Whichever country has the most restrictive rules now defines the art globally for the entire game

DynamiteGazelle·Apr 6, 2016·260 votes·10,863 views

That's what these new splash changes mean

Edit: To clarify, I'm not talking about the changes to the Chinese spalshes on an aesthetic level. Although I don't like some of them, that's not a part of this conversation.

What I AM talking about is the censorship of splashes like Graves, Karthus, and now ChoGath, as well as the knowledge that certain thematic areas are completely off limits (undead, drug related, government themes, or any kind of patriotism to any country)

It may be a bit high-brow of me, but I find it hard to support art made under such constraints. I can't find it in me to endorse censorship or any kind, even in such a small way.

153 Comments

RebirthAngelApr 6, 201678 votes

yeah. it saddens me. can't even have a cho-gath and a graves with a cigar :\ I understand their reasoning, but its just a bum. It's so people under age can still play this, which imo is not exactly a good thing.

TNHA BaritoneApr 6, 201624 votes

It isnt b/c of other ages. I'm sure. I'd guess it is because in other regions, cigars and such are extremely taboo.

Vistha KaiApr 6, 201628 votes

They are not. It's just a bull pulled by Riot.

If there are smoke-free laws they are almost exclusively related to public areas, such as hospitals, schools, for some also restaurants and entertainment places, and in others also areas around bus stops, and the like.

Same goes for skulls in China and skeletons in general.

There are no laws forbidding to show them in video games or anywhere for that matter. The only related law is the one prohibiting superstitions and cults, which is up for interpretation and more often than not simply overlooked. Hell, ask any chinese person. They don't care any more than your neighbour.

TNHA BaritoneApr 6, 20161 votes

Oh I didnt know.

Vistha KaiApr 6, 201629 votes

I looked it up somewhen the "Graves' cigar" became a thing.

First of all it's exteremely stupid to remove a freaking cigar, just becase of one or two countries' law. Secondly, because there is a lot more offensive content, such as drug usage (Singed's entire existance), mild nudity, alcohol usage(Gragas' entire existance), suggestive themes, etc. Thirdly, because my country turned out to be one of the most restrictive about tobacco and you know what? Nobody gives a bloody fuck. It basically boils down to "don't smoke indoors" which should be a simple human courtesy.

kagepaladinApr 6, 201620 votes

yea look at nidalee's dance great example of something any feminist would pounce upon given the chance.

Kappa

Vistha KaiApr 6, 20167 votes

And yet they removed Slay Belle Katarina's pole dance.

sir d wreckApr 7, 20163 votes

At that time Riot claimed that Slay Belle Kat's pole dance didn't fit thematically, but for Nidalee they said that it fit her seductive theme. Not saying I agree or anything, I just remember that was their reasoning back then.

It Hertz When IPApr 7, 20161 votes

Nidalee has a seductive theme?

KING OF MASKSApr 7, 20169 votes

Well, she is a cougar after all. :^)

Autrah FangApr 6, 20165 votes

[{quoted}](name=Vistha Kai,realm=EUNE,application-id=6kFXY1kR,discussion-id=weAb3oNg,comment-id=00010000000100000000,timestamp=2016-04-06T16:46:14.895+0000)

suggestive themes

isn't that also Evelynn's entire existence as well? (since you listed Singed and Gragas' existences for the other two, i figured i'd add that the suggestive themes are practically Eve's as well)

Vistha KaiApr 7, 20162 votes

Eve's, Ahri's, Nidalee's, etc.

It's just that Gragas and Singed are one of a kind when it comes to it.

I just listed them so people get the idea.

CashlaundryApr 6, 20164 votes

In the United States there are laws regarding the usage of tobacco related products in media that's aimed at minors. I'm pretty sure that they had to remove Grave's cigar in order to avoid having a mature rating slapped on the game.

As far as the splash art that has been driven by what is considered culturally acceptable in China. For example displaying skulls is not acceptable in China and so Riot had to remove Karthus' face from all the splash art.

