History WhatCouldHaveBeen / LeagueOfLegends

* Shyvana was a candidate in [[https://nexus.leagueoflegends.com/en-us/2019/05/choose-a-champion-update-voting-results/ a poll to decide which champion would be relaunched in 2020]], but it was won by Fiddlesticks and Volibear. While she had a strong run for third place ([[GermansLoveDavidHasselhoff placing first in China]]) and Riot openly acknowledged the high potential demand for a VGU, this was iceboxed in favor of updating Dr. Mundo instead, with her appearances in ''Legends of Runeterra'' and ''Wild Rift'' being mostly the same as usual. [[https://www.reddit.com/r/leagueoflegends/comments/pfabj6/heres_every_single_champion_mains_subreddit/hc7bns1/?context=3 It was later confirmed to be further delayed by producer Reav3]]; Rioters had great interest in reworking her, but it had to be pushed back even more, especially since Udyr won the audience poll for the 2022 VGU, and both champions would require exceptional amount of work (Udyr already has 4 forms against 6 different skins; immediately working on Shyvana having 2 forms among 7 skins was simply not in Riot's production timeline). After coming in as a runner-up in multiple VGU polls (losing to Udyr in 2021 and Skarner in 2022), [[https://www.leagueoflegends.com/en-us/news/game-updates/voting-results-champion-update-thematic-revamp/ Riot has publicly acknowledged]] Shyvana as a strong contender for a VGU they'll address without a poll, though only time may tell when that occurs.

* Riot originally planned for 2021 to provide two [=VGUs=]: Dr. Mundo and a second champion based on player poll. Unfortunately, [[https://www.reddit.com/r/leagueoflegends/comments/lamsfd/the_fact_that_riot_is_committing_to_their_1_vgu_a/glrgq2g/?context=3 outside circumstances forced the second VGU to be shunted to later]]; they had difficulties implementing the voting tech within their intended time (only arriving by early 2021 to decide the ''2022'' VGU), and so they decided to just move onto the second VGU anyway, which [[https://www.reddit.com/r/leagueoflegends/comments/131wotk/champion_roadmap_april_2023/ji38xna/?context=3 Studio Head Meddler and Lead Producer Reav3 later confirmed]] was going to be Jax. Unfortunately, the shift to working from home due to the UsefulNotes/COVID19Pandemic created scheduling and resource issues that ultimately resulted in it being iceboxed, and while his concept art influenced [[CostumeEvolution his updated design]] in ''VideoGame/LegendsOfRuneterra'', in ''League'' itself, Jax would only receive a mid-scope rework in the start of 2023 and was slated to have an Art/Sustainability Update at the end of it (effectively a full VGU but staggered over several months).

** Briar's initial visual concepts for the "physically-restrained berserker" fantasy already featured her trademark pillory, but one additional concept is that [[BloodyMurder she could create weapons out of blood]], and that she would chew her own ankles to create [[ArmedLegs leg-mountain blood blades]] that she would use as her primary weapons.

** At one point, ''Certain Death'' was a true global ultimate rather than a near-global ultimate, but it was nerfed so that if she hit someone from, she wouldn't [[HoistByHisOwnPetard accidentally launch herself into the enemy fountain]].

* [[https://www.artstation.com/artwork/RYJw4r Early concept art]] also showed that Riot considered giving her multiple weapons beyond her [[RingsOfDeath ring blade]] based on the elements she chose (including [[WhipItGood whips]], [[WolverineClaws claws]], and a trident), but it was cut due to concerns about the amount of assets that would need to be designed and the sustainability of them for future designers.

* Riot originally planned for 2021 to provide two [=VGUs=]: Dr. Mundo and a second champion based on player poll. Unfortunately, [[https://www.reddit.com/r/leagueoflegends/comments/lamsfd/the_fact_that_riot_is_committing_to_their_1_vgu_a/glrgq2g/?context=3 outside circumstances forced the second VGU to be shunted to later]]; they had difficulties implementing the voting tech within their intended time (only arriving by early 2021 to decide the ''2022'' VGU), and when they decided to just move onto the second VGU anyway, which [[https://www.reddit.com/r/leagueoflegends/comments/131wotk/champion_roadmap_april_2023/ji38xna/?context=3 Studio Head Meddler and Lead Producer Reav3 later confirmed]] was going to be Jax. Unfortunately, the shift to working from home due to the UsefulNotes/COVID19Pandemic created scheduling and resource issues that ultimately resulted in it being iceboxed, with his concept art influencing his updated design in ''VideoGame/LegendsOfRuneterra'', but in ''League'' itself, Jax would only receive a mid-scope rework in the start of 2023 and was slated to have an Art/Sustainability Update at the end of it (effectively a full VGU but staggered over several months).

