How Cosmetics Are Reshaping Modern Gaming: From League of Legends to Star Wars

The way we buy and play games is changing. Cosmetic-filled live-service models are the new norm, and it’s yielding huge profits for publishers. League of Legends is a perfect example of how making your game look good can increase engagement and generate serious cash. But why hasn’t a live-service game with cosmetics been made for one of entertainment’s most valuable properties: Star Wars? Let’s dive into how cosmetics are reshaping the gaming landscape, what League of Legends can teach us, and if a live-service Star Wars game is on the way.

The Cosmetic Cash Cow

Cosmetics have become a cultural force in gaming. Skins, emotes, and other customization items allow players to express themselves and personalize their experience. They don’t affect gameplay, but they tap into our desire to express individuality and create a unique experience. They print serious cash, too.

League of Legends is a masterclass in creating a cosmetic ecosystem that appeals to a wide audience. Skins like the legendary Chosen Master Yi are a perfect example how you can weave in influence from other games into yours. They’re otherworldly and sleek, much like a certain galaxy far, far away… The point is, Master Yi is a character that lends himself to various themes, and his Chosen skin is a perfect blend of League of Legends and Star Wars style.

!https://www.unrankedsmurfs.com/storage/skin-pages/chosen-master-yi/1.png

A Live-Service Game By Any Other Name…

Turbulent times are upon the gaming industry. The rise of live-service games and their focus on cosmetics has some complaining about limited content and others raking in big bucks. It’s a love-hate relationship, and many games are finding a happy medium. The key is to make your game a service, not a product with a laundry list of features.

League of Legends is a great example of a game that’s a service. It’s been around since 2009, but it’s still going strong with frequent events, new characters, and game-mode quests like Arena. The point is, Riot focuses on what’s already great about League and builds upon it. They don’t try to be everything to everyone. A live-service game by any other name would still smell like a cash grab.

Star Wars Deserves Better Than A Lackluster Battlefront

We’ve been starved of a quality Star Wars game for far too long. The last decent one, The Force Unleashed, released on older consoles in 2008. Since then, we’ve been subjected to the abysmal 2015 Battlefront and its lackluster sequel. A live-service game set in the Star Wars universe could be a game-changer, but it needs to be done right.

Imagine a game that launches with a modest campaign, followed by a year of content drops and events tied to the Star Wars annual schedule: Holiday Variant skins for characters like Chewbacca and C-3PO, a Beskar-clad Darth Vader skin, and a Hoth-themed event with winterized skins for characters like Wookiees and snow-covered versions of existing skins. It would make bank, and we wouldn’t even need a full-fledged single-player game.

The Perfect Blend

Fortnite’s narrative is a jumbled mess, but it’s a cash cow for Epic. Overwatch’s Puzzles are a fun distraction, but they can’t compare to the main event. Rainbow Six Siege’s competitive scene is thriving, but it’s a niche audience. The perfect blend of the three would be a game that offers a weak single-player campaign, rotates limited-time events with themed cosmetics and game modes, and has a strong competitive scene with a dedicated (if niche) audience.

Such a game sounds like a recipe for disaster, but it could work for a Star Wars game. The key is to find a balance between the three and focus on what works. With the right approach, a live-service Star Wars game could be a home run for Lucasfilm and its partners.

Live-Service Games Are The New Norm

Live-service models are the biggest thing in the gaming industry. Games like League of Legends and Fortnite are built to last with continuous updates, new content, and cosmetics that fuel their respective economies. They print money years after launch, and their communities are some of the most dedicated in the world.

League of Legends reportedly rakes in over billions annually, and its cosmetic market is a huge reason why. The game is a global phenomenon with a thriving competitive scene, and its frequent updates and events keep players coming back for more. The game is so big that it supports subsidiary markets of numerous companies with level 30+ smurf accounts, with many players purchasing accounts or elo boosting to show off their high ranking.

