League of Legends Patch 14.12 introduced a lot of balance changes to popular champions as well as the introduction of the Hall of Legends. Veteran pro League player Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok was called the “GOAT” by Riot and was the first ever inductee for his immense talent and achievements. But his new title also came with a skin bundle that had gamers torn. Now, Riot is defending the skin’s expensive price tag.
We’re not talking the usual drama over $30 skins. This time around, the Faker skin will cost players $430. The bundle comes with a lot of goodies but the price tag is still infuriating the majority of League of Legends players. Despite the backlash, Riot reps are confident with the costly bundle.
On Reddit, Riot decided to respond to the ongoing anger over the Faker skin bundle, which was being called greedy by many gamers. According to Head of Studio Andrei “Meddler” van Roon, the money will help sustain the League of Legends esports ecosystem.
“There’s a good opportunity to both celebrate iconic pro player sand help cover the costs of esports,” he said.
Riot has claimed in the past that its esports scene is funded largely by sponsorships and in-game sales. While it’s not struggling like other esports scenes — including Blizzard’s failed esports attempts — it’s not the most lucrative part of the gaming industry. It would make sense for Riot to look at different ways to make more money towards the competitive side.
Meddler explained that the Faker skin bundle is “tailored content” that is aimed at players who want to pay extra for exclusivity and to get such a coveted skin. For players that don’t want to pay that much, the update also has event skins that are selling at a much lower cost.
According to Riot, esports mainly drives its funds from a “mixture of sponsorships and in-game cosmetic sales,” and this event, Hall of Legends, was a “good opportunity” to experiment with the dedicated event of Hall of Legends. This “tailored content” was an excellent way to do that.
“This is a time where we believe we should also offer really expensive versions, akin to Collectors editions/collectibles in other contexts,” Meddler wrote. “Those are created for a very small part of the audience that wants that sort of price point in exchange for a lot more exclusivity.”
So apparently, League of Legends players should consider their Faker skin bundle purchase a way to support Riot’s esports system. This response didn’t convince everyone, however.
Responded one player: “This is the worst possible excuse. Its ‘exclusivity’ only leaves aside the common player. It was supposed to be a game for everyone. These types of maneuvers are totally anti-customer. You are not being rational, you are just being greedy.”
Another fan responded, however, that maybe they were not the “target audience,” noting that gamers in China love to purchase exclusive, expensive skins to show off in-game.
