In what month and year did League of Legends closed beta testing begin?

League of Legends closed beta testing began in April 2009.

Riot Games used the closed beta to test the game’s core multiplayer systems before its public release. The project grew from the developers’ interest in creating a standalone successor to the popular Defense of the Ancients custom map for Warcraft III.

The beta took place several months before the game’s full North American launch on October 27, 2009. At its start, only 17 champions were available, although Riot had initially planned to ship with 20 and eventually expanded the roster before launch.

A common mix-up is confusing the beta’s April 2009 start with the game’s October 2009 release. League of Legends also entered open beta in July 2009, so “beta testing” can refer to more than one stage depending on the source. The game was free-to-play from launch, supported by optional character customization purchases.