TL;DR
- Volibear’s complete visual and gameplay rework leaked ahead of official May 8th reveal
- Community voting in 2019 determined Fiddlesticks and Volibear as top rework priorities
- Design shifted from ‘unstoppable bear’ concept to storm god mythology with thunder abilities
- Original Volibear was least-played champion due to unsatisfying gameplay mechanics
- Livestream expected to showcase upgraded kit and answer community questions
The League of Legends community received an unexpected early look at Volibear’s dramatic redesign when Riot Turkey accidentally leaked the champion’s new splash art, forcing an accelerated announcement timeline.
This leak triggered Riot Games to schedule an emergency global livestream event to properly unveil the complete rework package, demonstrating their commitment to controlled reveals despite technical mishaps.
For players wondering how to approach major champion changes, our Complete Guide offers valuable strategies for adapting to gameplay evolution.
Back in May 2019, Riot Games implemented an unprecedented community-driven approach to champion reworks, allowing League of Legends players to directly influence development priorities through structured voting.
The democratic process revealed fascinating insights about player preferences, with Fiddlesticks securing the top position as an immediate rework candidate while Volibear emerged as the clear runner-up choice.
Fiddlesticks’ successful transformation into an ambush specialist established a high bar for Volibear’s upcoming redesign, particularly in how the scarecrow’s Terrify passive creates unique tactical opportunities by forcing disorganized retreats.
Developers openly acknowledged Volibear’s problematic status during the poll, noting his gameplay had become so unsatisfactory that he ranked as the least-played champion among all candidates considered for modernization.
Gameplay designer Nathan ‘Lutzburg’ Lutz initially conceptualized Volibear around core bear characteristics—explosive power, relentless pursuit of wounded targets, and potential immunity to crowd control effects.
This original ‘unstoppable’ direction underwent significant refinement as development progressed, with the team recognizing that permanent CC immunity could create balance nightmares while failing to deliver satisfying gameplay patterns.
The pivotal creative shift occurred when designers embraced Volibear’s mythological roots as a Freljordian demigod, shifting focus toward storm and thunder motifs that better align with Runeterra’s lore framework.
Riot’s October 2019 Roadmap explicitly outlined this philosophical change, emphasizing thunder-based abilities that target both enemies and defensive structures to reinforce his god-like status.
Understanding champion design philosophy can help with Class Guide selections in other games by recognizing how archetypes translate into gameplay.
While specific ability details and kit mechanics remain securely under wraps, Volibear’s complete visual overhaul became public knowledge prematurely when Riot Turkey’s social media team published the teaser ahead of schedule.
Riot’s damage control involved officially re-releasing the teaser through their primary channels while announcing the global livestream for comprehensive details.
A storm is brewing. Take cover in the global livestream event on Friday, May 8 at 8 PM PT –
https://t.co/2AJbfPbuj6
pic.twitter.com/NY4Ek16V3e— League of Legends (@LeagueOfLegends)
May 7, 2020
The leaked artwork powerfully conveys Riot’s renewed vision for Volibear as a primal force of nature, with ferocious visual elements that emphasize his mythical power as he commands approaching storms.
The scheduled global presentation will provide deeper insights into Volibear’s updated appearance and ability kit, though some community members anticipate additional surprises beyond the expected reveals.
will this be answered?
pic.twitter.com/V6rAmQmZvc— FNATIC (@FNATIC)
May 7, 2020
For players preparing to master reworked champions, our Weapons Unlock guide provides useful frameworks for learning new mechanics efficiently.
Action Checklist
- Watch the global livestream on May 8th at 8 PM PST for official ability reveals
- Analyze the leaked splash art for visual design clues about gameplay direction
- Review Fiddlesticks rework patterns to anticipate Volibear’s gameplay philosophy
- Practice in custom games when released to understand new ability combinations
- Participate in community discussions to share insights and learning strategies
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