NeoLexical

Originally posted by cxrtoonz0

We did pretty heavy analysis for multiple updates. Most will try out the update for one or two patches and return to the champion they love best.

Yeah but this also factors in the performance of the update. If the update is badly done obviously people won't play it. That's like when aatrox received his rework and people disliked him because he was finally strong the patches before the rework and didn't need it at the time. If you gut the core champ and make him boring/weaker then obviously people won't play him. Same with aurelion when you guys removed his stars and changed his E, he was a lot less fun to play and the core of him was removed. Obviously not as many will like him?

Originally posted by millierinaz

Hi Lexi I want to ask about ASU hope you don't mind, after you guys showed the new concept for God Fist Lee Sin in the start season video, that means his legendary skin will be touched too right ? So I wonder if you have considered looking at the old ASUs for any missing updates.

Example like Pulsefire Caitlyn, you guys forgot to update it even it looks outdated than God Fist Lee Sin & Star Guardian Ahri only received a face texture while her tails & her model looks worse than the new one. Three of them released in the same year, 2017. Personally, I think if one can get update, the others should get too.

Originally posted by Pretogues

Oof... Your answers to this topic always give a "League is a business first" vibe. I feel like you're missing the point of what having 12-year-old models walking around the Rift does to the overall perceived quality of the game and brand. Most of your competitors have gone through entire engine changes (Smite, CS, Dota2). League ends up looking cheap/low budget in comparison. Imagine playing Counter-Strike Go 2 with some 1.6 gun models mixed in-between the modern ones. That's what playing with a Zilean on my team feels like.

I also imagine it's far less appealing to buy skins for old models too (Malphite will ALWAYS look like a nose regardless of skin). I dare you to show Corporate Mundo sales before and after the update. It also can't be good for newcomers. Think of all the people who watched Arcane or the new cinematic getting into the game only to find Jayce, Viktor, Vi, Ashe, and Tryndamere looking like LEGOs in-game. There is no way you're saying that from a business s...

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Originally posted by AobaSona

I'm sorry but hearing this is infuriating. Champions are getting updated designs in places like Legends of Runeterra, Wild Rift, cinematics, but League, the original game and source material for everything, is just left with ugly outdated and sometimes NON-CANON version of the champions?

This shouldn't be acceptable. It should honestly be considered a responsability Riot has with the community, not a favor. The "goodwill and sentiment" you get should be a bonus reward, not the whole point.

I'm sorry if I'm being rude but like I said, it's so frustrating to read. I care so much about the champions and their lore and visuals and IP and everything surrounding those characters and world, and to hear that Riot doesn't care unless it's gonna get them enough money is legitimately heartbreaking.

Originally posted by AobaSona

Have you considered porting models from Wild Rift, just with better textures? I don't mean the showcase ones, certain champions like Syndra and Lulu actually have new in-game models too.

I really think Riot should consider some kind of visual update besides a full ASU. Something I've been thinking for a while is that for champions who already have decent animations, they could get texture updates + the addition of face animations, and model/texture/ tweaks.

For example: Jinx, Diana, Varus, Nidalee. Their rig and animations are already decent, but they're still outdated compared to more recent champions. Some of those would need new splashes and VO, but some like Nidalee who got one recently wouldn't.

Originally posted by Neblinio

Can you give an example of a recent VU/ASU for a popular champion? did Ahri see a significant uptick in players mid or long term? cause if she didn't, what can we expect of unpopular champions' VU/ASU?

Originally posted by cxrtoonz0

The reality is, no update on a single champion will move the needle for a player to come back, engage in the game more etc

This sounds so blatantly made up just like Phreak's basement cherry picked stats.

Originally posted by SkeletonJakk

Getting to see a little bit into the thought process of the how & why is really interesting here.

Appreciate the League Team for doing this AMA.

