Boards›Story, Art, & Sound

Has anyone else been disappointed with the champion reveals this year?

ModCaptainMårvelous·8/8/2017, 2:41:35 AM·3 votes·634 views

Looking back, Riot really evolved when it came to new champs. I personally think the top tier of reveals was around late season 3 - 5 or so. Some examples following. Some of these will be out of order (I'm sure) but forgive me, its been years:

#Jinx's Reveal She trashes several champion pages, and provokes mystery among who she is. This leads to Jinx's eventual reveal and music video.

Jinx may have not been much but it was the start to something amazing.

#Aatrox Reveal A mysterious figure begins to appear in the background of splash arts, as well as Ezreal (in-character) explaining the background behind a mythical god-fighter appearing all throughout lore.

Say what you will but Aatrox's reveal was awesome.

#Zac Reveal Small pages of a zaun experiment, coupled with the tales of a living amorphous creature and grainy photographs of the being that was created in a test tube.

It wasn't much but there was major build up.

#Jhin Reveal Several champions appear 'dead' on the champ pages, coupled with haunting music and the mysterious teaser of a masked man a few days later.

By far the best teaser Riot has ever done (IMO), Jhin was a masterful build-up to a character in the shadows. Reading page code, analyzing mysterious pictures, pretty much everything was perfect save for Riot being a bit slow on actually showing him.

Fast forward to today....what have we gotten for champion reveals (Reworks and New champs) this year?

Camille gets a sudden comic. Warwick gets an amazing cinematic and probably the best opening trailer for a new champ. Xayah and Rakan...get a weird facebook gif. Urgot gets a splash art teaser. Kayn is dropped unceremoniously like Zed telling him to surprise people. Ornn gets a poem and song.

Do you see what I mean? Most of these champions are revealed in a very quick, very boring fashion. There's little-to-no build-up. No mystery. Anything that could provoke mystery is revealed about a day later making the reveal all the less spectacular.

I wouldn't mind it...if we didn't also get cinematics and movies. Kayn got a cinematic of his two forms a few days before his release. Xayah and Rakan got their cinematic against Zed. Ornn might get something, I'm sure. But still; Imagine if we got these cinematics as the "reveal" rather than shortly before/after the champions were released. Imagine the speculation of Kayn having two forms or the confusing discussions if Xayah and Rakan are a duo like Quinn and Valor.

Honestly, it's hard for me to get surprised and hyped for a reveal when the cool reveal part happens after I know everything about the champion.

15 Comments

Limrick8/8/2017, 4:45:59 AM3 votes

I mean Ornn's poem is badass as hell, got me more hyped than any champ since Aurelion. Also Jhin's teaser started really good, but it took way too damn long, so a lot of the hype just lost steam and died down. Think Sombra in Overwatch.

Jeddy0178/8/2017, 4:51:13 AM3 votes

Anyone else remember the Kled built up? I remember several "mysterious" posters popping at various locations throughout the world. Each poster having to be translated from their respective languages for the rest of the community. All of them saying something different & adding new clues. This was over the course of several weeks. Then there was the addition of some creature SFX playing when you approach a bush in-game. And to finish it all off, we get a cinematic fully showing the new champ (and Skaarl).

kitcat3008/8/2017, 3:40:05 AM3 votes

Yeah it felt like Kayn's hype would have been better if they had lead with his trailer instead of ending with it.

Instead of "Here is Kayn, he transforms..."

It would have been "Who is this guy and why is he transforming?!?!"

6FlagsFunnelCake8/8/2017, 3:33:57 AM2 votes

Despite this, the Champions are still very exciting nonetheless! However, I see what you mean and I think there's a reason for this. I remember reading earlier by a Rioter that most League players aren't too fond of really long teasing and build up for new Champions, which is somewhat understandable. Strange example, but Sombra from Overwatch is a perfect example of unnecesary and painfully long build-up that simply doesn't even live up to the hype. Along with that, Aurelion Sol was built-up and hyped with an amazing cinematic and teasing over a period of time as well, but most of the fanbase isn't exactly too fond of him (I personally love the sassy space dragon though).

Though personally, I feel that Champions like Jhin and Zac lived up to their hype, and much more flashier reveals like, oh and dear god have this happen, a cinematic to reveal the new champ rather than just throwing him in the website would be extremely cool. Though I think Ornn is an amazing pile of work, I think I would love him to death from the start if he was revealed through a badass cinematic.

Cetri8/8/2017, 2:56:20 AM2 votes

Yeah, I feel like Ornn's song is a step back in the right direction, but I feel really bad for Kayn, tbh. I miss the in-game teasers like Tahm Kench, Bard, and Kindred got, which were absolutely fantastic imo.

GreenLore8/8/2017, 8:08:21 AM1 votes

Honestly I do prefer it though when champion teasers don't get dragged out that much.

DariusDemiurge8/8/2017, 3:48:45 AM1 votes

No do to technicality of me no longer following the info or hype. Jhin was the last awesome one I remember or truely cared for.

Though GD knows me, I'll be expecting something amazing for my angels when riot reworks them and updates thier lore in another 5 years. At least on par with sion's little stories.

Trap or a Trick8/8/2017, 2:43:52 AM1 votes

say what you want, ornn's song is absolutely amazing!