Riot Games has announced changes to free skins in League of Legends. We will see that players will be getting fewer of these cosmetic items going forward. Also the dev team has put out a new blog post which details this.
Why Fewer Free Skins in League?
Riot reports that the process of making skins has become more in depth. In the past skins were put out which required less work. Presently we see that new skins have improved quality and detail which in turn has raised the bar for what is required to produce them.
The Development Cost Increase
Creating that which is the League skin now requires more artists. We have more program staff working on the effects also. Each skin has it’s own unique animation which didn’t used to be the case for very early skins.
Player Reactions to Fewer Free Skins
Many of our players are against what we see as a reduction in free cosmetic items. Some do however see the logic in what Riot is doing. The developer journal did a great job breaking it all down. We value honest communication regarding changes.
Comparing Old and New Skin Systems
In old seasons we saw basic recolors of characters. In modern skins we see total transformations of character models out which some actually become new versions of the champions during play time. These overhauled champions are in the works for months.
How This Affects League's Strategy
League is still at the top in terms of multiplayer games world wide. They put out regular updates as a strategy to keep players coming back. Also they offer fewer free skins which in turn funds more of the game content.
Budget Allocation Changes
Money out of pocket goes to other game areas. At Riot they are putting more into server stability at present. Also they fund new game modes better. Esports events see larger budgets also.
The RPG Elements in League
League’s in to role play elements here also which is a factor. As for collection systems they are still very much a reward. Progression in the game is made to feel very meaningful with rare cosmetics. Also players still do get some free skins.
Action Oriented Updates
The game is very much into fast paced action at all times. In terms of development what we see is that which which goes into the games playability is a priority. Once that is taken care of we see in to cosmetic changes which come after we have core updates. Also -- each requires separate funding.
Casual Players and Skins
Casual players and pros value skins in different ways. Out of the former it is common to play for the collection of cosmetics. Riot has to carefully balance between both groups. The changes which have been made reflect this balance.
Multiplayer Aspects Considered
League is at it’s core a multiplayer experience. We see that which related to skins is important in this context. The team at large reports that free skins still have that special place. They also report that which free skins do very well in terms of value.
Long-Term Simulation Results
Riot put out a few different skin reward models. We saw that giving out too many for free did in fact do damage to the game. Players stopped to value their collections. The new system we put in place fixes that.
Racing Against Expectations
The team is on it for what players want. In each community we see a demand for more free content. It is up to developers to set realistic expectations. This change we have made is to handle those issues better.
Sports Like Competition Factor
League’s competitive field does it all. Pro players require stable performance above anything else. The funding shift is what maintains this stability. Casual players benefit in the background.
Adventure Mode Concerns
Some players wanted more free skins for in game characters. Riot said that different teams handle which modes out of the primary game modes that is. Also what we put forward are other modes which have different rules.
Free Games Business Reality
League is free to play. We live off of optional purchases. The fun factor is the same. You can enjoy it all without spending a cent.
Conclusion
Riot went into detail with their free skins decision. We saw a large increase in development costs over time. Players will still see some free cosmetics. The change is for the better of the game. At large what it does is put better content out there.
FAQs
1. Will League stop giving free skins completely?
No. Players will still get out of the gate with free skins, but not as frequently as before.
2. Do I need to pay now to get good skins?
Some excellent skins will be available for free. Also we have the ones you had to buy as before.
3. How long does making one skin take now?
Top quality skins may take up to 4 months at the most for completion. As for the simple ones which in general are quite fast, they take little to no time.
4. Does this mean League is struggling financially?
No. The game is still doing very well. We see this as a chance to improve how we allocate resources.
5. Will old skins become more valuable?
Yes. Rare skins will be that much more special as free ones become few.
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