When Riot Games and Xbox Game Pass first announced their partnership during the 2022 Xbox showcase in June, the promise was simple but huge: bring some of the biggest free-to-play PC and mobile titles to Microsoft’s subscription service and give players a meaningful head start. By December 12, 2022, that promise became concrete. League of Legends, League of Legends: Wild Rift, Legends of Runeterra, Teamfight Tactics, and Valorant all joined Xbox Game Pass, and the in-game perks were officially revealed. For anyone who has ever stared at a champion roster and wondered how many hours it would take to unlock everyone, the answer suddenly became: zero—if you linked your accounts.
The Core Perks: What Game Pass Unlocked for Each Riot Title
Riot and Xbox made sure the offer was not just a token freebie. The Game Pass perks touched progression, roster access, and cosmetics across five different games. Here is how the benefits broke down.
| Riot Title | Game Pass Perk | Important Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Valorant | All current Agents, every new Agent at release, and a 20% Match XP boost for Battle Pass, Event Pass, and active Agent Contract progress | A direct shortcut for agent collectors and battle-pass grinders |
| League of Legends | All 160+ champions, every new champion at release, and a 20% XP boost | Removes the traditional champion grind for PC players |
| Legends of Runeterra | All cards in the Foundations Set | A starter collection without the usual pack-opening randomness |
| Teamfight Tactics | 1-Star Rare Little Legend Tacticians, 4 Arena Skins until April 2023, and 1 Arena Skin on monthly rotation thereafter | Cosmetic and tactical variety for auto-battler fans |
| League of Legends: Wild Rift | All 80+ champions, day-one access to every new champion, and a 20% XP boost | Bonuses arrived in January, not December |
The headline for both League of Legends games and Valorant was access to the full roster. In League of Legends, that meant all 160+ champions, plus every new champion as soon as they were released. In Wild Rift, it meant all 80+ champions, plus day-one access to every new champion. In Valorant, it meant all current Agents and every new Agent from launch day. Normally, unlocking characters takes grinding, but with Game Pass, players could skip that process entirely. The 20% XP boost also applied to Battle Pass, Event Pass, and active Agent Contract progress for Valorant, and to general XP for League and Wild Rift.
For Legends of Runeterra, the perk was different but still valuable: all cards in the Foundations Set. That gave new players a functional starting collection without needing to spend time or money on early card packs. For Teamfight Tactics, the rewards leaned cosmetic: 1-Star Rare Little Legend Tacticians, 4 Arena Skins available until April 2023, and 1 Arena Skin that entered a monthly rotation thereafter.
How Players Claimed the Perks
To get the benefits, a player’s Riot and Game Pass accounts had to be connected. Riot said instructions on how to do so would be released on December 12. That account-linking requirement was the gate: no link, no unlocked roster, no XP boost. In 2026, account linking is a familiar ritual across platforms, but at the time it was the key that turned a subscription into a full Riot starter pack.
Limited-Time Bonus Rewards
If players linked their Riot and Game Pass accounts before January 1, they received extra in-game rewards on top of the ongoing perks. The list was a cross-game goodie bag:
| Game | Bonus Reward |
|---|---|
| Valorant | Pocket Sage Buddy |
| League of Legends | Masterwork Chest and Key |
| Teamfight Tactics | Little Legend Rare Egg |
| Wild Rift | Random Emote Chest |
| Legends of Runeterra | Prismatic Chest |
Those rewards created a clear call to action. They were not just permanent unlocks; they were limited-time cosmetics and chests that rewarded early adoption. For players who were already subscribed to Game Pass, the marginal cost of linking was tiny, while the perceived value was high. It was a smart way to push account connections without charging extra.
Why This Deal Mattered
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🔓 It removed one of the biggest barriers in free-to-play games: character unlocks.
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⚡ It accelerated progression with 20% XP boosts, making battle passes and contracts less grindy.
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🎁 It added limited-time cosmetics that made account linking feel urgent.
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📱 It covered PC and mobile, with Wild Rift bringing the perks to mobile players.
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🧩 It required a simple account connection between Riot and Xbox Game Pass.
In 2026, the original December 12 launch and the January deadline are historical markers. The specific Arena Skins that rotated until April 2023 are long gone, and Riot’s live-service games have continued to add champions, agents, cards, and cosmetics. The exact Game Pass offers may have changed, but the blueprint remains relevant: subscription services can transform how free-to-play games feel by turning grind into instant access. For players who missed the original wave, the lesson is to watch for similar crossover events—because when Riot and Xbox team up, the value can be substantial. If a similar deal returns, the first step is always the same: link your accounts.