Riot Games Overhauls Riftbound Merch Store Drawing System: Key Changes and What Players Need to Know

By Ollie Ring, Senior Editor
Updated: May 12, 2026

Riot Games has officially announced a significant restructuring of the selection process for its Riftbound: League of Legends Trading Card Game (TCG) merchandise store. Following months of persistent challenges regarding supply chain pressure, aggressive bot activity, and overwhelming consumer demand, the publisher is pivoting toward a more flexible and equitable system. These revisions, which arrive just ahead of the second Unleashed merch store drawing, aim to balance product availability while reducing the friction that has plagued collectors since the game’s debut.

The Riftbound ecosystem, which launched its initial product line on October 31, 2025, has faced a turbulent road to market. While the game has garnered significant critical acclaim and a dedicated player base, the physical card market has been defined by scarcity. By transitioning away from the traditional "first-come, first-served" model toward a controlled, lottery-based drawing system, Riot is attempting to stabilize the market and curb the influence of secondary-market scalpers.

The New Drawing Schedule and Scope

The second Unleashed merch store drawing is set to commence on Monday, May 18, at 9 AM PT, closing precisely 48 hours later on Wednesday, May 20, at 9 AM PT. For those lucky enough to be selected, notification emails are scheduled to begin circulating on Tuesday, May 26, with fulfillment windows anticipated to open in early to mid-June.

This iteration of the drawing is extensive, covering a wide array of high-demand items. Players will have the opportunity to register for:

• Booster Displays: Including the Origins, Spiritforged, and the latest Unleashed sets.
• Proving Grounds Box Sets: A staple for competitive players looking to expand their collections.

Riot’s decision to include older sets like Origins and Spiritforged alongside the newer Unleashed content underscores a commitment to helping newer players "catch up" without being forced to pay exorbitant markups on third-party platforms.

Refining the "Catch-Up" Eligibility Criteria

The most impactful change in this update concerns the "Catch-Up Pool"—a dedicated allocation of stock designed specifically for players who have consistently struck out in previous drawings. Initially, the criteria for this pool were broad, covering a wide range of previous entry attempts. However, following a wave of community feedback, Riot has narrowed the requirements to ensure the system feels more intuitive and less exclusionary.

Previously, eligibility was tethered to a history of unsuccessful entries across the Spiritforged, Lunar Revel Bundle, and the first Unleashed drawings. If a player had failed to secure a win in any of those, they were eligible. Now, Riot has streamlined this: eligibility will be evaluated strictly on entries for Spiritforged and Unleashed Booster Displays.

This is a critical distinction. Under the old rules, a player who managed to purchase a smaller item—such as a Vi Champion Deck or a Lunar Revel bundle—might have been disqualified from the Catch-Up pool because they were technically "successful" in a transaction. By narrowing the focus to Booster Displays, Riot ensures that players who bought smaller, non-booster products can still compete for the high-value booster boxes they missed. It is a nuanced but vital shift that prevents the system from feeling punitive toward those who support the game through smaller purchases.

Quality of Life: The New "Cart Modification" Feature

Perhaps the most requested feature from the community has been the ability to curate one’s own cart upon selection. In the original iteration of the drawing system, being selected meant a "take it or leave it" scenario: you were required to purchase every item you were drawn for. If you were selected for an Unleashed Booster Display and a Proving Grounds set, you had to pay for both.

Recognizing the financial burden this placed on players, Riot is introducing cart flexibility. Selected players will now be able to remove individual items from their pre-filled carts before finalizing their checkout.

This change comes with a stern warning: the action is irreversible. Once an item is removed from a cart, it is immediately returned to the general inventory pool for other players to claim. Riot’s support team has been clear that they cannot "restore" items if a user makes a mistake or changes their mind after the fact. This feature represents a balance between player agency and the logistical need to keep stock moving.

Contextualizing the Market: Unleashed and Future Supply

The timing of this drawing is strategic, occurring just before the next phase of the Summoner Skirmish events. With the broader English-language release of Unleashed having occurred on May 8, the competitive scene is beginning to coalesce. The upcoming Skirmish windows on May 25 and June 22 will likely see a surge in demand for the cards introduced in the Unleashed set.

For collectors, Unleashed is particularly significant due to the inclusion of the game’s first "Ultimate Rare" card—a special variant of Baron Nashor. Riot has disclosed that this card appears in fewer than 0.1% of packs, creating a chase mechanic that has naturally driven demand.

To mitigate the supply issues that plagued the initial months of the game, Riot has confirmed that they are actively scaling up production. In April, the company announced that reprints of the Origins and Proving Grounds sets were entering the distribution pipeline. These shipments are expected to arrive in waves throughout May, with the goal of eventually reaching a "healthy" supply level where the scarcity-driven secondary market loses its momentum.

Official Guidelines and Security Protocols

Entering the drawing remains a process that requires vigilance against fraud and bot activity. Riot has reiterated the following requirements:

1. Account Standing: Only accounts in good standing are eligible.
2. Single Entry: Registration is strictly limited to one entry per Riot ID.
3. Zero Tolerance: The use of scripts, bots, or multiple accounts will result in immediate bans.

If a player is selected, they will receive a unique, non-transferable purchase link via email. This link leads to a pre-filled cart on the Riot Merch Store. The purchase must be completed within a strict 24-hour window; failure to do so results in the expiration of the link, and the items are then cycled to another participant.

Riot has noted that this drawing will utilize updated security measures designed to detect and block malicious automated traffic. This is part of a broader, ongoing effort to preserve the integrity of the Riftbound ecosystem.

Implications for the Future

The evolution of the Riftbound merch store model reflects a company in the process of learning on the fly. Navigating the intersection of high-tier competitive gaming and the volatile TCG collector market is a daunting task. While scalping and supply shortages remain a persistent threat—a phenomenon we have seen across everything from game consoles to trading cards—Riot’s commitment to iterating on its distribution model is a positive sign for the longevity of the game.

By introducing the "Catch-Up" refinement and cart flexibility, Riot is essentially admitting that its first-generation systems were too rigid. Whether these changes will be enough to satisfy the community remains to be seen, but for the thousands of players looking to open their next booster pack, the process is finally beginning to look more like a fair game and less like a digital lottery.

As the May 18th opening approaches, the pressure is on for both the developers to maintain the integrity of the store and for the community to navigate these new rules with care. In a landscape where the "fear of missing out" (FOMO) often drives aggressive market behavior, these changes offer a welcome layer of stability to the Riftbound experience.