Riot Games Discusses League of Legends Lore and "Throwing Away Champions"

The new lore for Varus restructured the League of Legends champion's backstory to tell the story of a couple intertwined with Darkin powers as opposed to a vengeful husband and father, and the change has left some players wondering why the lore rewrite was needed.

Responses to the new lore have varied with some receiving it quite well with an appreciation for the story and the LGBT representation in League while others mourned the loss of their champion's former story. One player made a post within the League boards while commenting that updating a champion's lore apparently meant "throwing away champions," and when someone questioned why Varus' new lore makes him more relevant than his previous story, Riot DyQuill responded.

"On the most superficial level, he went from being corrupted by an unrelated, ambiguous magical force to being corrupted by a darkin," Riot DyQuill wrote. "He's now part of an ongoing conflict that involves multiple champions and regions. The choices he makes are no longer just about himself + the Noxians that killed his loved one, but also the future of the darkin race in Runeterra."

Despite offering an explanation, the comment was overwhelmingly met with downvotes from those who disagreed with the explanation. Many voiced their disappointment with Varus' paternal identity being removed, a characteristic that gave him a unique spot among other League champions, a trait that DyQuill admitted would be missed.

"The one thing I'm personally a little sad about is the change from Varus being a parent, which was pretty unique in its own right. And if anyone wants to call us out for that change specifically, I think that's fair."

But while the decision to rewrite the lore and choose a champion's story is ultimately in Riot's hands, it's a power that DyQuill added isn't one they take lightly.

"You're right - we do ultimately 'reign supreme,'" DyQuill said in response to a comment. "That crown lies heavy, though, it really does. It keeps us up at night, and I'm not exaggerating. We feel we have a responsibility to you and every player. This is your game, your characters as much - no, more so - than it's ours. But there are so, so many of you. So many that we have a responsibility to, and for so many things: to keep the game and lore interesting. To stay true to what you love about it, while evolving and updating it. To build a world millions can lose themselves in, but still find a corner of it that speaks to them - specifically them."