League of Legends won’t be following the trend of having tons of collaboration skins: ‘The second you do [it], the tone of your game completely changes’
The gaming industry has increasingly adopted what some call “Fortnitification” — the trend of featuring numerous third-party collaborations and celebrity crossovers. Examples include playable characters from Nicki Minaj in Call of Duty, the upcoming Evangelion raid in Final Fantasy 14, and Tekken 8’s Baki character DLC. This approach has become nearly ubiquitous among live-service games.
However, Riot Games has taken a different stance with League of Legends and Valorant. A Riot representative stated the company is “pretty not open” to third-party collaboration skins, citing concerns about maintaining the games’ artistic identity and tone. The statement suggests that embracing this trend would fundamentally alter how the game is perceived and experienced.
Riot’s belief is that incorporating numerous licensed character skins would shift the game’s overall atmosphere and aesthetic consistency. The company appears committed to preserving League of Legends’ distinct thematic identity rather than pursuing the potentially lucrative collaboration opportunities that competitors are leveraging.
This decision reflects a broader debate within the gaming industry about balancing monetization opportunities with creative vision. While collaboration events and crossover skins can drive revenue and attract new players, Riot’s approach suggests prioritizing long-term brand identity over short-term financial gains through celebrity and media partnerships.