Riot Games, the developer behind League of Legends, is facing backlash from players who are accusing the company of utilizing “recycled” visual effects (VFX) in the recently released Coven Nilah skin.
Despite Riot’s commendable track record of introducing numerous skin lines for the ever-expanding roster of champions over the past decade, the latest drop has left fans disappointed, sparking a conversation about innovation and quality.
LoL players accused of Riot for recycling Coven VFX assets
The criticism primarily revolves around perceived similarities between Nilah’s Coven skin and the abilities of another Coven member, Morgana.
Players on the League subreddit have meticulously compared the visual effects of Nilah’s abilities, particularly focusing on the EQ combo, which appears eerily reminiscent of Morgana’s Dark Binding ability.
“It’s not that they look similar, is that they are literally the same it’s not even subtle. This is just another proof that this Coven skin drop feels lazy like Syndra and Elise’s, and even Nami’s legendary with bad animations,”
“Smart to use same effect on 2 spells that have such different impact, in late game Morgana Q could be your death, imagine flashing Nilah Q in a teamfight lol,”
This similarity has not only been labeled as “lazy” by the community, but concerns have also been raised about potential ramifications for game clarity. Similar VFX can compromise the readability of abilities, impacting the overall game experience.
The discontentment extends beyond the issue of recycled VFX. Some players have voiced dissatisfaction with stiff animations for Nami’s Coven skin. Additionally, there are opinions suggesting that Akali does not seamlessly fit into the Coven universe, raising questions about thematic consistency. The broader sentiment among players is that this skin line feels incomplete and akin to “filler content.”
It’s pertinent to recall a similar situation with the Immortal Journey Kayle skin, which players noted was based on Ashe’s model. In response to community feedback, Riot acknowledged the concerns and made necessary adjustments to the skin.
As of now, Riot Games has not officially addressed the community’s outpouring of responses regarding the new Coven skins. However, considering past instances, it remains plausible that Riot might take the community’s feedback into account and implement changes in the near future.
Players are eagerly awaiting an official statement from Riot regarding the concerns surrounding the new Nilah skin and the overall reception of the latest skin line.