Gangplank returns and the event end draws near

Riot·Jul 30, 2015·7 votes·194,828 views

TLDR: Bilgewater: Burning Tides sails away on August 10 at 2:00 AM PDT. You can earn the free Captain Gangplank skin if you own the champion and play a full matchmade game with him (or if you’ve already played at least one) before the event ends.

The orchestrated spectacle of the Dead Pool’s destruction led many to believe that the dread reaver Gangplank perished in the flames. But what is dread may never die, and Gangplank returns to reclaim what he believes to be rightfully his.

Fitted with a new limb to replace the one he lost, the Saltwater Scourge will soon rain cannonballs down on Summoner’s Rift again after a brief stay on the PBE.

Since this is the first time we've done something so dramatic with story and theme, we're commemorating the event with the Captain Gangplank skin depicting the dread pirate from before the events of Bilgewater: Burning Tides. All players who own and play (or have already played) an entire matchmade game as Gangplank during the event will receive the Captain Gangplank skin for free.

Captain Gangplank reflects a simpler time, when one uncrowned reaver king ruled over Bilgewater with an iron cutlass and a fearsome love of scrimshaw. While base Gangplank has been irrevocably changed by Miss Fortune’s masterful scheme, the Captain Gangplank skin hearkens back to before the pirate’s bloody fall.

With Gangplank’s return imminent and the conclusion of the story trailing the choppy wake behind Bilgewater: Burning Tides’ stern, the end of the in-game event draws ever closer.

Bilgewater: Burning Tides sails over the horizon in just over a week, stowing in its hold the bundles, merch sales, icon rewards, and game modes. Whether you’re looking to brawl in the black market, add the free Captain Gangplank skin to your wardrobe, or acquire any other Bilgewater spoils, you’ve got until August 10 at 2:00 AM PDT.

We hope you’ve enjoyed the journey so far, and we’ll see you on the battlefields!

665 Comments

DylightfullAug 2, 2015214 votes

Yarr harr, fiddle-y dee! Being a pirate is alright to be! Do what you want 'cause you get skins for free! Gangplank is a pirate!

CoradelaideAug 2, 201519 votes

{quoted}

Yarr harr, fiddle-y dee! Being a pirate is alright to be! Do what you want 'cause you get skins for free! is a pirate!

2007 called. It wants its song back.

DylightfullAug 2, 2015177 votes

Tell 2007 I'm not home, and that he and the other telemarketers shouldn't bother calling me back.

TellisTorterraAug 2, 201544 votes

REKT ****ing Savage

JoethezombiAug 3, 201518 votes

2090 called, you're dead and you wasted your time on Earth

CarnageAug 5, 201510 votes

ha Diana

FrostageousAug 3, 20159 votes

2007 Called, it wants its joke back.

DylightfullAug 3, 201537 votes

2007 called, he sounded like a Portuguese man who had the wrong number.

AtomskNaotaAug 2, 201519 votes

i logged in just to upvote this

ExileFromVault13Aug 3, 20157 votes

Alestorm?

LezbianLizard69Aug 3, 201510 votes

I believe this video will suffice. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0nQRFcu3GY

wertyupaAug 7, 20153 votes

Yarr harr, fiddle-y dee! Being a pirate is so OP! Criting all day and avoiding CC!, Gp is a pirate!

BBQrooAug 2, 2015121 votes

Gangplank Thanks doctor Shen this new limb is sweet. Shen You're welcome GP and it even has an orange peeler! (Too happy to speak)

DualTwinAug 3, 201513 votes

Pssh as if GP ate oranges and it was K

Gift Me Im PoorAug 3, 201565 votes

Oranges are more C. Bananas are more K.

TheWrongNeekoAug 3, 201517 votes

Potassium jokes are the reason I live.

DylightfullAug 4, 201528 votes

Na, in my opinion, sodium jokes are better. Potassium jokes are just... "K".

SeverencirAug 9, 20158 votes

i used to periodically make those kinds of jokes, but about tin years ago, i was lead onto a new path, so all of those jokes argon

ÐragøAug 2, 201545 votes

Do we get the skin after the event leaves or are you going to enable him anytime soon ?!?!?! CUZ I WANT THAT SKIN

RiotO2ymandiasAug 2, 201548 votes

Gangplank will be playable with the next patch, which will go out well before the event ends. We'll make sure you guys have time to earn the Captain Gangplank skin :D

VenDyerAug 2, 20156 votes

SO if we played Gangplank when he was free, and purchase him before the event ends, do we still get the skin?

RiotO2ymandiasAug 2, 201523 votes

Yar. If by the end of the event, you 1. Own GP, and 2. Have played his reworked version in any matchmade queue, you'll get the Captain GP skin for free.

JustARivenMainAug 2, 201516 votes

Quick question, will the Bilgewater Music be here to stay or will it be gone with the Event?