Originally posted by Primerion-ken

But lexi, might i ask why we r getting way less content if so? Like what r we getting instead of all these cuts and fewer releases? We used to get 5 new champs, 3/4 vgus, and multiple NEW mods a year in 2016-2018

Originally posted by Estraxior

I don't think there are lots of other companies or industries that will turn old releases into new ones without selling something or other

League is much more of a "changing" game than other games. So, it's more often that an old champion will stop meeting the needs/wants of the current playerbase. I feel like other games tend to have characters that fulfill this need throughout the lifetime of the game, thus a VGU isn't necessarily needed in those cases.

League's gameloop inherently creates the problem of needing champion VGUs so that old champions don't fall into irrelevancy. It's Riot's job to notice this issue, and not sweep it under the rug by saying "other games don't do it as often, you should be glad we're caring for you guys!"

Originally posted by Salty-Prize-5347

Have you guys ever considered doing texture updates to base skins to modernize them without having to do a full asu?

For example just a better base texture for gragas so he doesn't look like a minecraft person, or updating base ekko's hair to be more like it is in arcane?

Feel like you could do a lot with just a little

Originally posted by Zarathielis

The vastaya from freljord was described as mid range mage, what current mage would be considered mid range, sylas, ryze, annie?

And I really loved Hwei, I hope his designer Emizery will work on another new champion!

Last question: Will we get another champ roadmap in april? I really want to know more about how ambessa will play, I assume she will be a bruiser but so far no role etc has been announced so waiting for more info.

Also I loved the cinematic, great job!

Originally posted by Zarathielis

You have said before you had a project involving heavy AI you couldn't do yet, any chance you still want to do that?

Originally posted by QUINN_VALOR_VGU_WHEN

Hi, dev team. There are over 60 champions in League who could use an ASU or VGU due to outdated visuals, themes, or gameplay. Currently, the pace at which we’re receiving these updates is roughly 1-2 per year, which means we may be waiting several decades for our favorite champions to get their much-needed overhauls.

While I know the most strategic avenue for the business is to space these updates out to keep players invested and looking forward to something new every year, is there anything being done to make sure some of us get to see these reworks within our lifetimes?

Here’s a list of champions who could at the very least use an ASU, if not a full-blown VGU:

1.) Alistar 2.) Amumu 3.) Anivia 4.) Ashe 5.) Blitzcrank 6.) Brand 7.) Cassiopeia 8.) Cho’Gath 9.) Corki 10.) Darius 11.) Diana 12.) Draven 13.) Fizz 14.) Gragas 15.) Graves 16.) Hecarim 17.) Janna 18.) Jarvan IV 19.) Kassadin 20.) Katarina 21.) Kennen 22.) Kog’Maw 23.) L...

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Originally posted by LunekJones

What are riot thoughts on Viktor? Champ is pretty dead in high elo and pro play for a long time now

Originally posted by FrontFeature0

Do you have any plans for Ryze personally, i think an Asol style CGU would suit for him, or you can make a small update like (ultimate change, adding shield or healing on his kit), but please do something about this champion.I also have two rework concepts for Ryze, you can check them out if you want.
1:https://www.reddit.com/r/leagueoflegends/comments/106obno/a\_ryze\_rework\_inspired\_by\_invoker\_in\_dota/
2:https://www.reddit.com/r/leagueoflegends/comments/11y4u4x/a\_ryze\_rework\_inspired\_by\_invoker\_in\_dota\_2/

Originally posted by J0rdian

The splashart is better then the 3d model we saw. But still not great but better.

Originally posted by StrwbryAcaiPanda

Yeah I think a lot of the players asking for VGUs would much rather have an ASU and maybe a midscope for their champ. Seems like we're running out of kits that need full VGU imo

Originally posted by StarGuardianMain

HOW are they shocked that VGUs bring less engagement than new champions if they've been exclusively updating champions like Skarner, Udyr, Mundo for the last 3+ years???

Originally posted by JailsinhoHue

So... We will never get a true niche champion anymore? Really?