Long before League of Legends became one of the world's biggest games, Riot Games was developing a very different version that featured customizable immortals, faction-based gameplay, and a drastically different world.

The earliest version of League of Legends has been shown in greater detail thanks to League YouTuber Necrit and Riot Games developer Paul "Pabro" Bellezza. The footage and documents offer a rare look at the game's earliest concept, revealing just how dramatically Riot's original vision changed before the MOBA eventually became the game millions of players know today.

Necrit recently shared the full story in a video after asking Riot to show him the earliest possible version of League of Legends. Riot responded by providing an old investor pitch containing video footage, design documents for several champions, lore information, and screenshots from the game's early development.

Some of the material had previously appeared through leaks, but the presentation contains plenty of previously unseen details that show just how different Riot's original concept was.

The prototype, which was known as Onslaught: War of the Immortals, is almost unrecognizable compared to modern League of Legends. Instead of the familiar Summoner's Rift, the game was set in a colorful, cartoon-inspired city divided between two realms representing Order and Chaos.

Players would take control of customizable immortals, with the ability to temporarily bring certain characters into battle during major moments. Some heroes were also exclusive to one of the two factions, meaning players would have to choose an allegiance when they first began playing.

The differences extend to the game's characters as well. Several familiar champions were already present in some form, but their appearances and concepts were often dramatically different from what players know today.

Annie was already associated with her iconic flaming teddy bear, although her design was considerably different. Sion was also present, but the early version of the champion featured a beard that looks particularly strange compared to his modern appearance.
Singed is perhaps the closest thing to a recognizable character from the early concept, although even he was known as "Zij" in the original material.

The game's early lore is arguably even more different from modern League of Legends. The pitch describes a world where the Order and Chaos factions initially existed peacefully alongside one another until the birth of what the documents describe as "an antichrirst of sorts."

That figure ultimately tears a massive hole in reality, creating a threat capable of consuming all existence and forcing the two factions into conflict.The pitch's presentation also appears to embrace the darker, edgier tone that was common in gaming during the era. Even Riot's logo is presented covered in blood, making the early concept feel like a completely different interpretation of what would eventually become League of Legends.

Seeing the prototype also puts the modern game's development into perspective. While League of Legends Classic has attempted to recreate an earlier version of Riot's MOBA, this footage demonstrates that the game's earliest incarnation existed long before the version most players consider "classic."In fact, the original concept is so different that calling it an early version of League of Legends almost feels generous.

The faction system, setting, character designs, and lore all underwent enormous changes before Riot settled on the formula that would eventually define the MOBA genre.For longtime League of Legends players, the footage provides a fascinating glimpse at a version of the game that could easily have become something entirely different. If Riot had followed this original vision, Summoner's Rift, its familiar champions, and much of the game's established identity might never have existed in their current forms.