* Riot originally planned for 2021 to provide two [=VGUs=]: Dr. Mundo and a second champion based on player poll. Unfortunately, [[https://www.reddit.com/r/leagueoflegends/comments/lamsfd/the_fact_that_riot_is_committing_to_their_1_vgu_a/glrgq2g/?context=3 outside circumstances forced the second VGU to be shunted to later]]; they had difficulties implementing the voting tech within their intended time (only arriving by early 2021 to decide the ''2022'' VGU), and when they decided to just move onto the second VGU anyway ([[https://www.reddit.com/r/leagueoflegends/comments/131wotk/champion_roadmap_april_2023/ji38xna/?context=3 Studio Head Meddler and Lead Producer Reav3 later confirmed]] it was going to be Jax), the shift to working from home due to the UsefulNotes/COVID19Pandemic created scheduling and resource issues that ultimately resulted in it being iceboxed.

* Riot originally planned for 2021 to provide two [=VGUs=]: Dr. Mundo and a second champion based on player poll. Unfortunately, [[https://www.reddit.com/r/leagueoflegends/comments/lamsfd/the_fact_that_riot_is_committing_to_their_1_vgu_a/glrgq2g/?context=3 outside circumstances forced the second VGU to be shunted to later]]; they had difficulties implementing the voting tech within their intended time (only arriving by early 2021 to decide the ''2022'' VGU), and when they decided to just move onto the second VGU anyway (it's unknown which champion they chose), the shift to working from home due to the UsefulNotes/COVID19Pandemic created scheduling and resource issues that ultimately resulted in it being iceboxed.

* [[http://www.leifjeffers.com/directing A cinematic short surrounding Garen and Katarina was in development at some point in time]], featuring Garen and Katarina first meeting as enemies, [[EnemyMine but end up having to work together to survive]] and [[FoeRomanceSubtext developing a relationship]]. The development went as far as concept art and even a voiced story reel/animatic before it was shelved for unknown reasons. Garen and Katarina's relationship would eventually be properly canonized in the events of the ''Katarina'' comic.

* [[http://www.leifjeffers.com/directing A cinematic short surrounding Garen and Katarina was in development at some point in time]], featuring Garen and Katarina first meeting as enemies, [[EnemyMine but end up having to work together to survive]] and [[FoeRomanceSubtext developing a relationship]]. The development went as far as concept art and even a voiced story reel/animatic before it was shelved for unknown reasons.

*** Another test was trying to lean into the PowerCrystal fantasy by integrating {{Hextech}}, but this direction was turfed as things felt disjointed and very non-Skarner-like. In the end, Riot deemed the whole [[GemstoneAssault crystal theme]] too thematically dissonant with what they could accomplish with Skarner, and it was discarded to instead focus on a new direction surrounding [[ElementalPowers elemental magic]].

** Mordekaiser had a "Dark Crusader" skin whose [[https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/leagueoflegends/images/d/dd/Mordekaiser_DarkCrusaderSkin.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20180319105820 splash art]] and even [[https://imgur.com/a/FI6Un model]] were completed, but was scrapped and eventually reworked into his King of Clubs skin.

* [[https://twitter.com/EndlessPillows/status/1552682380376215552 One scrapped ability for Bel'Veth]] was giving her [[ThinkingUpPortals the power to create long-range portals]] that permanently remained across the map, forming a network that would allow her to be virtually anywhere she chose by late-game. This was scrapped in part due to feeling like it was overshadowing Rek'Sai's tunnel gimmick and not wanting to "2.0" her.

* During late 2015, Riven was briefly given a rework on the PBE to change up her passive based around a new resource called "Edge": damaging enemies with her abilities, in addition to buffing her next basic attack, also granted her small amounts of "Edge" that collectively buffed her damage before decaying rapidly, with ''Wind Slash'' -- rather than dealing bonus damage on weakened enemies -- dealt bonus damage scaling directly off her current "Edge". Riven mains weren't receptive to the changes, and the rework was quickly scrapped.

** Another gave her the ability to shoot frickin' laser beams every time she used an ability, which was greatly reduced into a single ''Wind Slash'' for being overkill.

* In early 2019, Riot briefly tested a series of mini-reworks to Teemo on the PBE: ''Toxic Shot'' was changed into a passive (stacking damage when used in tandem with other poisons, such as from his shrooms and ''Blinding Dart''), ''Guerilla Warfare'' was changed into an active ability where he could briefly stealth on demand, then emerge with an attack speed buff, allowing him to place more shrooms at the cost of nerfed damage, and also a cosmetic effect to his ''Blinding Dart'' that [[https://imgur.com/a/8V2wfE1 caused enemies to visibly miss ]] [[https://imgur.com/a/JBw3XJx during their attacks]]. This would end up getting scrapped due to mixed-to-negative feedback from Teemo mains, and [[https://www.dexerto.com/league-of-legends/lol-dev-respond-calls-teemo-rework-season-11-1625227/ due to his relative popularity and stability in spite of his problems, Rioters have little interest in tweaking him again]].

*** ''Circle of Cats'' fired a bomb across the map that surrounded the first enemy hit with magic smoke, causing enemies who crossed it [[ForcefulTransformation to turn into harmless kittens]], which was considered too impractical and indirect for Jinx.