Boards›Story, Art, & Sound

Popular Champions Getting Skins: They aren't Riot's favorites.

ModWulf Helhammer·5/2/2019, 4:33:30 PM·120 votes·33,053 views

Lunar Empress Lux, Pajama Party Guardians, Battle Academia Lux and Ezreal,... well I guess just about all the recent Lux and Ezreal skins.

Yeah, all those. I know the common argument out of frustration is that these champs are "Riot's favorites," and that's why they always get so many skins.

Except they aren't.

Think about it. If Riot actually had favorites, then they would make the skin for whatever it was. They wouldn't care if that skin made money or not (which is the common counter to said favoritism argument), because they are doing it out of favoritism.

No, the reason that champs like Lux, Ezreal, and Ahri receive skins more often is not because of Riot's favoritism, but rather the player base's.

Yes, the primary reason Riot makes skins is to make money. No one denies that. Riot is a company that needs to turn a profit in order to actually function. So they make skins that they know are going to sell. What skins are those going to be? Well the ones for the champions that the players most want to play. Ezreal has been in the top 3 picked ADCs for the past 14 patches. Ahri has been in the top 10 picked mids for 11 out of the past 14 (and still in the top 20 for those other 3).

Sure, there may be some cause and effect going on where "champ is popular because they have skins, popular champ gets more skins, repeat ad infinitum", but that's not going to account for much. People like playing these champions. That's why Riot chooses them, because they want the most members of the community to want what is for sale.

If all of a sudden champs like Aurelion Sol, Skarner, and Singed started having play rates like Ahri, Ezreal, Lux, and others, then those champs would be who Riot makes skins for.

So yes, I understand the frustration for not getting a skin for your main (My main champs are Quinn and Xerath. Trust me, I know how you feel). But can we please stop this argument of "Riot plays favorites"? The only ones playing favorites here are the ones playing the game.

137 Comments

The Iceborn5/2/2019, 4:41:44 PM51 votes

Exactly. The players play favorites, riot just follows up according to that. Ezreals pick rate is a perfect example of that however Xerath not getting a skin in 4 years is dreadful.

OtterlyLost5/2/2019, 5:34:55 PM28 votes

I can't help but wonder if other champions would be more popular if they had more effort put into giving them skins. But you mentioned that already so meh.

The point is, I really don't care if they're most popular with the playerbase. The point is that I want other champions to start getting skins. If they made actually really good skins and put them in really good events for champions who were "less popular", who is to say that these champions wouldn't suddenly be more popular. Especially if these skins expanded on their lore or put them into a more interesting light.

I digress. I'm aware that these are popular champions with the playerbase but I still don't care. I'm tired of seeing their faces on every important or interesting skin based event.

Salvor Hardın5/2/2019, 6:16:35 PM21 votes

I told it to a Rioter and I say it again, as the number of champions increases, they are going to need to increase the number of skins they take out. Yes, it's all a matter, training and hiring new work teams and so on, but sooner or later they will have to do it.

Jaspers5/2/2019, 6:08:29 PM16 votes

Understood but do they have to do it all at once? For ever money maker, make a less money maker? Save that secondary money maker for the next set.

Think of it this way, do an Ezreal here, but have Taliyah, Ekko and co as well, then next time do Lux with Heimer, Vik, time after than do Ahri, Talon etc. Star Guardian set 2 were made up of 2 popular ap mid laners, 2 popular adcs and a fan favourite support. All popular champs which means next set will be 'reserves' in terms of popularity, meaning it'll sell less overall making Riot think the skin line isn't popular anymore.

Snarfuractu5/2/2019, 5:33:33 PM14 votes

How do you know those champions aren't riots favorites? XD

EDIT: just a joke guys chill

Hethalean5/2/2019, 4:46:35 PM10 votes

How else will they focus their frustrations about not getting a skin they wanted this patch if not to blame and demonize Riot in some way? Ignore the fact that Riot only makes like 70 skins a year and there are 140 champions. 35 of those skins they probably have to make sure MAKE them the money they need, and the other 35 are probably fill in for champions that haven't gotten a skin in a while but might not break even...

tl;dr; Gotta be mad at Riot cuz handling your own frustration yourself is unacceptable. lol

MalignMetal5/2/2019, 6:47:11 PM6 votes

Im sure Unpopular champions would become more Popular during the release of a high quality skin

Souji5/2/2019, 10:54:51 PM6 votes

People forget they also make more skins for champs that are easier to make skins for. Zyra for example is harder to make skins for because of the nature of her kit/particles. While someone like Ezreal or Lux fit in just about every thematic and are much easier to make skins for. Same goes for Rek'Sai. She's a monster champ she's hard to come up with stuff for. they make skins based off ideas they have too.

Oleandervine5/3/2019, 8:06:22 PM5 votes

People keep bringing up the Pajama Guardian skins but you all are missing the critical part of those skins - They were EXPERIMENTS. They were Riot's attempt to test a new product type. The skin line and the selected champions were specifically chosen to test the validity of variant skins and whether or not this was a product line they wanted to explore and expand upon. They were solid variables they knew were popular, and thus were easiest to gauge public interest in the product.

Therefore, the Pajama Guardians were an anomaly, and abnormal skin release, and not intended to count as skins released for those champions in the standard production schedule for skins. So for people clamoring for a witch hunt against Ezreal and Lux because of their Pajama Guardian skins, that's not a particularly reasonable attack or argument against those champions. They're just like the World Champions Skins - they should be ignored when looking at the last legitimate skin a champion got, because both instances operate outside of the standard cycle.

If you need further proof that the Pajama skins are outside of the regular schedule - remember Soraka got Winter Wonderland literally a month later. If those skins WERE part of the standard cycle, that would have never happened AT ALL.

