If you take a look at Hecarim's champion page, & Xerath's Page after a few seconds a dark fog will drift over their images and a blue-green lighting will flash through the clouds. Also the sky on Draven's art has been altered as well. What do you guys think this is? a Teaser for the Harrowing? A new champion teaser ala Jinx teaser (maybe a certain storm Dragon), or something else entirely?
Ebonmaw Dragon2 votesMust be a new champion, but i dont think that its Ao Shin
Jungle Lux God2 votesI feel like it's just promotional material for the Harrowing. The fog on the splash arts for Cassiopeia, Hecarim, Lissandra, LeBlanc, Xerath, Twisted Fate, and Zed seem to signal a fading into darkness, while the time of day changes for Braum's and Yasuo's splash arts, and a large amount of darker tinting in many splash arts including Volibear's, Heimerdinger's, Ashe's, and Brand's splash arts, among others that I may not have found, all lead to suggest that this is elaborate promotional material spread throughout the official League of Legends web site. Riot has also suggested that they wanted to make this Harrowing special this year, with two new skins ready to be released, another skin being tested on the PBE, and even a Hexakill Twisted Treeline featured mode (tested on PBE) all point to promotional material for Harrowing.
I doubt that the shadows would signal a new champion release for several reasons. Throughout the year, champion releases have been very spread out until some of the most recent releases, with the release of Gnar, the subsequent and quite possibly rushed release of Azir to come out with the Shurima event, and the Sion relaunch, which can be termed a new release. With all of the recent champion releases and Riot's tendency to spread out champion releases more, it makes very little sense to release another champion release in such a short time span.
Also, all of the champion previews show some level of the character's thematics, whether it was the monstrosity of Mega Gnar, the Trials of the Poro video, or the mysterious Vel'koz video clip integrated into the videos of many popular league of legends Youtubers. The obvious thematics of this new champ seem to mark the use of shadows, but we already have heroes that use shadows and darkness in Zed and Nocturne, while the symbolism of the shadows, which could mean deception, has been used by several heroes, including LeBlanc and Cassiopeia. Riot's recent champion thematic design philosophy is to do a thematic good once, and as good as possible, and then never touch on that mechanic again. If this is a preview, then it will not be for a champion.
Jungle Lux God1 votesAlso, I have no idea what to think of Draven's splash. However, Kennen's splash has some very clear clues that says this is harrowing, with an unusually blue backround and bats flying around in the back.
Solideus1 votesKennen's splash art has looked like that since release, it's not altered.
Jungle Lux God1 votesOkay. I didn't notice the bats in the background in his splash, and it looked a lot more blue than the splash art.
Sneak Dog1 votesJust wanted to say you shouldn't consider Sion in the release cadence as he was created by a different team. There's a separate team for releasing new champions that doesn't interfere with the champion update team as far as I know.
Solideus2 votesGnar was delayed, so he was three months after Braum. Azir's release wasn't moved forward though, so he was released sooner than usual after Gnar. The average is two months in between releases. The next champion should be coming out around the end of the month, so this could very well be the start of a teaser for him/her/it. If they are doing something with every fog-marked character in the interim it may very well go on until the end of this month, where a reveal is more likely.
Doctor Leon1 votesStorm clouds, Janna's staff, Draven's EVERYTHING, Jayce being attacked, Blitz exploded, EYES IN VOLIBEAR'S BACKGROUND. Definitely Ao Shin.
Garentheon1 votesStorm clouds, Janna's staff, Draven's EVERYTHING, Jayce being attacked, Blitz exploded, EYES IN VOLIBEAR'S BACKGROUND. Definitely Ao Shin.
I don't see the difference in Jayce's splash
Junkο1 votesJanna's staff has always been like that
Garentheon1 votesTheres also something up with Cass, Zed, and Liss
Doctor Leon1 votesThat's what I meant by the storm clouds. It's also on LeBlanc, TF, and Hecarim. In Braum and Yasuo's backgrounds, the sun is now setting instead of rising.
Dreamspitter1 votesThat's what I meant by the storm clouds. It's also on LeBlanc, TF, and Hecarim. In Braum and Yasuo's backgrounds, the sun is now setting instead of rising.
Braums head is just moved and yas splash is darker.
Then again kayles wings are blood red and not white
GoodHotFreshFly1 votesThere's a strange figure in the background of Jax's splash. I don't know why people think this is Ao Shin Meddler confirmed that Ao Shin wasn't going to be released until 2015. xD
Ebonmaw Dragon1 votesThere's a strange figure in the background of Jax's splash. I don't know why people think this is Ao Shin Meddler confirmed that Ao Shin wasn't going to be released until 2015. xD
That figure is not something new... it was there since the release of Aatrox
Dukas1 votesIts a new spear adc champ called Kalista. Predicted by WhyRenektonWhy on Reddit. He was right predicting URF and Gnar in the past.
NeoJusteBelmont1 votesSince when Ao Kuang makes a migration from Smite to LOL?
Moonshade1 votesSince when Ao Kuang makes a migration from Smite to LOL?
whatever I meant Ao Shin, point is that Riot had a storm dragon champion in the works, and this maybe a teaser towards him
Stars Shaper1 votesUnfortunally Riot said quite clearly that Ao Shin isn't in the works before 2015.
Unless they lied!
GreenLore1 votesOverall I kinda doubt it is a new champ,these champs simply seem too unconnected from each other. However it is noticeable that most of these fog-champs betrayed someone at some point(or are known for betraying others),except for Hecarim(but we don't know about his past,some interactions with him seem to make his loyalty to the king questionable)
DwarvenGiant1 votes"Ao Kuang"? I think you mean "Ao Shin". Anyways, it's a new champ with an event, imo, that is not Ao Shin.
This actually might make a little sense.. http://boards.na.leagueoflegends.com/en/c/GD/uv4w0adE-next-champion-is-kalista-mobile-adc-who-throws-spears
SlackerboyTC1 votesisnt ao kaung already a character
GamerLivi1 votesI have heard theories that it's a teaser of Ao Shin but he's not due until 2015, but i also heard that it is for another said that it that they are getting Harrowing Skins but that can't be it because Hecarim and Twisted Fate already have Harrowing skin, the one i'm convinced about is the new champion Kalista