Fortnite’s cosmetics are a little more…out there. Who wouldn’t want a giant dog skin or a pair of anime-inspired eyes? The battlebus and its ridiculous selection of parachutes are the perfect blend of funny and functional. Fortnite’s narrative is a joke, but it’s a cash cow for Epic, and the game’s futuristic setting lends itself perfectly to wacky themes like neon-rave and caribbean-riddim.

A New Normal

The live-service model is the new normal, and it’s here to stay. Games like Fallout 76 and The Division were intended to be live-service games, but they launched poorly and failed to gain traction. Sea of Thieves is a service, but its audience is niche. Even AAA games like Destiny and Halo are starting to adopt the model.

The question is, what’s next? The market is saturated with live-service games, and players are growing tired of the same formula. Fortnite’s giant map and Tilted Towers are a blast, but the game’s lack of vehicles and poor last-gen performance hold it back. League of Legends is a masterclass in building upon a proven formula, but it’s a 12-year-old game.

We need a new genre, something that combines the best elements of Fortnite’s creativity, Overwatch’s production values, and Rainbow Six Siege’s competitive scene. Until then, the live-service cash cow will continue to print money.

Star Wars: A Missed Opportunity

A live-service Star Wars game is a no-brainer. The franchise is one of the most valuable in entertainment, and its characters and locations are begging to be turned into cosmetics. A game that focuses on character customization, with options for unique lightsaber colors, robes, and species-specific attire, would print serious cash. It’s a cultural phenomenon, and we’d buy it at full price.

A yearly schedule of events tied to holidays and Star Wars milestones like Force Weekend would be a goldmine. Imagine a Hoth-themed event with snow-covered characters and winterized skins, or a day dedicated to Boba Fett with a selection of his various incarnations. It’s a treasure trove of potential, and we’d shell out real money for it.

Instead, we’re stuck with the lackluster Battlefront series. Its Arcade mode is a blast, but the game’s poor progression and lack of a real single-player campaign hold it back. The sequel’s addition of a Galagic Zoo and a Baby Yoda because reasons is a joke. We deserve better.

League of Legends Lessons for Star Wars

League of Legends is a cultural phenomenon, and its cosmetics are a huge reason why. Star Wars is one of the most beloved franchises in entertainment, and its characters and locations are begging to be turned into cosmetics. We’d buy a Star Wars-themed MOBA, and we’d buy its cosmetics.

Imagine a game where a skin like Sion’s legendary offers a medieval-inspired makeover, complete with a king’s crown and a hammer. It’s ridiculous, and we love it. A Star Wars game could offer similar themables with a Beskar-clad Darth Vader, a Mandalorian-inspired armor set, or Sith robes that exude menace. We’d buy them all.

The Star Wars Audience Is Waiting

The Chosen Master Yi is a perfect example of how Riot can weave cultural references into their game to make it more appealing. A live-service Star Wars game could mine the same well, appealing to a built-in audience that spans generations.

League of Legends’ competitive scene and rich customization options have given rise to auxiliary markets like boosting and smurf account sales. A live-service Star Wars game could enjoy similar side markets, from account boosting to coaching and more. The potential is vast, and it could help pad out a live-service game’s lackluster single-player campaign.

Will We Ever See a Live-Service Star Wars Game?

We need it. The market is ripe. But oh boy, the execution is tough. Mashing Star Wars’ legendary universe with a live-service model is a no-brainer, but it’s been missed opportunity after missed opportunity.

Developers and publishers need to wake up to the fact that games don’t make money on launch day; they print money long after launch through continuous support and community-building. The market is saturated with games, and players have options.

The gaming industry can do better. We need a live-service Star Wars game, and we need it soon. If Riot Games can build a universe around a character like Yasuo, surely Lucasfilm and its partners can build a galaxy around a few iconic characters.

Until then, we’re stuck dreaming of a Star Wars game that combines the lore we love with the live-service swagger of League of Legends. May the vibes be with us.