Calligraphia Feature

Hey friends, John here, Product Lead on Wild Rift! Hope you’ve all enjoyed our new thematic patch so far. While you journey to discover how Kalista became the Spear of Vengeance, the team and I are excited to reveal the newest first-to-Wild Rift skin thematic and give you a peek behind the scenes on how we created them. Without further ado, let me take you on a tour through the world of Calligraphia.

Throughout history, many cultures across thousands of years have practiced the beautiful art of calligraphy through various ink, brush, paper, and pen. The rich tradition and practice remain an important part of modern culture today, and we're proud to bring this visual art to Wild Rift in the form of the Calligraphia skins.

The key pieces of calligraphy are brush, ink, paper, and inkstone, which were our main sources of inspiration. It was important to us when creating these skins that every ability cast made you feel like you were wielding a calligraphy brush. From the sound, feel, and look, our team put a lot of care into nailing down that feel, so when you’re chasing down an opponent, you can see and feel the ink splashing around you.

The Calligraphia skin line champion designs also emphasize the flexible nature of the ink used in calligraphy, as well as the bold strokes of the brush. We drew inspiration not only from the tools one uses in calligraphy, but also the aesthetics and motifs of traditional paintings that used those same tools. The overall design invokes a richness and traditional feel that is emphasized by the streaks of gold and the fluidity of their ability VFX.

Once we had our overall inspiration, and knew how we wanted these skins to feel, we also decided to have each champion specifically embody an element of calligraphy.

The ink is represented by Yasuo and Janna, highlighted by their elegance, graceful motion, and in-game mobility.

The inkstone is represented by Tryndamere, a champion who invokes elements of force, ferocity, and boldness.

The paper is represented by Xayah who is agile and light, yet lethal and able to cut down foes with ease.

Last but not least, the pen is represented by Jarvan IV, who embodies precision, strength, and mastery.

In the world of Calligraphia, a mysterious entity known as the Divine Inkarnate exists. This enigmatic being serves as a tangible manifestation of each champion's journey of self-discovery within this calligraphic universe. Just as every calligrapher interprets fonts in a uniquely personal manner, the Divine Inkarnate appears around each character in diverse and captivating forms.

Shrouded in mystery and ink, this entity accompanies champions on their quests, offering guidance, inspiration, and a constant reminder of the profound connection between the art of calligraphy and the exploration of one's true self. In Calligraphia, the Divine Inkarnate is an ever-present reminder that the journey of self-discovery is as intricate and beautiful as the flowing strokes of a masterfully crafted script.

Calligraphia is not only a feast for your eyes but also your ears. We’ve collaborated with Jay Chou, The King of Mandopop, to adapt his famous song: “Lan Ting Xu” into the champions’ turntables, spawns, and recalls. Each champion will also have unique sound effects in-game. Have a listen in your next match!

With Calligraphia, we will also have several events and promotions happening simultaneously, offering goodies like Orange Gemstones, Skin Vouchers, and more. For more information, visit our support page!

Can’t wait to add Calligraphia to the line-up of your next match? They will be available starting April 28th UTC 00:01.