Riot explains why TFT is being kept as a League game mode instead of a separate game

Teamfight Tactics has been one of the most popular autobattler games since its release in June 2019. Its player base is strong and the game is constantly shifting with new content, so many people have wondered why it hasn’t been split off into its own game.

But today, Riot Games provided some of the reasons why that’s the case in a recent developer’s blog.

“The current approach gives development efficiencies when it comes to building code and content, both for TFT and for the MOBA side of LoL, meaning we can get more done than we otherwise could,” Riot game director Andrei “Meddler” van Roon said.

Riot also said that since both TFT and regular Summoner’s Rift players overlap, there’s value in keeping movement between the two games easy and hassle-free. Players don’t need to log into another client since they just have to access it alongside ranked and normal Rift matches.

The work needed to split the two games would be pretty significant, too. That project would take up time that “could be spent on developing or improving other features,” Meddler said. Ultimately, the move wouldn’t be worth the time when things are already running smoothly for users.

Riot did reveal some future plans for TFT, including separating ranked TFT game history, a dedicated news hub for the game, and making sure that TFT borders aren’t being seen on Summoner’s Rift.