It's been a whole year, and i still don't understand why was Graves's cigar removed.
Riot silver has said this regarding the issue 1 year ago:
Hey all,
I can give a bit of context on why the cigar was removed. Essentially, there was a significant risk of censorship or age rating problems in various regions based on the depiction of tobacco usage. This kind of thing is pretty strictly enforced in parts of the world, and in this case it became clear that we needed to remove the cigar in his splash. The relevant laws sometimes apply differently depending on content type, which is why something that might work in peripheral content like a cinematic may not work in content like splashes that are tied specifically to the core game.
I can also speak a bit as to why we wouldn't create multiple splashes in response to this kind of issue. One of our goals moving forward with splash art, compared to how things have been done in the past, is to create content for all regions. In the past we've created modified or entirely different splashes based on the needs or appeal of certain regions, but this is something we've been working to change moving forward. Where possible, we want to stay away from sharding the game unnecessarily for different regions. It may seem like a small thing in this case, but we believe that being consistent with this artistic approach best allows for a common community and common stories for players to experience and share with each other.
-Silver
Gun ownership is also highly restricted and outright illegal in some countries that play league of legends. Perhaps we should also remove Graves' gun and replace it with something less offensive.
I guess you better take out Gragas' beer too, while you're at it. I do believe that alcohol consumption is even more restricted than tobacco so let's take that out.
Also, all the murdering and killing in the game. That might kinda be age-restricted in some countries so we should axe that.
All the cleavage too. All that sex is pretty taboo in some countries. I'd say there is a "risk of censorship or age rating problems in various regions".
Ahri literally seduces men, has intercourse with them, and then murders them. Call me crazy but that might be taboo somewhere. Better get on it!!
Additionally, I think it's a great idea to keep Graves with that same facial expression and "cigar chewing" grin. The art looks good and whole, and his facial expression makes 100% sense without the context of a cigar. Doesn't look lazy at all!
