More and more League of Legends players have become vocal about skins getting worse in the iconic MOBA, and the evidence is mounting that this is a very real problem.
League of Legends makes no secret of the fact that much of its success comes from the sale of cosmetic skins. With dozens of new skins released each year, many players are more than happy to pick up skins of their favorites when they are reasonably attainable. In 2024, things began to change when Riot started charging exorbitant prices for certain skins.
The discourse began in May 2024, when players discovered the price for Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok’s Signature skin. Riot priced the unique Faker skin, included exclusively as part of a premium bundle, at a hefty $434.95. When asked about the price, a Riot representative claims the costs of the skin were necessary to keep the LoL esports division “financially sustainable.”
Going into 2025, fans are now claiming skins have gotten worse in LoL even as Riot claims that these purchases are necessary to ensure the game’s future stability, at the pro level and otherwise.
Many players have noticed a lack of polish and quality in recent League of Legends skins. Although the preference for skins is entirely subjective, many players have noticed objective downgrades in quality from Riot’s previous offerings. In February 2025, a social media user shared a comparison between Alistar’s default skin and a new Alistar skin available through the game’s latest battle pass.
Users took issue with the fact that Alistar kept his entire original shape in the new skin. As such, users dubbed the Alistar skin as a mere “chroma,” meaning a simple palate swap instead of an actual unique skin model. Many users agreed with the post’s sentiment, saying that skins are not worth the value that Riot attaches to them.
Although the Alistar skin is free, it is a noticeable downgrade from Unchained Alistar. The limited edition skin was released for free in 2011, and players could obtain it by simply subscribing to the official League of Legends YouTube channel. The skin changed the model, textures, and horns for a more unique look.
Riot laid off hundreds of employees through the 2024 calendar year, including a multitude of artists. In January 2024, Riot CEO Dylan Jadeja published a statement about the elimination of 530 company roles globally. In addition to the mass layoffs, many artists announced that they lost their positions at Riot through 2024.
Among the layoffs was character artist Ben Rosado, who designed the infamously expensive Faker skin. Many players were surprised they lost their job despite reports of the skin generating significant revenue. When Faker advertised the skin for a Chinese platform, the skin reportedly generated a revenue of $2.3 million within an hour.
In addition to the Alistar skin, other instances have also made players concerned about the declining art quality at Riot. A Samira emote released in December 2024 showcased noticeable flaws, such as multiple fingers, unfinished lips, and bizarre shading. These flaws led players to accuse Riot of using AI-generated emotes for League of Legends.
Riot attempted to clarify that no AI was used for the emotes, and that it was simply a mistake. But until Riot gives reasons otherwise, many players worry about the future for skins in League of Legends. And given the importance of skins to the game’s revenues, that might mean big issues for League of Legends as a whole.
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