Looking back at previous limited-time skin re-releases, do you still remember the skin obsession you had back then? (Part 3)

With the release of older skins, the demand for returning skins has been high, and new players are now only seeing limited-edition skins from a few years ago. The Five Divine Beasts once dominated the Rift, followed by the Year of the Rat limited-edition skin, Galo Taihua. All limited-edition skins have high demand for returning, until 2022, when it seemed to start to go off track.

7th Anniversary

Instead of releasing a major Lunar New Year package every year, in order to increase game revenue, a collaboration plan was implemented, just like the Journey to the West collaboration. The arrival of Sun Wukong brought Sun Wukong back to the voting pool, competing against the globally selected styles. Both were the first designs, Sun Shangxiang's Otherworldly Spirit Contract, and the popular Dunhuang series even sent Diao Chan's Encounter with Hu Xuan, which received continuous praise. The mage already has many high-quality items, but the summoner hopes to wear this symbolic work to the battle.

As expected, the vote count was unexpected. The first place went to Sun Wukong, the second to Sun Shangxiang, the third to Shiyu Tiansi, the fourth to Yujian Huxuan, and the fifth to Daizong. What few people know is that the rules were actually changed for the seventh anniversary celebration, allowing last year's returning skins to enter the voting pool, giving everyone hope that those that were not selected would have a chance to return the following year.

8th Anniversary

In 2023, the Year of the Tiger limited edition ignited a frenzy, with short video character introductions and CG animations raising player expectations to the max. After enjoying the Sacred Beasts and Five Elements themes, this time a different style finally arrived: a cute and adorable approach showcasing another side of the fierce heroes. Upgraded character models made them increasingly humanoid, with bolder color palettes. Furthermore, the absence of the Monkey King created a niche exclusive in high-level matches, giving all heroes a chance to return. Finally, the winners were announced: first place went to Tiger's Auspicious Flame, second to Deep Sea's Breath, third to Praying Snow Spirit Blessing (a new three-choice rule), fourth to the Proud Snow Plum Spear, fifth to Sometimes's Strange Journey, and sixth to Starry Sky's Voice. It's worth mentioning that this year's rewards were increased, planting a Time Seed, allowing players to claim an anniversary-themed treasure chest a year later.

Ninth Anniversary

In 2024, Sun Wukong made a strong comeback, facing off against another version of the Monkey King. The quality of the return was higher than that of 2023, mainly legendary, with two limited editions for the Year of the Rabbit: Li Xin and Xiao Qiao. It crushed all competitors and successfully emerged victorious. The latter three versions mainly won because of the high popularity of the heroes: Riding the Carp, Sailing on the Blue Waves, and Journey of Time. Among the six versions, four were female heroes.