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@Riot, about the new Star Guardian skins

Swainey Todd··222 votes·13,773 views

Listen, I understand that a business is a business, and profit is key. You get profit more from some markets and clientele than others.

But can you make it less obvious that you love certain champions more than others? Ezreal, Soraka, Syndra, Ahri, and MF have so many skins (and yeah, one could argue that some have been around longer than others); but really? Might as well give more skins to Annie, Teemo, Yi, and Tryndamere too while you're at it.

Other champs (ie: Cass, Viktor, Illaoi, Yorick, etc) have been put on the back burner for a long while. And yeah, Illaoi is relatively new, but Jhin is newer and has more skins. And I bet with the Swain rework, he won't get a skin for another 6 years.

It's like parents playing favorites with one of their children and having the other ones eat mud and sleep in the pantry. Come on. It's so obvious it hurts.

(I know I'll be downvoted to the ground, but oh well. That's what happens when someone says an unpopular opinion online.)

UPDATE (8/9/17) @10am EST: Holy shit everyone! As of right now, a day after I posted this, this post has 142 upvotes, 327 comments, and 5k+ views. That's INCREDIBLE. I had no idea it would even remotely get this popular, and I just wanna thank most of you! (I say that because with every post there's people that are either trolly or just plain rude. But for the vast, vast majority of you, thank you!) When I made this post, I didn't do it just to have upvotes or to have people blindly agree with me. In the end, this is a post on a discussion board, and there's been a ton of that! In the end, everyone is entitled to their opinions, and I'm humbled that I was able to, in some small way, be a catalyst for discussing a polarizing topic! You've been amazing, and keep discussing! Hopefully Riot will acknowledge however big or small the vocal summoners are, and join in; but if not that's okay too! I want to hear what everyone has to say! Just, please, be civil. Thank you all again! -Taicho

377 Comments

Deep Terror Nami78 votes

Guys, please. They picked the champions because they fit the fantasy; that is why you aren't getting SG Urgot etc. They just do not fit the skin line's fantasy.

THE RlVER KlNG201 votes

Good to know Ahri fits literally every fucking fantasy

Nevrankroaton26 votes

Actually she does, it is one of the strength of her character. If you go outside of the usual "HURR HENTAI SHE TRY TO SEDUCE OR MANIPULATE HUMANS FOR THEIR ESSENCE", Ahri is a character that can be though in a lot of way, she has a lot of development possibility and her design/character make her flexible.

I love Urgot, to death, and while SG Urgot is fun, it doesn't make many sense with him for example.

Ezreal and Ahri make a LOT of sense with SG, they fit the "Young people gaining magical power" tropes, especially with their character.

Do you think Cass, Swain or Yorick would be good SG skins? How so? I rather have them get skin that fit them better (I am still hoping for pool party Illaoi and explorer Taliyah for example).

And we don't know if the popular guys having new ones mean they won't get annie (any... IT WAS A JOKE OK) new skins soon..

Just relax, it will come.

THE RlVER KlNG55 votes

You say that because Riot have intentionally exploited and exhausted her character for skins money.

Every champion has as much potential for lots of skins and fantasies as another. Ahri just happens to be the spoiled entitled one that Riot chooses to capitalize on in place of others. Her apologists like to say that her getting a skin doesn't take away from others and that it just fits her theme when that's total bullshit, she is being allocated limited resources in place of other champions that literally havent gotten skins in half a decade as opposed to a year in the case of Ahri. It's bullshit and its sickening.

Why keep churning out Ahri skins that 'fit her fantasy' when you could just fucking give champions skins that need them. It's ridiculous.

TyrekGoldenspear17 votes

Because those skins make money which makes the time investment worth.

That's how business works.

Blood Magicks35 votes

Sometimes you can't tell. It's a chicken and egg type of thing.

Riot loves a champion -> Riot gives them great quality content and keeps them meta -> a lot of people like and play the champion -> money is made -> Riot continues to pour resources into the champion while keeping them meta.

Ahri has been a favourite since her conception whereas Miss Fortune became one only recently after her VGU during Burning Tides. As a result her popularity vastly improved (I played her both before and after the update and I remember this all pretty clearly.)

Riot can make almost any concept most concepts worth it if they invest enough into making it good.

TyrekGoldenspear12 votes

See I can see that.

I have no doubt that if other champs were more popular, e.g. had a higher playrate and all that, Riot would make more skins for them. I got no problems with more champs getting more skins.

