Shyvana’s VGU journey and what to expect from Riot’s next visual gameplay update
The Eternal Runner-Up: Shyvana’s VGU History
Riot Games has formally acknowledged Shyvana’s pressing requirement for a Visual and Gameplay Update, positioning the half-dragon champion as a prominent candidate for upcoming non-vote development cycles.
For three consecutive voting cycles, Shyvana has secured the runner-up position in League of Legends champion visual update polls. Development leads at Riot Games have recognized the Half-Dragon’s outdated visual presentation and confirmed she remains under serious consideration for future updates.
The champion’s unique transformation mechanics present particular technical hurdles that differentiate her update from more straightforward VGU projects. Her dragon form requires extensive animation work and ability synchronization that demands significant development resources.
Current VGU Landscape and Shyvana’s Position
Riot’s official announcement confirmed Skarner as the decisive winner of the latest player-driven VGU selection process, achieving what developers described as a landslide victory margin.
Despite Skarner’s clear update necessity, jungle counterpart Shyvana has maintained her position in the rework conversation for an extended duration, consistently finishing just outside the winning threshold in community voting initiatives.
Riot’s development team specifically highlighted their ongoing consideration for Shyvana’s future, emphasizing her continued relevance in their update planning framework.
Champions Lead Producer Reav3 characterized Shyvana as “perpetually the bridesmaid” regarding selection by both the player community and internal Riot decision-makers.
Strategic VGU planning typically follows two primary pathways: community-driven voting for major updates and internal development prioritization for champions requiring more urgent attention. Shyvana’s situation represents a hybrid approach where she remains a prime candidate for the latter category.
Community Sentiment and Developer Communication
Reav3 directly addressed Shyvana enthusiasts’ frustration regarding repeated voting shortcomings. “We understand the community disappointment surrounding our half-dragon champion repeatedly approaching victory without ultimately securing the top position,” he stated.
“As our development history demonstrates, voting doesn’t determine every VGU candidate, evidenced by Dr. Mundo’s update,” he elaborated. “While we cannot guarantee Shyvana will receive the immediate next major VGU, she represents a substantial candidate for subsequent non-vote development exploration.”
Although this development provides optimism for Shyvana mains, the champion has experienced similar update teases previously. October 2020 comments from Riot Design Director Andrei ‘Meddler’ van Roon indicated: “Shyvana unquestionably requires a VGU. The central consideration involves prioritizing her against other high-need champions such as Udyr.”
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Community response patterns reveal that Shyvana players typically express cautious optimism rather than outright celebration when these announcements surface. Many long-time mains recall similar promises that failed to materialize into concrete development timelines.
What’s Next for Shyvana Players
Following those earlier comments, Udyr received his rework designation, alongside Dr. Mundo who underwent his update in 2021 despite gathering fewer votes than Shyvana during the 2019 VGU polling.
Shyvana enthusiasts maintain hope that Riot will follow through this time regarding her long-anticipated visual and gameplay modernization.
For players currently maining Shyvana, strategic preparation involves several key considerations. First, maintain flexibility in your playstyle approach since VGU updates often shift champion roles and optimal build paths. Second, document your current successful strategies to compare against post-update gameplay. Third, participate in PBE testing when the update eventually reaches public testing servers to provide constructive feedback.
Common adaptation mistakes include refusing to adjust itemization preferences, underestimating updated ability mechanics, and abandoning the champion prematurely during the adjustment period. Successful transitions typically involve extensive practice with the reworked kit and open-mindedness toward new play patterns.
Advanced optimization while awaiting the VGU involves mastering Shyvana’s current power spikes and understanding how she fits into the evolving jungle meta. Her dragon form remains particularly powerful for objective control, while her human form provides surprising dueling potential against certain matchups.
No reproduction without permission：SeeYouSoon Game Club » Riot reveals Shyvana “strong contender” for VGU after losing League Season 12 fan vote Shyvana's VGU journey and what to expect from Riot's next visual gameplay update