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Why Hextech exclusive skins are an insult and proof that Riot is ripping off it's fan base knowingly

Sett a trap·7/4/2016, 12:13:59 AM·7 votes·3,553 views

Hextech exclusive skins are only 2450 RP value as set by Riot and the quality is clearly apparent, as neither Soul Stealer Vayne or Hextech Annie have even quality remotely close to DJ Sona (ultimate skin quality)...yet the realistic cost to get these are in the $100's of USD. You could even argue these skins are only 1850 quality.

Thus, hextech exclusive skins serve only to gouge the League players who are ready to dispense some serious cash. Which is fine. I don't complain to Ferrari that they sell a 488 GTB Car for $250,000 USD. If I were to buy one, I wouldn't mind either. I'm getting a car that's actually worth a quarter million. I can always resell it, and not many cars have the brand prestige and mechanical quality of a 488 GTB. But there's a fine difference here. I pay Ferrari $250K and I get a car, guaranteed. Riot's method is RNG and is quite frankly a form of gambling. You are gambling real money for a $20 skin.

But Hextech skins aren't worth $100-200 USD (Brofresco spent $300 to craft Hextech Annie). Maybe the hype may convince you they are, but they're certainly no different in quality than any other 1850 Legendary skin. Neither of them are even close to Ultimate quality. But in order to obtain them, you need insane luck or spend well over $200 on average. And this is all RNG. There's a chance you can get it on your first chest. There's also a chance you could never get this skin and spend over $1000's. It's disgusting. For a game that has it's key target audience in the 13-22 year old range, it's disturbing to know that they would implement such practices for a revenue source.

Riot knows this, their accountants know this, the Store Pricing and Skin department knows this. They even addressed it in a recent post that they may offer guaranteed - but limited - gem stone obtainment methods in the future. So they admit the current system could be improved.

This is truly disappointing Riot, and it's a clear money grab. The quality of Vayne Soul stealer is questionable even for a $20 skin. For $200-300 as a gamble prize? Fuck you.

tl;dr you need to spend 3-5 years on average grinding chests to get a hextech skin OR spend $200 to GAMBLE for a chance of this skin. This is equivalent to going to a carnival and playing a carnie game thinking it's fair. Soul Stealer vayne doesn't even have a voice over change, yet you'll need to spend $200-300 to get it.

16 Comments

Dehitay7/4/2016, 12:42:24 AM2 votes

Riot has made it ABSOLUTELY CLEAR that this skins are going to be difficult to get. They have straight up given out the fact that gemstones only have a 1/20 chance of dropping from a hextech chest meaning you'll need 200 chests on average to get them. These skins are available for those who want to force money grind them, but were made for the type of people who buy a chest bundle per paycheck to get eventually. If after Riot has explained exactly how hard they are to get, you're still whining about how many chests you need, it's kind of hard to care about your crying. Either be prepared to spit out the $300 you're going to need on average to get it all at once or don't even bother trying.

GaleWinUnleashed7/4/2016, 12:34:07 AM2 votes

Actually, Hextech Annie and Soulstealer Vayne are 1350-tier skins. Barely. They have new models and particles; no new animations outside of recall, no voice processing. They are not Legendary, and most definitely not Ultimate.

If you don't want the skins, don't buy chests. I see it as an outlet for collectors and those that want to support Riot financially. It's definitely a rip-off, but nobody is trying to claim otherwise; everyone that's going for the skins should know what they're getting into.

Also, don't forget that you're pretty much guaranteed to get something interesting on the way; a chest without a gemstone is not a total waste.

https://i.imgur.com/1HvNiEO.png?noredirect

MohawkBird7/4/2016, 12:18:15 AM2 votes

[deleted]

Flaherty7/4/2016, 12:17:04 AM2 votes

No one NEEDS as skins, so just don't spend money on it. That's the only real way to make Riot change the way you can get it. If literally no one spends money on these things they will have to make them cheaper.

Gibberwatt7/4/2016, 9:40:39 PM1 votes

These skins show people that are either insanely lucky, or, rather rich. They are a statement in themselves. If everything was easy to get, then why bother trying?

Woodsy25757/5/2016, 3:05:46 PM1 votes

You don't NEED the skin. They're meant to be something to works towards. The skins are supposed to be rare, they aren't ripping you off by not handing them to you right out of the gate

Dauthau7/4/2016, 12:32:48 AM1 votes

In the patch surveys Rito gives: "Do you think Rito has fair pricing/good value for your money?" Agree/Disagree

How many people actually do the surveys?

Yolo Swagginson7/4/2016, 12:40:39 AM1 votes

Hextech Annie could fit 1850 rp tier (kind of), but Soulstealer Vayne barely fits 1350 rp tier. It feels more like 975 rp skin, in my opinion.

Raja Chachki7/4/2016, 12:48:56 AM1 votes

The ones trying to get these skins are NOT 13-22 year olds who will spend $200-300 on a video game (no teenager I know even has enough money to afford that). Teenagers are not stupid, they realize that getting these skins requires money and IS a total gamble. These skins are for the adult audience with money to spare, and that's fine. They are for the collectors (note the person who recently posted on the boards about spending $7500 on the game so far to get all the skins, and does not regret it at all) who want to be "elite".

Think of these skins as a Range Rover (though you have already compared them to a Ferrari). They are very expensive, luxurious, etc, but people buy them for the status! The ones who buy Range Rovers aren't thinking "Are these cars really worth their premium price", "Don't they have really low reliability", or "How is this better than a nice Lexus", but are instead thinking "They are worth every penny to me", "If it breaks down I can buy another one", and "Lexus is for the middle class." The same (similar) goes for these skins, the people who want them think they are worth it, have the money to spend on extra chests (again, NOT teenagers), and could not possibly be satisfied with anything else.

P.S. Nobody thinks carnival games are fair....