League of Legends, a popular online game, offers players various methods to acquire cosmetic items, such as skins and Riot Points (RP), without direct purchase. These methods include subscription-based services like Prime Gaming and periodic promotional codes released by Riot Games. This article details the available free content, eligibility requirements, and redemption processes based on official announcements and verified sources.
Prime Gaming, a benefit of an Amazon Prime subscription, has a long-term partnership with Riot Games. This collaboration provides monthly free loot capsules for League of Legends players who link their Amazon and Riot accounts. According to an official announcement from Riot Games, the partnership was announced in October 2021, making Prime Gaming a global sponsor across Riot’s esports titles. The announcement detailed a revamped Twitch Prime giveaway system that replaced the previous capsule format. The new Prime Gaming Capsules were scheduled to be distributed monthly through at least December 2022, with the official Prime Gaming League of Legends page showing drops scheduled through that date.
The contents of the monthly Prime Gaming Capsule were specified in the announcement. Each capsule includes a set of free items. The contents are as follows: - 650 RP - One 1350 RP Skin Permanent (unowned) - 200 Orange Essence - Five Champion Shards - Two Series 1 Eternal Shards - A 30-day XP Boost
The announcement also noted that Prime Gaming would periodically award players bonus esports-related giveaways. These bonus drops were marked for May 2022 and October 2022, likely corresponding with the 2022 Mid-Season Invitational and the 2022 League of Legends World Championship. The first capsule and a "Worlds 2021 Happiness Overload Emote" were available to claim starting on the announcement date. The total value of the scheduled drops was calculated as follows, assuming the monthly capsules continued through December 2022: - 9,750 RP - Fifteen 1350 RP Skin Permanents (unowned) - 3,000 Orange Essence - 75 Champion Shards - Thirty Series 1 Eternal Shards - 450 days of XP Boost - Three Esports Emotes
This represented a significant increase in value compared to the previous system, which offered four monthly non-permanent skin shards. The partnership also extends to Riot’s other esports titles, including VALORANT Esports and Wild Rift Esports, providing free content during various events. For example, viewers of the League of Legends World Championship could collect a custom esports emote, with more exclusive emotes available during 2022 global events.
In addition to the subscription-based Prime Gaming programme, Riot Games periodically releases promotional codes that provide free RP, skins, champions, or other in-game items. These codes are often distributed during special events, partnerships, or through official channels. It is important to note that these codes are typically limited in number and have a short validity period. They are also region-specific; a code for one region cannot be used on another.
To redeem a code, players can use the League of Legends client or the official redemption website. The process is straightforward, but codes are case-sensitive, and it is recommended to copy and paste the code to avoid errors. If a player receives an error message stating "This code has already been redeemed," it means the code has already been used on that account. The system remembers all redeemed codes across all regions.
Promotional codes can provide a variety of rewards. Some codes grant permanent skins that are added directly to the player's collection. Others may provide skin shards, which require Orange Essence to convert into a permanent skin. Still other codes offer direct RP, typically between 100 and 250 RP, though special event codes may offer up to 650 RP. Some codes unlock specific champions or champion shards, which can be useful for new players or those levelling alternate accounts. Other codes provide temporary XP boosts, which can be activated immediately, or loot boxes (chests) that may contain random rewards such as skins, wards, or emotes. The most valuable codes often include both a chest and a key.
Beyond Prime Gaming and promotional codes, the provided sources mention other methods for obtaining free skins in League of Legends. These methods are part of the game's built-in systems and event structures.
The Hextech Crafting system is the foundational method for acquiring free skins. Players can earn Hextech Chests by achieving S-, S, or S+ grades on champions they own, or by having a premade teammate earn one. Hextech Keys are earned randomly by winning games and maintaining a good Honor level. Combining a chest and a key unlocks loot, which often includes skin shards. Players have three options for a skin shard: use Orange Essence to upgrade it into a permanent skin, reroll three skin shards into a random unowned permanent skin, or disenchant it for Orange Essence.
League of Legends frequently hosts in-game events, often tied to new skin lines or seasonal celebrations. While these events feature a paid Event Pass with premium rewards, a free track is always available to all players. By completing event-specific missions, players earn event tokens or progress along the free reward track. The free track typically includes Hextech Chests, Keys, Blue Essence, Icons, Emotes, and sometimes event-specific Orbs, which have a higher chance of containing skin shards.
Another method mentioned is achieving a good score in games. In Season 14, Riot changed the system to reward players for getting S grades. While the specific mechanics of this reward system are not detailed in the provided sources, it is listed as a method for obtaining free skins.
It is important to evaluate the reliability of the sources providing this information. The announcement regarding the Prime Gaming partnership and capsule contents originates from an official Riot Games Twitter post and the official Prime Gaming League of Legends page, which are authoritative sources. Information about promotional codes and other free skin methods comes from third-party gaming websites and blogs. While these sources provide useful overviews, they are not official Riot Games publications. Therefore, details such as the specific contents of promotional codes or the exact workings of the Hextech Crafting system should be verified on the official League of Legends website or client for the most accurate and up-to-date information.
In summary, UK players of League of Legends have several avenues to obtain free skins and RP. The Prime Gaming programme, requiring an Amazon Prime subscription, offers a substantial monthly package of in-game items. Periodic promotional codes provide additional, though limited, freebies. Furthermore, the game's own systems, including Hextech Crafting and event participation, offer consistent opportunities to earn cosmetics without direct purchase. Players should rely on official Riot Games channels for the most reliable information regarding offer availability and redemption processes.