battle
Image via Riot Games

Players will swarm into League of Legends for the new PvE game mode set to arrive on the client with the summer event. 

Recommended Videos

In the latest Dev Update video, the League team shared details about Swarm, the new game mode previously described as a “bullet heaven survivor” event. Arriving in mid-July, the summer event is rumored to be themed around the Anima universe, with leaked skins hinting at the return of the 2022 skin line.

A screen showing a single LoL hero being surrounded by plenty of enemies on screen
In April, the League team showed this image of their upcoming bullet heaven game mode. Screenshot via Riot Games

While not many official details have been shared about Swarm, players can expect it to bear similarities to Vampire Survivors, featuring swarms of enemies and almost impossible-to-beat bosses. Unlike the single-player experience of the Poncle game, however, Swarm will offer a cooperative gameplay environment where players can tackle the challenges ahead together.

The anticipation surrounding PvE events in League is always high, especially this time, given the success of previous iterations and the long years of yearning for a new one. But as Swarm is tied to the summer event, it’s likely this game mode will only be available for two to three months. Still, it wouldn’t be surprising to see players asking Riot to make it permanent—if they like it half as much as the Extraction or Invasion game modes. 

But while Riot has been working on adding a new permanent game mode to League—Arena—it’s unlikely Swarm will be a long-term addition to the game. Riot may choose to revisit and refine the PvE mode for future events, though, providing players with opportunities to enjoy a different iteration of Swarm again—maybe for a Void-themed, endgame event.

The summer event typically begins in early to mid-July, and players can expect Swarm to be available in the client after the Hall of Legends event celebrating Faker ends.

Author
Image of Cecilia Ciocchetti
Cecilia Ciocchetti
Freelance writer mainly focusing on the League of Legends and VALORANT esports scenes. Sometimes at events interviewing professionals of the scene, from players to the talented people working behind the curtains. You can reach out to me via Twitter.