Teamfight Tactics (TFT) is an auto battler game created and published by Riot Games. It is based on League of Legends and inspired by Dota Auto Chess, a modification for Dota 2 that was influenced by Mahjong. In the game, players compete online against seven other opponents in a team competition to be the last one remaining.
The game was first released as a mode within League of Legends for Windows and macOS in June 2019. It later became a standalone game for Android and iOS devices in March 2020, allowing players to compete across different platforms.
Gameplay
The game is similar to Dota Auto Chess and involves eight players who build teams to fight each other and be the last player standing. The battlefield is made up of hexagons, and players place their units on their side of the board between rounds. During each round, a player is randomly matched against another player or computer-controlled enemies that drop loot. A battle begins between the two teams and continues until all units on one team are defeated or a time limit is reached. Losing a round causes the player to lose health based on the number of enemies remaining and the number of rounds completed.
The game has several stages, each with seven rounds. After the third round of each stage, players participate in a "Carousel" event. During this event, players can choose one unit from a shared rotation of units with random items. The selection order is determined by players' remaining health, from lowest to highest, and assigned to two players at a time. If players have the same health, the game randomly decides the order. On the final round of each stage, players face computer-controlled enemies. The first stage is an exception, with only three rounds of computer-controlled enemies.
Teamfight Tactics updates its unit roster regularly. Every three months, a partial rotation occurs, called a mid-set update by Riot Games developers, which replaces problematic traits and units. Since Teamfight Tactics is part of League of Legends, its patch numbering matches the parent game.
Units in Teamfight Tactics are taken directly from League of Legends champions, including their skins, abilities, and roles. Units share "traits" that create synergies, such as increasing combat power or gold. The game updates its unit pools through content updates called "sets."
Unit rarity is divided into categories based on cost, usually ranging from 1 to 5 gold per unit. Higher rarities have stronger abilities. Each unit starts as a "1 star" and can be upgraded to "2 star" by finding three copies in the shop. A unit can be upgraded to "3 star" by collecting three "2 star" copies (9 units total). Upgrading improves a unit's stats and abilities.
Most units have a health bar and a mana bar. When a unit's health reaches zero, it is removed from the round. When a unit's mana bar is full, it uses a unique ability. Some units may start with some mana, but most begin with no mana unless equipped with special items.
Items are important in Teamfight Tactics, providing bonuses like damage, health, or armor, and granting special effects. Items are grouped into components, completed items, and miscellaneous items. Components offer weaker buffs and require combining with another component to become completed items, which provide stronger effects. Items can be obtained through Carousel rounds, computer-controlled enemy loot, or augments. Each unit has three inventory slots for holding items, components, or special items like emblems, which add traits.
Players earn gold during rounds and can save it to build interest. They also gain extra income through "streak bonuses" by winning or losing multiple rounds in a row. Gold can be used to reroll shop units, buy units, or purchase experience points to increase their level. Higher levels allow players to place more units on the board and access rarer units in the shop.
Augments were added with Set 6: Gizmos & Gadgets and are a key mechanic. These are in-game effects chosen by players during specific rounds, offering buffs, resources (like gold, items, or units), or modifications (such as changing interest rates or increasing unit limits). Augments range in rarity from silver, gold, and prismatic, with higher tiers providing better benefits. Each augment round gives players a choice of three augments to select from.
Development and release
Teamfight Tactics was created based on the popularity of Dota Auto Chess. A team of 12 developers worked on the game to improve its design and make it more fun. The project took 18 weeks to complete: 8 weeks for testing and 10 weeks for the final release.
The game was first released on June 26, 2019, as part of the League of Legends client for Windows and macOS. A version for Android and iOS was released on March 19, 2020. By September 2019, the game had more than 33 million players each month, and players had spent over 1.72 billion hours playing.
In December 2024, Riot Games released a version of Teamfight Tactics called Golden Spatula for Android and iOS in Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore. This version includes special items and partnerships with other games.
Teamfight Tactics makes money by selling cosmetic items and season passes. It has its own store separate from League of Legends. Players can customize their avatar, called a Tactician (previously known as "Little Legend"), by buying items from the store. These items can be upgraded using "Little Legend eggs" or star shards, which can be bought or earned through the season pass. A new system called "treasure tokens" was added to help players get rare avatars. The term "Tactician" is now used more often, but "Little Legend" is still commonly used.
Players can also buy skins for the game board where battles take place. These skins can be purchased directly or through bundles. Some boards are simple, while others are interactive and react to achievements. There are also "Booms," which change the visual effects of the Tactician’s attacks. All Booms released so far are rewards from the Battle Pass.
In November 2024, a new type of Tactician called "Unbound" was introduced to promote the release of a new season of Arcane. These avatars represent champions at their strongest, with designs based on their power, personality, and story.
In April 2025, Riot Games added a new cosmetic feature called "Portals" with the release of Cyber City. Portals change the visual effects when a Tactician moves across the map. They can be bought or earned through the Battle Pass. Portals come in two types: Standard Portals (costing 1 Mythic Medallion) and Legendary Portals (costing 3 Mythic Medallions).
Besides Normal and Ranked game modes, Teamfight Tactics offers other game modes with different rules.
Hyper Roll is a faster game mode introduced in April 2021. It simplifies rules to shorten game time. Key differences include: Little Legends have less health, take more damage per fight, move faster, and do not use the carousel.
In May 2025, Hyper Roll was retired. The game director, Peter Whalen, said the mode was intended to help new players learn the game but failed to meet its goals. Players still needed to know the game well to succeed.
In early 2022, Riot Games released a new mode called Double Up. This mode has four teams of two players, with each pair sharing a health bar. Players can send champions, items, or resources to teammates and join their battles.
Riot Games has also released temporary game modes. Fortune's Favor (January–February 2023) allowed players to use high-cost units and collect loot orbs. Soul Brawl (July 19–August 15, 2023) included a long Training Phase to build teams and a tournament bracket for rankings.
In January 2025, Teamfight Tactics added "Set Revivals" as a recurring game mode. This mode brings back previous sets, like "Festival of Beasts" from Set 4.5, combining nostalgia with updated gameplay.
Riot Games continues to support Teamfight Tactics after its release. Regular updates balance the game and add new content. Major updates called "sets" introduce new champions, synergies, and season passes. News about current sets can be found on the Teamfight Tactics website.
Esports
- TFT Vegas Open (2023)
- TFT Macao Open (2024)
- TFT Paris Open (2025)
- TFT Pro Circuit (TPC)
- TFT Open Championship (TOC)
- JCC Open Championship (JOC)
- Esports World Cup (EWC)