Skarner’s species isn’t the only thing that’s endangered—his cosmetics haven’t seen the best of days either.
The Crystal Vanguard hasn’t received a new League of Legends skin since 2015’s Guardian of the Sands, making him the sole member of the highly exclusive 2,000 days skinless club. The next potentially incoming member is Shyvana, who’s still more than a year shy at a comparatively modest 1,605 days since her last skin.
In comparison, Kai’Sa, who was released in 2018, already boasts seven skins to her name. Since coming out in 2018, Kai’Sa has been treated to a variety of unique skins. In fact, the League of Legends champion has averaged a new skin every 136 days, according to a Reddit post.
The post, as well as the League Skin Catalog on the League wiki page, highlighted the fact that Kai’Sa has received a total of seven skins in a period of time where several champions have received none. Kai’Sa first got Bullet Angel on the champion’s release in March 2018 and it was followed by KDA and KDA Prestige later in that same year. In 2019, Kai’Sa received two skins, iG and Arcade.
Later this month, Kai’Sa is set to get two more skins in the form of KDA All Out and KDA All Out Prestige.
Skarner has accumulated just four since his 2011 release, marking an average of almost three years between each skin. Granted, Skarner’s audition for K/DA was more like a sting than a treat to the eyes. To rub more salt into his wound, new star Seraphine’s Runeterra lore makes use of one of his fellow Bracken’s crystals as a floating sound amplifier.
There’s some reprieve for Skarner mains, however. The drought is going to continue for a bit longer, but Riot previewed a new skin for the scorpion jungler last month that looks pretty sweet.
Riot Games is a business after all and can’t really funnel resources into skins for underperforming champions. While players had to wait almost five years to get a skin, it should be understood that the champion doesn’t sell and doesn’t have a huge fanbase. Riot said multiple times that having marketable champions is important since it allows them to finance all these large-scale events worldwide. Without money from skins, League would most likely be forced to go towards a pay-to-play model to ensure that the company survives.
While Skarner’s problem has been finally fixed, other champions have the same issues as well, lacking skins and mains waiting for one to release for multiple years as well.