My main issue here is people getting up in a hissy about skins. I mean, it's pure cosmetics. The fact that people are getting upset to the levels that I have seen in this thread is ridiculous to me.

THE RlVER KlNG33 votes

What you're forgetting is is that the hand of Riot often decides whether champs are popular.

Jinx has tons of high quality skins and lots of flashy particles and effects, with a big marketing release campaign that included a high-quality music video. She's really popular and has a huge fanbase in the community because Riot consistently caters to her and her community.

As opposed to champs like Yorick, who isn't popular and doesn't get skins because Riot doesn't even try to make him so. He doesn't get arbitrary buffs like Jinx just to see him played or high quality skins every year because Riot is choosing not to. Sure, gameplay comes into it, but Riot's hand often makes or breaks a champ's popularity.

'Hissy fit' about skins. There are people whose mains haven't gotten skins in years despite only having 1-2 low quality 720 ones. Seeing the same champions get high quality skins over and over is a slap in the face. If you don't have empathy for those players I don't know what to tell you.

Salson2 votes

So, you agree she is perfect?

Swainey Todd25 votes

Nope. Just that she's a leech for not only souls, but for neckbeards and weebs alike who can easily waste their allowances on a fantasy. Sorry.

Salson9 votes

Don't be, I'm a toplaner :P

Though I play her because I'm a metaslave when I wind up in mid.

But why the hate of a Champion, is that the whole hipstery 'I hate popular stuff' thingy?

Swainey Todd12 votes

I hated her before it was cool.

I'm joking. Play on the words of hipsters.

Nah, I'm personally not a fan of sexual, moany, groany champs of both sexes. I'm a player who's a big fan of substance.

Sp33d Zer09 votes

I'm usually against it as well.

That being said, I can tolerate with Ahri because it IS how she gets what she needs done.

The reason I don't like it on nidalee and mf is because nidalee's character is nothing about being sexual (unless they changed her lore and I did not notice) and with MF they don't show her cunning side or her devious nature; she is simply a sexual icon. They did a good job of this with her cinematic short, but nothing else shows her as that jaded girl from bilgewater.

Swainey Todd38 votes

I mean... Remind me how a pirate hand-cannon-toting pair of breasts with legs fits the anime magical girl fantasy?

Deep Terror Nami18 votes

Because all you have to do is put her in cosplay and give her magic weapons, obviously. That about sums up how to make a magical girl. They obviously sell well and they do look good, but it's not like I'm saying they "deserve" those skins more than other champions deserve something; I'm saying others were not chosen for that skin line for fairly simple reasons which had nothing to do with whether they "needed" a skin.

Swainey Todd13 votes

So what you're alluding to is "all Riot needs to do is plop this on an unrelated overused champ, and voila!" That's my point exactly.

LuxannaVeritas26 votes

No, it's actually not.

Tell me what would make more money; a Star Guardian Miss Fortune, or a Star Guardian Illaoi. Battle Boss Ziggs, or Battle Boss Yorick.

The truth is, Riot is a BUSINESS. They need skins that will be successful. And what better way to do that than to put skins on POPULAR champions that can be viewed as a part of a concept without raising questions.

To your point about Miss Fortune, I'd like to compare her to Janna. Both of these champions are clearly not in high school, but yet they both can be made to look like seniors with the right artist due to their aesthetics. I can easily picture Miss Fortune as that high school upper classmen who cares about her looks and is super flirty. Plus, they both have weapons that can be modeled into Star Guardian weapons. Jinx's guns shoot sparkles, so why not Miss Fortune's as well?

Finally, let's compare the five champions you highlighted in your example to the five champions getting Star Guardian skins. What are their pick rates?

Illaoi: 124th Yorick: 119th Swain: 96th Viktor: 98th Cassiopeia: 104th

Hmm... looks all five champions that you pointed out were in or around the bottom third of popular champions to play.

Soraka: 33rd Miss Fortune: 16th Ezreal: 56th Ahri: 21st Syndra: 50th

All five are SOLIDLY in the top half in terms of pick rate. Point proven.

In conclusion, Riot is being smart here. It's much more rewarding making skins for popular champions than for champions that aren't played as much. Even though there are people, like yourself, who are upset over this, there is a WAY larger group of players who are excited for another new skin for a champion they play. This is the truth that a lot of people who complain about not getting Star Guardian Urgot don't understand (you're not one of those people, but from your above post I figured you were slightly missing the big picture here as well).

