Aurora’s earlier iteration in LoL served as inspiration for Sylas, other champions

Riot Games officially confirmed Aurora is the newest champion joining the League of Legends today. The Witch Between Worlds has been in development for seven years and had countless iterations, one of which laid the foundation for Sylas.

Aurora’s creation has seen numerous concepts, but her original design saw her as a summoner who could call pets or animals to aid her. But this version failed to deliver the engaging gameplay Riot was aiming for, as Lexi Gao, lead champion producer, said when presenting the new champion behind closed doors to the media.

Seeking a more interactive and exciting playstyle, the League team shifted direction and developed a new kit where Aurora could steal abilities from other champions and use them against their original owners. Although the concept was interesting, it felt excessively mean, according to Gao, and didn’t match the champion’s appearance.

While this iteration didn’t suit Aurora’s envisioned personality, it provided a strong foundation for another champion: Sylas. The spell-thief concept was repurposed to create the Unshackled mage from Demacia, integrating his narrative and gameplay around this unique ability. Gao also mentioned Aurora inspired not just Sylas but other champions like Lillia.

Despite the many changes across the years, Aurora remained a favored project within Riot, a favorite among the League team. Her captivating theme and rich backstory made her a project the team was committed to completing, and—ultimately—her inclusion also adds to the diversity of League champions by representing autism.

From birth, Aurora possessed the unique ability to navigate both the spirit and material realms, sprouting in her a desire to learn more about the spirit realm’s inhabitants. Her journey led her to a demigod lost to time and marked the beginning of her adventures across the cold lands of the Freljord.

As Aurora prepares to join the over 160 champions in League, players are keen to see which of the myriad of iterations made it to the Rift. Aurora will bring some more magic to the game. But some also hope she’ll have interesting interactions with Sylas, Lillia, and the other champions she inspired during her years behind the curtains.