Stagnant Tree0Aug 2, 201525 votes

Will any matchmade queue include bot games? Thanks.

RiotO2ymandiasAug 3, 201519 votes

Yup, Co-op vs. AI is a matchmade queue (you hop in matchmaking with 4 other players). Custom games are not included.

SirIDGAFAug 2, 20158 votes

Escuse the ignorance...What mode is matchmade?

RiotO2ymandiasAug 3, 201511 votes

Sorry for the confusion! Any queue which matches you with other players counts (on your team and/or on the opposing team). Matchmade: PVP (Classic, Dominion, ARAM, Black Market Brawkers), Co-op vs AI (Classic, Dominion) Not matchmade: custom games or tutorials.

SiachiAug 2, 20157 votes

So, for example, we played him on free week during the event in a bot game (Which as far as I know counts as matchmade), and THEN happened to buy him after his 'death' because... errr... reasons... would we get the skin?

EDIT: Though apparently I can't buy him from the store, which I guess is understandable so everyone doesn't get a free ski-... I mean... reasons... >> <<

RiotO2ymandiasAug 3, 20156 votes

You'll be able to buy him when the next patch goes out, which will happen well before the event ends :) And as long as you own him before August 10th at 2 AM PDT, you'll get the skin - bot games do count! Just allow 48 hours or so for the skin to show up.

R1fteeAug 2, 20155 votes

Matchmade Queue's include Blind Pick, Draft Pick, ARAM, Teambuilder*, and Dominion.

*I think so. Bot games do not count as Matchmade, and neither do Custom loobies.

RiotO2ymandiasAug 3, 201517 votes

Bot games count!

Bronze KatanaAug 3, 201534 votes

I want a poll to vote to keep butcher's bridge. WHY would you put away a complete perfect reskin of aram DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND that we're tired of howling abyss! you work so hard on this new map and not rehash it like you did the ascended event yeah i said it erasing half of dominion and making the fog of war and plopping Xerath in the middle IS NOT AN EVENT RIOT but this one gave us a story effort put in skins and maps and icons a new aram map that YOU SHOULD KEEP and not make us keep playing howling abyss like you did for years already. i've been here since season 2 people been here since beta THINK OF THE PLAYERS an what they want not what i want not what you guys want what we as a community wants do points like you did for the pool party minions charge it for ip make it a random DO W/E just keep Butcher's bridge!

F1yslayerAug 3, 20154 votes

I feel ya man, I hate howling abyss just as much as you do. RITO REPLACE HOWLING ABYSS WITH BUTCHERS BRIDGE, and you have my vote

ObericAug 4, 201522 votes

I would rather see them both appearing randomly, like Summoner's rift used to come in a winter or summer variety.

But, we also had a third version of the bridge called the Proving Grounds, give us that version too!

33%~ chance for each one!

NaanmiAug 8, 20154 votes

I fully support this ^^^^^^^

shark musicAug 4, 20155 votes

What LoL needs more than anything is more maps. That is the ONE thing HotS does right. Put Butcher's Bridge in ARAM rotation, and then go make a new version of the Rift, or Treeline!

No two baseball stadiums are exactly alike, or have the exact same measurements, but every League match needs to be played on a perfectly identical court for the rest of eternity? When what you're doing is boring compared to freaking baseball, the least interesting thing that has ever happened this side of professional golf, you are seriously phoning it in.

BrianT376Aug 2, 201512 votes

So, How do we get to play gangplank if he is still dead?

RiotO2ymandiasAug 2, 201519 votes

He'll be back with the next patch! You'll have plenty of time to play him before the event ends (and earn that sweet sweet Captain Gangplank skin), we'll make sure of it.

And if you already own GP, and played him after his rework went live at the start of the event, you've already earned the Captain GP skin! We'll start awarding those on August 10th at the end of the event.

gaby1bestAug 2, 20155 votes

So Captain GP is his current skin? And he'll get a new base one?

RiotO2ymandiasAug 2, 20158 votes

That is correct :) Check it out here! http://na.leagueoflegends.com/en/page/champion-update/gangplank-sails-pbe

CatrianAug 2, 20154 votes

Just to clarify,do ARAM games or co-op vs a.i. games count towards unlocking the skin?

RiotO2ymandiasAug 3, 20154 votes

Yup, all of em. Just no custom games or tutorials!

chuck42Aug 3, 201510 votes

" What is Dread may never die." Love the GoT reference.

MercFestAug 2, 20158 votes

Are Co-op vs. AI considered "matchmade games"?

Kapt KlutchAug 2, 20154 votes

Yes, bot games count as matchmade games. All game modes you need to enter a queue for are considered "matchmade games".

Count BuffonAug 2, 20156 votes

Really annoying plan, Rito. "You have one week to play a matchmade game as a particular champion, which everyone else will be trying to play as too. Good effing luck."