To be fair, your anger is justified and common, so I did not downvote your original post. I'm sure it wouldn't hurt them to toss out some more skins of unpopular heroes (they've done Kindred, Kog'Maw, Singed, Hecarim, and Kayle fairly recently, and all of them are in the lower echelons of pick rate), but we shouldn't expect them to do it often.

AmazoX23 votes

[{quoted}](name=Deep Terror Nami,realm=NA,application-id=6kFXY1kR,discussion-id=hAhm6GnW,comment-id=0002,timestamp=2017-08-08T12:51:14.185+0000)

Guys, please. They picked the champions because they fit the fantasy; that is why you aren't getting SG Urgot etc. They just do not fit the skin line's fantasy.

Every champion can fit in every fantasy no matter what, Aatrox is a darkin but has a justicar skin, Its alternate reality, A different fantasy skin.

Who the hell decides which champion doesn't fit into a fantasy?

500000000000000013 votes

Can you really tell me star guardian Cho'Gath is a fantasy that fits the character? I agree that it's possible to reinterpret the character to give them an alternate version, but there is definitely a limit.

That said, that's not an excuse for Riot given that they didn't make Dreadnaught Illaoi, Dragon Trainer Swain, Unprepared Garen, etc. for unpopular champions.

Fisher No Chains40 votes

To be honest if we don't count SKT Syndra, she has 3 skins. Not too many, she definitely deserved a new one with a new fantasy and decent particles.

I do agree about Ahri, Ez and MF tho. They all got a skin last year, a high quality one (1350RP), so idk why they would need another after 10 months.

I LAV IT MATE14 votes

Why we don't count SKT Syndra ?? it's a 1350 RP skin with new model, paticles, new sound effects and a new recall.... whith a fair fantasy thematic ...

Fisher No Chains22 votes

SKT T1 Syndra is a new skin, made for worlds, and it's also legacy.

I meant, compared to champions with 8 AVAILABLE skins and 4 legacy skins, she only has 3 skins (also considering that one is her release skin). She has got 3 skins (not counting SKT, it's still a worlds skin) in 5 years. How can anyone really complain about Syndra having a lot of skins? Half of them aren't even that good tbh.

I LAV IT MATE7 votes

Sorry ......but a "legacy skin" is not an excuse ...... a skin is a skin .... life is just unfair for some champs ...

DJMason8826 votes

His reasoning is off. Syndra has 4 skins that were chosen and developed by Riot. They couldn't have known Faker was going to chose Syndra, and they probably already had Star Guardian in the works.

THE RlVER KlNG34 votes

This is a huge 'fuck you' to a lot of people that main unpopular champs. It's not even a meme at this point - Ahri gets a fucking shitload of skins where Illaoi gets zilch. Same for Yorick and Urgot and Cass and Viktor and Shen and Heimer.

I'm so disappointed in Riot, honestly.

Leetri4 votes

I mean, Ezreal isn't THAT popular nor is he particularly good at the moment. Even Urgot is more popular. I never thought I'd ever say that.

LankPants5 votes

Ezreal still has an above average pickrate in spite of being arguably the worst ADC in the game. He's incredibly popular.

An Enemy Sutando25 votes

Oh, look, another person stating a popular opinion and then following up with something along the lines of "I'll be downvoted because I stated an unpopular opinion on the internet."

If you wanna repost an opinion that has been shared among many people here to farm upvotes, go ahead. But don't try to play it off like you're the minority because you really aren't.

RlP K0BE8 votes

Finally, someone said it

Stars Shaper19 votes

Just boycott them.

They make skins for popular characters because they'd obviously sell more than the ones for 1% playrate champions. If they see ppl not buying them and making less incomes than for the ones for less used characters then they'll change targets.

Canastus8 votes

I've been boycotting them since years now, infact I saved up over 4700 RP on my main acc. And I won't spend a single one until they've released a new Cass skin.

Glory ln Death20 votes

That... doesn't really hurt Riot, though...

It doesn't matter whether or not you spend your RP, you've already given them your money. You just aren't getting any use out of it.

Swainey Todd26 votes

Easier said than done when there's droves of weebs drooling on their Ahri body pillows...

Glory ln Death34 votes

Hey! Not all of us weebs are drooling on Ahri body pillows! Some of us are drooling on Sion body pillows!

Don't throw us all in the same box, you bigot!

