Riot Games has been quick to respond to criticism over the design of the newly-revealed League of Legends champion Smolder, with the Fiery Fledgling set to receive a touch-up before he hits the Rift later this month.
Riot’s lead champion producer Alexia “Lexical” Gao revealed the visual changes Smolder will undergo on Jan. 5, sharing a before-and-after with notable features on his face enhanced. A sharper set of eyes, a more vibrant color palette, and numerous additions to the baby dragon’s face—and I’ve got to say, he looks a lot better already.
“We heard your feedback on Smolder’s face and are making some adjustments to highlight his dragon features,” Lexical said in the tweet, adding the champion’s splash art will also be updated to reflect these changes.
The decision comes less than a day after the champion’s reveal. An enthusiastic but naive hatchling with a fiery soul, he looks far from the menace we’re sure he’ll be once he lands in League this summer. But players were quick to point out an issue with Smolder’s humanlike face, with many believing it was far too uncanny for their liking, drawing comparisons with the likes of Spyro and the first look at Sonic from the 2020 film Sonic the Hedgehog.
Now, with a more detailed skin and bone structure and tougher-looking scales, Smolder is more than ready to take on League’s mightiest champions and prove to the world—and his mom—that he’s fit and firing for the Rift.
The changes were met with high praise from many in the League community who were overjoyed and impressed with the speed at which Riot made the changes. “The eyes alone make a huge difference,” one fan said, with their sentiment echoed by many more who are happier now that Smolder looks a little more reptilian.
I personally can’t wait to see the many skins Riot surely has in store for the Fiery Fledgling, who is set to swoop into League in the coming months as season 2024 kicks off.