Revenge of TeetoApr 7, 20169 votes

Which is also stupid. Where are the parents, or common sense in 2016 that smoking is bad for you.. So a pixelated character has a cigar.. IM GOIN TO GO LIGHT ONE UP NAO. k. This is just more overreach of governments on citizens, but being how lib and restrictive riot is they probably embrace the idea, along with the majority of the player base.

UrPalAlApr 7, 20164 votes

So why are players yelling at Riot for it? Put up a petition and take it up against the government.

It Hertz When IPApr 7, 20168 votes

Played as Twitch. Off to go build my own sewer crossbow, cya.

Blue Moon WolfApr 7, 20166 votes

I swear, if Gragas 's alcohol becomes a "magic potion", I'm gonna riot... at Riot...

DreamspitterApr 7, 20166 votes

[{quoted}](name=Blue Moon Wolf,realm=NA,application-id=6kFXY1kR,discussion-id=weAb3oNg,comment-id=000100000003,timestamp=2016-04-07T05:22:59.608+0000)

I swear, if 's alcohol becomes a "magic potion", I'm gonna riot... at Riot...

naw it's purple drank.

CookieButtLavApr 7, 20161 votes

I would actually love to see Ribena™ Gragas as a skin

DreamspitterApr 8, 20162 votes

{quoted}

I would actually love to see Ribena™ Gragas as a skin

I love currants

3TWarriorApr 7, 20163 votes

then it becomes soda...

Unfortunate GameApr 6, 20166 votes

That sound so stupid. I promise you the kids playing this, one of their family members smoke. Mother, father, grandmother, grandfather, uncle, or aunt, but a fake character on a video game cant have a cigar? good joke

Forbidden SirenApr 6, 201637 votes

But... but... isn't the point of Karthus' visual rework is to avoid the Chinese censorship? Yet, his new default splash is still censored!

MelledoneusApr 6, 201612 votes

Looks like someone shot tar onto his face and he's screaming "SOMEONE GET IT OFF MEEEEE!!!"

ArlanKelsApr 6, 201628 votes

Artwork that is not free to be whatever is not artwork.

Artwork that is constrained is nothing more than a pale imitation of what the imagination allows.

DynamiteGazelleApr 6, 20168 votes

Hear, hear. Very well put

TheVishualApr 6, 201627 votes

{quoted}

That's what these new splash changes mean.

Tencent owns like 99 percent of riot now so actually it's "the owners of the company decide what the splash art will be" not whichever region has the most restrictive rules... China is a communist country still FYI not really surprising

Actually pulled straight from wikipedia and the general shift of the entire game since then...

"On February 18, 2011, Tencent acquired a majority equity interest (92.78%)[56] in Riot Games, developer of League of Legends, for about USD 230 million. Tencent had already held 22.34% of the equity interest out of a previous investment in 2008. On the 16th December 2015, Riot Games sold its remaining equity to Tencent Holdings."

which would explain why the game sucks so much right now

SubunduApr 6, 201624 votes

{quoted}

China is a communist country still FYI not really surprising

In game: "blame the jungler"

In real world: "blame the communists"

lol

DraqoneApr 6, 20167 votes

{quoted}

Tencent owns like 99 percent of riot now so actually it's "the owners of the company decide what the splash art will be" not whichever region has the most restrictive rules... China is a communist country still FYI not really surprising

Actually pulled straight from wikipedia and the general shift of the entire game since then...

"On February 18, 2011, Tencent acquired a majority equity interest (92.78%)[56] in Riot Games, developer of League of Legends, for about USD 230 million. Tencent had already held 22.34% of the equity interest out of a previous investment in 2008. On the 16th December 2015, Riot Games sold its remaining equity to Tencent Holdings."

which would explain why the game sucks so much right now

What does China being communist have to do with all of it?

ArlanKelsApr 6, 201632 votes

{quoted}

What does China being communist have to do with all of it?

China being "communist" has nothing to do with it.

China being a repressive and censor heavy society has a lot to do with it.

TheVishualApr 7, 20161 votes

{quoted}

What does China being communist have to do with all of it?

Communists suppress thoughts and restrict ideas... that's what it has to do with it. are you serious?

