Hey Reav3, Ghostcrawler... I think you guys need to have a meeting about this
In the past 2 reworks, you guys at riot have taken a skin that people bought for a specific reason and turned into something completely different. First it was frostblade irelia, now it's crimson akali. These skins aren't poorly done by any means, but they also aren't what people paid for when they bought the skins.
The new Frostblade isn't bad. I kind of like it. However, it's not the theme that a lot of people who bought the skin wanted either. Now it's more of a snowday skin. It looks fine, but it's the wrong theme. In interest of consumer advocacy I have to speak up on this. This isn't the skin people bought. This isn't the skin you owe them. It's not fair they have to have a constant reminder that their favorite skin has been deleted because one artist wanted to do snowday more.
Then we have, what I'm guessing is infernal akali. I'm sure it'll be technically proficient, but you guys really missed the mark on it. The original was an homage to taki from the soul calibur series. People who got it either liked akali in a red get-up or they were taki fans. This is completely different. Some people are definitely going to like the new skin, but others are going to be "what the crap is this shit, where's my crimson akali?" They have a point. This new skin isn't right because it isn't want they bought, they paid for, and they deserve.
So here's what I think riot as a company really needs to talk about. Either you guys are going to have to keep themes the same when you rework champs moving forward or out of consumer interest, you really need to offer refunds to drastically altered skins.
Here's a great example. Take the Beemo skin. People got it because him being a bee works, it's cute on him, and they like the Bee theme. Now imagine how those people would feel if you rework Beemo and now the bee theme is gone and he's carrying a little flag with the letter B on it. Not an insect, just the second letter of the alphabet. You can agree that the new skin isn't want people wanted nor is it what they paid for, correct? You can probably emphasize with them if they were a little mad that their little Bee is gone.
Well the same thing holds true for any other skin out there. You owe this decision to your customers. I mean why the flying bloody eff would anyone buy a skin in the future if the last two champs reworked just had their favorite skins deleted and turned into something they neither bought, wanted, or are interested in. Those people are not only missing out on 2 skins, they've also probably learned an important lesson: never buy skins again.
Do you want people to learn that lesson and share it with others? Do you want a reputation where people don't trust you to rework their skins?
You are starting to earn that reputation. I for one, cannot recommend people buy skins anymore, even if they like riot, simply because I don't think you guys will do them justice. I will not buy skins anymore because I don't trust your art team to do justice to the things the company is selling. These are shameful actions and I cannot financially condone what riot is doing to its customers.
So I think you guys need to talk about implementing one of the two following rules for your company going forward concerning skins:
- Riot must offer refunds on skins where the theme has been dramatically changed and players have 2 weeks to make the decision or else they keep the new skin. This gives them a fair chance to test things out and decide.
- Riot must keep artists in line on reworks such that any reworked skins must closely match the original's theme as much as possible
Either one of this alternatives would be both fair to the consumer and would help riot make future sales.
I'd also like to be clear that I have no problem as a consumer that riot created a snow day irelia or infernal akali, however I am upset and disappointed that riot did so under the pretense of a rework, when in fact they should have released these skins separately as new skins and not as reworks.
