League of Legends Down: Cloudflare Outage Disrupts Millions of Players Worldwide

Major Internet Disruption Affects League of Legends

On Tuesday, January 5, 2026, League of Legends players faced widespread disruptions when a major Cloudflare outage took down numerous popular websites and services. The incident left millions of gamers unable to access one of the world’s most popular online multiplayer games, alongside other major platforms including X (formerly Twitter), ChatGPT, Spotify, and Shopify.

Impact on Players and Services

League of Legends players experienced widespread outages, including login failures and client crashes, as confirmed by Riot Games and reported by users. The disruption affected multiple aspects of the gaming experience, with an increased number of users experiencing difficulties accessing the League of Legends service, impacting connectivity and overall availability. Players across various regions reported being unable to launch the game client, experiencing login delays, and facing unexpected disconnections during gameplay.

Riot Games confirmed they were aware of login failures and said a fix was in progress, though the root cause stemmed from Cloudflare’s infrastructure issues rather than problems with Riot’s own servers. The ranked queue was temporarily disabled as developers worked to address the connectivity problems.

Broader Internet Implications

The January 5 incident highlights the vulnerability of modern internet infrastructure. Cloudflare helps companies handle user traffic, including efforts to respond to cyberattacks and load information, making its services essential for countless websites and applications. Cloudflare’s chief technology officer posted an apology for the outage, ruling out the possibility of a cyberattack, emphasising that the disruption was due to internal technical issues.

Significance for the Gaming Community

For League of Legends’ massive player base, such outages represent more than mere inconvenience. With League of Legends estimated to have around 120 to 131 million monthly active players, even short outages affect a massive number of people, particularly those trying to fit gaming sessions around work, school, and different time zones.

This incident serves as a reminder of the interconnected nature of modern online services and the importance of robust, decentralised infrastructure. As gaming continues to grow as both entertainment and competitive sport, ensuring stable connectivity remains paramount for developers, service providers, and the millions who depend on seamless online experiences.