XulsigaeApr 7, 20167 votes

No they don't. Bad governments do that. Communism is not intrinsically tyrannical.

TheVishualApr 7, 20161 votes

{quoted}

No they don't. Bad governments do that. Communism is not intrinsically tyrannical.

Yes it is... look at every single communist government in history you fucking mong. communism =/= socialism

LeetriApr 7, 20168 votes

Communism as an idea is good, but it can never work in reality because people are egotistical and greedy. Compare communism to a gun. Neither are good or bad, it's the person who wields it who decide if it kills an innocent man or a deer to provide food to his family. So far, communism has only been wielded by bad people to further their own agenda.

Shadowjak101Apr 7, 20166 votes

Communism is simply a bit further left; the logical endpoint of socialism. Just because communist leaders tend to be corrupt, doesn't mean communism is.

Pale PirateApr 6, 20169 votes

China is a communist country still FYI not really surprising

That isn't communism, get your facts straight.

Demonsolder21Apr 7, 20163 votes

It technically is communism in name.

I am THE DariusApr 7, 20167 votes

North Korea confirmed for "technically" a Democratic Republic.

GenoXxApr 6, 20169 votes

Well, why can't Riot act on their own now? You mean to tell me China is calling the big shots for Riot?....... Sigh and i had such high hopes for Riot as a gaming company....Tencent is going to keep it stagnant or maybe somethign even worstt

RebirthAngelApr 6, 201612 votes

it isnt china. i believe korea is the one that forced them to change cho'gath. Having to put SSN with login shows their age, thus banning anyone from this game if it contains such 'vulgar'.

GenoXxApr 6, 20167 votes

Even still...if we get more changes liek these leageu will be ruined....As bad as Fire Emblem Fates was "censored" before it released in America

GreenLoreApr 6, 201626 votes

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/w1yBjmEf-v8/maxresdefault.jpg

Because logic!

GenoXxApr 6, 201611 votes

Lol.

The thing is I've played both those games and still can't fathom why they would censor petting people's heads in FE when it's a Teen rated game. Pokemon on the other hand...they aren't human in nintendo's logic

SpecterVonBarenApr 6, 20167 votes

I don't care what's done with the Cockroach Chogath skin, they can remove the pipe from the real Gentleman Chogath skin for all I care, I just hate how hideous (In a bad way) he looks in the Chinese splash.

Caitlyn HuntApr 6, 20164 votes

they're getting tons of our splashes too. every region is having the same splashes now, so we pick chinese or normal for every splash. some of chinas have better quality, so they pick them. the whole reason they did chinese splashes is coz our art quality was too low for their standards at the time (see our toxic mundo) but eventually we had ok art (they stopped making their own art after fiora) so they used ours from then on.

Duke AnaxApr 6, 20166 votes

thing is a lot of the chinese art they intend on using now don't have better quality.

DarkRitualApr 6, 20167 votes

They are also not intended to be permanent generally. This is a temporary fix untill all splashes can be brought up to their current standard of quality.

It will likely only take 4 or 5 years at current rate to have them all updated properly.

Only Play DariusApr 6, 20162 votes

So, what are they going to do about http://media.lolusercontent.com/api/embedly/1/image/resize?url=http%3A%2F%2Fam-a.akamaihd.net%2Fimage%3Ff%3Dhttp%3A%2F%2Fnews.cdn.leagueoflegends.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fpages%2F2016%2Fmarch%2Ftre%2Fimg%2FTaric_FifthAge_Splash_Wallpaper.jpg%26resize%3D1536%3A&key=a45e967db0914c7fb472fd4381e6c85b&width=425 ?

One of my friends in High School was an exchange student from Turkey and he was homophobic, he said the culture in his home country was openly against it too. How are they going to implement this on the Turkish servers?

GayFluffyUnicornApr 7, 20164 votes

Openly against it, behind the doors fucking lil boys... True story, we have lots of turkish people in my country ^^ And i guess everything is fine with Erdogan as long as he receives money. on the other hand they (police and some civilians) crushed a gay parade in istanbul and knocked the shit out of the gays demonstrating so it's really a good question.