Game development isn’t always pretty. League of Legends champions aren’t born in the high-res splash art we know today. Like everyone else, they come out of the design womb messy, loud, and a little terrifying.
Today Riot Games finally shared the story behind what they call “Feeney art,” work-in-progress splash arts created by Senior game designer Brian “FeralPony” Feeney. These began cropping up around 2012, after Riot had accidentally shipped incomplete artwork that was mistaken for the final product. “I wanted to make something that was super shitty,” FeralPony said, “so people would never accidentally ship it. There would be no question whether or not it’s finished artwork.”
Success:
These masterpieces, once occasional, have now become a staple part of the design process. If FeralPony feels unable to convey the character’s spirit successfully, it’s a queue for the team to reexamine the vibe of the champion. Such was the case with Taliyah, who received updates to her silhouette after her Feeney art just wasn’t feeling unique.
You can check out more Feeney art samples over on Riot’s Nexus page, home to the League of Legends team’s art stories, developer commentaries, and more behind-the-scenes fun.
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