Why Does Wild Rift Have Exclusive Skins? Insights from a Riot Games Employee

Introduction

Criticism surrounding Wild Rift’s exclusive skins has been a recurring theme. Players believe that the mobile version of the game receives special treatment from Riot Games, and they are calling for more equality between the two titles. Some players argue that the mobile version’s skins are more visually appealing and better designed, while others feel that fan requests are easily fulfilled in Wild Rift but ignored on PC. Dissatisfaction reached a peak with the Star Guardians event, raising questions about whether Wild Rift’s event would surpass that of League of Legends on PC. The absence of Kassadin’s reworked base skin in Wild Rift was also a sore point for many players. To shed light on the situation, one of Riot Games’ employees felt the need to address the issue.

The Reason for Wild Rift Exclusives

A Reddit user named JD_Crinchton raised the question, arguing that there is no logical reason for Wild Rift to have exclusive skins. They pointed out that both games share the same in-game splash arts and models, leading them to believe that it would be easier to migrate skins from League of Legends to Wild Rift than to create new ones from scratch. They questioned why there couldn’t be some level of parity between Wild Rift and League of Legends on PC.

However, this line of thinking, while seemingly logical, does not align with reality. EarthSlug, the Rioter responsible for skins on Wild Rift, provided a response to JD_Crinchton’s post. EarthSlug clarified that Wild Rift and League of Legends are not identical games, both in terms of gameplay and content. Wild Rift is not simply a copy and paste version of the original MOBA. Additionally, different teams are in charge of developing and managing each game.

The explanation continues. EarthSlug took to Twitter to elaborate on the fact that Wild Rift receives original skins that do not exist in League of Legends, rather than just replicating skins from the PC version. The main reason for this is that the Wild Rift and League of Legends teams evaluate content creation requests with each game’s specific audience in mind. They strive to determine what resonates best with the players of each title and then compare their ideas.

To exemplify their point, EarthSlug used the Star Guardians event as an example. They explained that when it comes to shared universes like Star Guardians, which generate significant interest in both games, it becomes increasingly crucial to deliver the best experience to players in each title. Each team considers factors such as the time since the last skin release, the total number of skins, which champions are fitting for the theme, and other details.

The Rioter emphasized that not all League of Legends skins will make their way to Wild Rift, and vice versa, as both games have their own distinct audiences. They reassured players that they take their feedback seriously and strive to exceed expectations whenever possible.

In summary, exclusive skins in Wild Rift exist because the game has its own unique identity and audience. The teams behind both titles carefully consider the preferences and interests of the players to deliver the best possible experience.