Preface: The S16 season has officially started, and most players have been closely following the recent competitions. All major regions have taken a brief hiatus. The most talked-about subject recently is T1's championship skins. As the universally recognized top team, T1's champion skins are now on the PBE and will go live in mid-July. Upon their reveal, many netizens began joking around—some felt the skin quality has been declining, with decent splash art but lackluster effects overall, and Doran's big face even appears in the visuals.

T1 coach receives another exclusive champion skin

Most players are familiar with T1, a top-tier LCK team. Over the past few years, they've enjoyed immense popularity and outstanding results, reaching the World Championship finals for four consecutive years and winning three straight titles, making them the undisputed strongest team. After their victories, the most anticipated items are the limited-edition championship skins. Each year, Riot designs them carefully, but in recent years, the release dates have been pushed later—previously launching in March or April, but now delayed to June or July.

With the T1 champion skins now available on the PBE, player opinions are mixed. First, the splash art: it has a classic feel, like gods looking down from above, with each champion's gaze directed downward. Faker's Galio takes center stage, spreading his wings to protect his teammates. The main colors are gold and red, giving a nice overall look. However, once in-game, the impression falls short—the design feels a bit uninspired, and the effects aren't as impressive as expected. Only the top and jungle skins seem visually appealing.

Top laner Doran is the first among these players to receive a champion skin, so Riot tried to fulfill all his requests. He's likely the first player to include a self-portrait in a skin—it already stands out, but he placed it on his ultimate ability. Opponents will frequently see Doran's oversized face during fights, a psychological tactic that's certainly unique. Faker's skin effects are relatively plain, even featuring a trophy-throwing animation in his abilities. He's won so many S-titles that honestly, Galio should have a portrait of Faker himself—when casting his ultimate, the landing could have created an image of Lee "Faker" Sang-hyeok.

This time, T1 coach Tom also received a special skin, similar to Wang Sicong's before—Riot created a ward skin for him, which is the highest honor for the coaching staff. Once this skin set is officially released, Faker's Galio skin is expected to sell like hotcakes. After all, Lee has ignored this champion for years, only now giving it a skin, and the trophy-throwing animation is incredibly striking. Xin Zhao's effects are decent too, but compared to Doran's wolf-mother ultimate face-smash, they fall short.

In my opinion

Honestly, making champion skins for T1 three years in a row must be challenging for Riot's designers. Each year requires fresh ideas that match the team's identity, inevitably leading to conflicts. That's likely why the skin releases keep getting delayed, later each year. During the recent presentation, Riot even promoted sales, suggesting that one way to support your favorite team and players is to purchase their champion skins.

What do you, dear viewers, think about this matter?