@RiotNurseFlan What is stopping Riot from releasing a new Zilean skin now that Eve has a new one?

TerraRising·Jan 12, 2015·3 votes·7,907 views

There aren't many champions who have been without a new skin longer than Zilean (Since April 2011, when Time Machine Zilean was released).

The previous excuse was that champs on the Update list would not receive any skins due to the extra work for the team now called "ChampUp." Then, Safecracker Evelynn was announced and that excuse lost all it's validity Riot is capable of releasing new skins on champs needing an update and adding to ChampUp's workload when the price/demand is right.

So, could you please tell us what is preventing Riot from releasing a new Zilean skin, given that the "extra work" excuse isn't as valid as it was before November?

20 Comments

RiotRiot Fairy FlanJan 12, 20157 votes

For Eve, we saw an opportunity to create a skin for her before an update that wouldn't interfere too much with any then-current plans with her. This does not mean every potential champion update is in the same state and can be treated in the same way. The team felt it would be a win to create a skin at the chance we got, so we took it instead of passing it up. It may not have coincided with what was said in the past about skin plans, but I think it's much better to try and take things on a case-by-case basis rather than let a statement be the end all be all for the rest of eternity :)

Do you play Zilean? Is there something in particular you would want to see for him? Zilean

RarititsJan 12, 20155 votes

A Gandalf LotR-themed skin would be amazing for him. I'm picturing something like Veigar Greybeard.

RiotRiot Fairy FlanJan 12, 20156 votes

Wait wait, a Sarumon themed skin and he can either carry Isengard tower or The Eye of Sauron's tower :O item 2050

BlakstoneJan 12, 20151 votes

{quoted}

Wait wait, a Sarumon themed skin and he can either carry Isengard tower or The Eye of Sauron's tower :O

Or he can carry a goblin on his back that throws timed grenades for his q. The rest could be magic-ish or goblin invention...

The eye of saron is velkoz- that's a gimme. Just make velkoz a walking tower...

MadLockFeb 20, 20151 votes

Hey hey Nurse, check this link out, wink wink nudge nudge.

DwarvenGiantJan 12, 20153 votes

Maybe.. Atlantean Zilean, with watery particles and bubbles/Water Spheres (like with Atlantean Syndra) for Time Bombs and the clock could look similar to, idk, maybe Atlantean Syndra's headress? Also, it rhymes- Atlantean Zilean.

And as Raritits said, a LotR-themed could be epic, too.

A more futuristic skin could work as well, like PROJECT: Zilean.

TeslalyteJan 12, 20151 votes

Honestly, I've always envisioned you guys doing a Freljord skin for Zil. His spells could easily be translated to icy magic, and I think it'd be awesome to see him as some grand ice wizard of death. :D item 3110 Zilean

HericusJan 12, 20151 votes

This is my first time commenting on a thread, I usually just read them, but this I like this opportunity to throw around ideas about one of my mains :)

I would love to see a digital Zilean - there are tons of concept art designs based on this idea, and there are some really fantastic ideas out there about that kind of skin. Another idea I like (again, unoriginal) is a Doc Brown Zilean - I know it's copyright, but BTTF is one of my favorite films.

Thanks for doing this, I love how connected Riot is to their fans!

JevelFaithfulJan 12, 20152 votes

There was Eternum/Aethernum(?) Zillean that was thrown around too. Personally I tought a theme of "eternal guardian of the universe" fitted very well with Zilean. In the same line, There was also a Cosmic Zillean that ran the same theme (guardian of the world outside of space and time). Here.

Both might be pretty big changes tought.

MadLockFeb 20, 20152 votes

My skin is being remembered. I am so happy :')

JevelFaithfulFeb 20, 20151 votes

The memory shall not die!

TerraRisingJan 12, 20152 votes

{quoted}

For Eve, we saw an opportunity to create a skin for her before an update that wouldn't interfere too much with any then-current plans with her. This does not mean every potential champion update is in the same state and can be treated in the same way. The team felt it would be a win to create a skin at the chance we got, so we took it instead of passing it up. It may not have coincided with what was said in the past about skin plans, but I think it's much better to try and take things on a case-by-case basis rather than let a statement be the end all be all for the rest of eternity :)

Thanks for the reply, but you didn't actually answer the question I posed.

What's stopping Riot's Skins Team from working on and/or releasing a new Zilean skin sooner rather than "Soon™?" Is it simply a matter of Riot's artists and animators wanting to work on Evelynn and not wanting to work on Zilean? Are there scheduling conflicts that prevent active work on a Zilean skin?

Do you play Zilean?

