An old favorite gets some much-needed love.
Teased in the 2020 Season trailer, an old favorite gets some much-needed love to bring him in line with the competition. Both visually and gameplay-wise, Volibear has evolved—but only time will tell if it’s for the better.
Given that we have zero information in regards to a potential kit—none of Volibear’s current abilities screaming “iconic,” besides his bite—all we can base our judgments on are the champion’s appearance.
However brief it may have been, the new Volibear tease looks gorgeous, an eldritch ice horror of your wildest imaginations. This is a stark contrast compared to his current, almost goofy form, which has deservedly earned a place in numerous hearts.
How Volibear’s occasionally hilarious skins will adapt to such a serious overhaul will be something to follow. Riot has made a thematic change work before—see every April Fool’s skin—but Volibear’s new aesthetic gravity really does call into question just how this beast of a champion can be made into ’80s buddy cop comedy Officer Volibear.
While Volibear was the only “new” champion teased in the Season 2020 trailer, he is not the only one in line for an introduction. New face Sett will be making an appearance on the Rift next week, and Volibear’s similarly outdated compatriot Fiddlesticks is also in line for some Spring cleaning.
It’s always bittersweet to say goodbye to an old champion’s fundamentals—Irelia, Akali, Mordekaiser, Mordekaiser again—but in order to keep up to date and competitive, some changes needed to be made. Volibear isn’t the first, and he won’t be the last.