Ahri Body Pillow20 votes

{quoted}

Easier said than done when there's droves of weebs drooling on their Ahri body pillows...

I'm not your waifu, shitlord

RizHippoKhan3 votes

i mean sometimes skins help playrates...

Stars Shaper13 votes

They explicitly said that a champion's popularity means a lot in terms of them getting a skin. This isn't an entirely wrong rule of thumb because it's obvious that you'd please a lot more players and get more money out of it, a win win situation.

But having more than one of them in the same skinline and having the same one on multiple close skinlines release is just overtilting. Blizzard does a better job at it: every1 knows now that Tracer will always... ALWAYS get a legendary skin because she is the game mascot but they also care about delivering skins for the less fortunate heroes.

Considering the different speed and number of skinline between LoL and Overwatch I think Riot has to be really biased in order to behave as they are doing.

Salson2 votes

Well, can't argue with the biased part.

Reading it all, the best solution would be for Rito to simply hire more people. That way everyone could get a skin.

Stars Shaper1 votes

It would be fun to have your interview result dependant on your champions' liking xD

Salson7 votes

Salson: 'I like Yorick' Skin Team Rioter1: 'The what?' Balance Team Rioter: 'You're hired, we need more drunk people'

M15T3RJ18 votes

Star Guardian Ahri just was confirmed to be legendary (1820 RP) on the PBE. This. This is just flat out disrespectful to every champion who has gotten the short end of the stick in terms of skins. You're telling me that Riot released Ahri skins on a near annual basis. To the point where they're literally slapping Ahri's name on the end of every skin line. Can't wait for Pool Party Ahri next year, and then somehow they'll figure out how to do PROJECT: Ahri, and then Dark Star Ahri, and then Omega Squad Ahri, and then Blood Moon Ahri. You're telling me that Riot decided to put in the effort to give this fox a plethora of skins and a gorgeous legendary, but after 6 GODDAMN YEARS couldn't find even 1 skin idea for Yorick? Viktor? Cassiopeia? Hell what about the new champs like Illaoi, ASol, and Taliyah who have so much more character to explore for a new skin? And then there's champs like Trundle and Rammus and Ryze whose skins could be put in a bundle sold as a chroma pack. I mean damn I'm sorry for ranting but I'm tired of this meta of "slap a champ on a skin line because they're popular even though they don't fit the theme well". At least SG Ezreal is a good twist on the theme. SG Jinx also presented a good twist, and skins like Pool Party Taric and Miss Fortune fit with their theme because of the memes and archetypes that those champs represent (e g. Taric very flamboyant and as a support saves lives often, MF all about the sex appeal and whatnot). But what makes you look at Syndra and go "yup, definitely could work with an anime saving the universe while dressed in short skirt and stockings kind of skin". Come on! Don't get me wrong, the skins are beautiful, and I'm half-considering buying the Ez one even though I don't even like Ez. I just want a break from the cash-grab skin series and champs. Riot is a high profit company right now, can you not just take the smallest break and make some skins that possibly won't rake in all the money? I was so happy when Worldbreaker and the RPG skins came out, even if they could've all been higher quality. It was just nice to see something really different for once. So, 3 things to wrap this all up: sorry for ranting (I really am, I rarely ever do this), make more skins for the champs who've been shafted, and make less skins from the super popular skin lines. Thanks for reading.

TyrekGoldenspear14 votes

I wouldn't say that Raka has that many skins.

Much less quality skins. The other champs you mentioned, yeah I can see that.

Swainey Todd5 votes

This will be Soraka's SEVENTH skin??

TyrekGoldenspear23 votes

She doesn't have that many quality skins

A lot of her skins were released very early on, and are therefore fancy recolors. Just saying.

Swainey Todd6 votes

True... it sucks that the quantity is so high but the quality isn't. I guess it is what it is.

TyrekGoldenspear10 votes

Yeah, I mean the splashes look really good, but in game you realize they are just fancy recolors.

I just want more quality Raka skins, tis all I ask for.

Swainey Todd3 votes

At least it's not that green Malphite skin. Lol

TyrekGoldenspear25 votes

http://ddragon.leagueoflegends.com/cdn/img/champion/splash/Malphite_1.jpg

Worth every RP lol.

ThePikol13 votes

Wasn't Yoric confirmed to get skin this year?

Forbidden Siren44 votes

And it'll come exactly on December 31st.

[slayer-jinx-wink]

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