I own every champ and play mostly ARAM, but I do play Zilean when the chance presents itself. I also think the term "main" is pretty vapid and self-defeating since it puts you in a bad mental state when you're forced out of that comfort zone.

My thing is that I'd rather see every champion get some consistent love at some point than a handful of "awesome" skins for popular champions that leave fans of the . Here's a short list of the champions who have waited the longest for new skins (not counting Zilean and Yorick):

Mordekaiser - May 2011 Kassadin - July 2011 Sion (not counting the rework) - July 2011 Taric - August 2011 Akali - November 2011 Warwick - December 2011 Kennen - December 2011 Talon - January 2012

It's not your team's fault that Riot has 123 champions (as of Rek'Sai), but do we really need another Ahri skin (Challenger) and a Braum skin (El Tigre) less than a calendar year after his release when Jinx and Zac are waiting for new ones?

Is there something in particular you would want to see for him?

I have four ideas for you to put to the team, for what it's worth.

"Back To The Future" / "Doc Brown" Zilean - It's 2015, the year Marty McFly went to the future after the first film. Why not have an homage skin built around Christopher Lloyd's white jumpsuit with a digital clock that mostly displays the current time in Santa Monica? Also, he would need lines like "Great Scott, 'Mumu" and "Lanes? Where we're going, we don't need lanes."
"Dr. Zilean" - It's a natural to have a Chronokeeper pay homage to the time traveling sci-fi mainstay, Dr. Who. Perhaps an Ultimate-level skin that cycles through several outfits from the Dr. Who oeuvre or, if that's too much work, pick two or three Dr. Who pieces to put on (fez and scarf are my choices). Also, his "clock" should be a TARDIS and, when he recalls, he enters the police box in a very dramatic way and he should be voiced by Ian McKellen, Patrick Stewart or some other British actor with some power in their voice.
"Young Zilean" - Unlike the very creepy "Teen Annie" concept, a "Young Zilean" would be perfectly fine with me. Why wouldn't a master of time want to be in his most physically fit form?
"Ancient Zilean" - Ancient Greek-themed Zilean, dressed much like we picture Socrates or Archimedes, with a sundial or an hourglass for a clock. In fact, Zilean could be portrayed in just about any earth time-period, including a "Right Honorable Zilean" with steampunk references and a pocketwatch / Big Ben for his clock.

Side note: Zilean's reworked dance should be the "Time Warp" from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." Why? Reasons.

ArkantasaJan 12, 20152 votes

Hey, I -LOVE- Zilean (and eventually would also love to see a slight rework, to make him a stronger mid laner, as I love playing him there and trolling the sh*t out of people :D) At any rate, Groovy Zilean is currently my favorite skin but I've seen a guy making a thread about a pretty awesome skin idea for Zilean. If that goes live, you get my money. :3 Here's the link: AWESOME ZILEAN SKIN It's also directly related to his lore, and a "Galactic Zilean" is definitely a suitable name for the skin. Though the other names sound fantastic as well, Celestial Zilean is da bomb (literally. ha.)

DynamiteGazelleJan 13, 20151 votes

Question: since Eve got a new skin does that move her back to the bottom of the list for skins now? Because with all of the amazing high-quality skins that are coming out nowadays, Safecracker Evelynn was an enormous letdown. It would be a shame if she gets denied a high quality skin with some new particles because of it.

Safecracker Eve is definitely one of the plainest skins released in recent memory, and if it weren't for the name you'd have no idea of the theme even, it's just a black bodysuit.

MiguelRSMXJan 17, 20151 votes

{quoted} Do you play Zilean? Is there something in particular you would want to see for him?

Surreal Zilean. He's dressed and has the looks of Salvador Dali, a color palette and a brush on each hand, and his time bombs look like the clocks from The Persistence of Memory, same as the one on his back. Just, you know, some ideas.

VerrKolJan 12, 20152 votes

The yordles are going to Isengard! What do your elven eyes see Tristana?

KrizalidFeb 20, 20152 votes

We need a skin with this dance!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wL728vz0To

19 19 19Feb 20, 20151 votes

[{quoted}](name=Krizalid Brando,realm=EUW,application-id=A8FQeEA8,discussion-id=32WAfjP8,comment-id=0004,timestamp=2015-02-20T21:17:00.748+0000)

We need a skin with this dance!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wL728vz0To

THIS THIS THIS THIS LOL

OrisiJan 12, 20151 votes

I like the idea of Atlantean Zilean. And a LOTR Zilean. But what about Confucious (???) Zilean for Chinese New Year? Firework bombs, rocket speed boosts, fiery rebirth and a zodiac calendar on his back with a Catherine Wheel attached.