Sõna5/3/2019, 12:34:55 PM4 votes

This post genuinely clapped those disliker guy's cheek so loudly.

I wholeheartedly support this post because it makes senses in business perspective. As League of legends' only income are by selling Skins and events.

For those who didn't actually work on department like graphic design, put yourself in their shoes and think. Being in Art department is sure tough, because when tops asked to create for the most profitable skins for their company, the staffs/members have to be forced to work by their(Manager) instructions, otherwise they can't feed the whole company. Yes, having different champions skins is indeed the best, but when that skin only sells below expectation, who gonna be responsible for it? Playerbase? Or Design team? Stand at Riot game 's perspective, it is Design team's fault for not making more money.

Give some sympathy and provide your idea with your drawing, like the rabbit tahn kench fan skin idea were so great. Otherwise stop bombarding Riot's design team, it's their Top, Tencent who wanted that, not Riot.

StonePlatypus5/3/2019, 6:58:29 AM4 votes

The Ez and Lux skins make money.

Riot's favorite thing is money.

Thus they make their favorite skins.

MrWasjig5/2/2019, 8:47:18 PM3 votes

This still doesn't take the onus off of Riot. There are champions who are absolutely starved for skins, either they have very few, or haven't had one in literally years, and yet they're repeatedly ignored. So it might not be favouritism, but it's still down to Riot.

CasterGilgamesh5/2/2019, 5:58:49 PM3 votes

im still waiting for another quinn skin i have all her skins but i need more [zombie-nunu-bummed] btw i agree with you riot is a company and they want money i would do the same thing if i was them

hewhodoesnotcare5/2/2019, 7:15:52 PM3 votes

You know what grinds my gear that riot refuses to let custom skins be a thing

A Midget Walrus5/3/2019, 12:19:10 AM3 votes

Even if they might sell better, wouldn't it be better for overall player satisfaction and long-term retention to not see the same 5 champs getting skins all of the time? To me at least its kind of frustrating when i have a champ i play that only has 2 skin options, where i'd like to pick up a skin but don't like either of my options, and then i go back to the homepage and i see "AHRI SKIN #11 RELEASED: E-GIRL AHRI- PRESTIGE EDITION"

Also blaming the community is a total cop-out. Sure there are more Ezreal and Lux players than a champ like Xerath, but that doesn't excuse the massive disparity of skins released.

ShadzMadz5/3/2019, 4:49:45 AM3 votes

Its hard to be an ahri/lux main on the boards or anywhere else in the game without being flamed to show appreciation to riot, Believe me when I say I'm quite happy with the skins. But remember the people that are happy with the skins are probably out in the game enjoying their new skin. As an amateur game designer i can tell you right now I'd MUCH rather make a skin for ahri then cassiopeia some champs are just, difficult to work with I'm sure.

PirateGod3D2Y5/2/2019, 9:15:33 PM2 votes

[{quoted}](name=Wilk Łucznik,realm=NA,application-id=6kFXY1kR,discussion-id=s7fGzxqr,comment-id=,timestamp=2019-05-02T16:33:30.020+0000)

Lunar Empress Lux, Pajama Party Guardians, Battle Academia Lux and Ezreal,... well I guess just about all the recent Lux and Ezreal skins.

Yeah, all those. I know the common argument out of frustration is that these champs are "Riot's favorites," and that's why they always get so many skins.

Except they aren't.

Think about it. If Riot actually had favorites, then they would make the skin for whatever it was. They wouldn't care if that skin made money or not (which is the common counter to said favoritism argument), because they are doing it out of favoritism.

No, the reason that champs like Lux, Ezreal, and Ahri receive skins more often is not because of Riot's favoritism, but rather the player base's.

Yes, the primary reason Riot makes skins is to make money. No one denies that. Riot is a company that needs to turn a profit in order to actually function. So they make skins that they know are going to sell. What skins are those going to be? Well the ones for the champions that the players most want to play. Ezreal has been in the top 3 picked ADCs for the past 14 patches. Ahri has been in the top 10 picked mids for 11 out of the past 14 (and still in the top 20 for those other 3).

Sure, there may be some cause and effect going on where "champ is popular because they have skins, popular champ gets more skins, repeat ad infinitum", but that's not going to account for much. People like playing these champions. That's why Riot chooses them, because they want the most members of the community to want what is for sale.

If all of a sudden champs like Aurelion Sol, Skarner, and Singed started having play rates like Ahri, Ezreal, Lux, and others, then those champs would be who Riot makes skins for.

So yes, I understand the frustration for not getting a skin for your main (My main champs are Quinn and Xerath. Trust me, I know how you feel). But can we please stop this argument of "Riot plays favorites"? The only ones playing favorites here are the ones playing the game.

At the same time you cannot deny that making a skin for a champ would directly increase the champion’s playrate. Its only natural that if they keep making skins for these champs, people would play them more. If they keep pushing out skins for these champs, you’re obviously going to see a decrease in playrates for other champs.

Terozu5/2/2019, 5:36:38 PM2 votes

Lux isn't actually that popular in general though.

Though Ezreal is very often the most played character in the game.

Halluc1nate5/3/2019, 1:30:52 PM1 votes

Urgot hasn't gotten a skin in 6years if u don't count rework

DarkSoul19945/6/2019, 7:20:15 AM1 votes

The biggest issue with Riot's skin team is that they're way too fucking rigid in their plans. You have champs like Rek'sai who haven't received a skin in years finally become meta again and Riot doesn't take advantage of this by releasing a skin for them while there's still a decent amount of people who care enough about the champion to make it profitable.

Riot end up resorting to releasing skins for champions like Ezreal/MF/Ahri/Lux/Vayne who people will play regardless of how useless they are at the time.