League devs considering removing Chemtech Dragon just weeks after launch

Andrew Amos
Chemtech Dragon in League of Legends

League of Legends’ Chemtech Dragon has been the source of much controversy to start Season 12 ⁠— so much so that Riot are considering removing it due to player backlash. The developers are waiting on the results from surveys to pull the trigger on changes, but it could come just weeks after its launch.

The Chemtech Dragon in League of Legends has been the source of much controversy to start Season 12.

From the moment it dropped in preseason, players have labeled the objective “broken” ⁠— both for the buff it grants those who slay it, as well as the new vision-denying mechanics.

While Riot have worked on trying to fix the problems posed by Chemtech Dragon’s powerful Soul buff and the smog-covered Rift, it might not be enough unless it undergoes a major rework.

Hextech and Chemtech Dragon fighting in League of Legends
Riot will consider further balance changes first before pulling the pin on Chemtech Dragons in League, but it’s on the table.

Now, the developers have admitted they might need to make the drastic call of removing it from the game full-stop. If they do so, it’ll be one of the rare times in 12 years of League of Legends that a feature was added and then removed in weeks.

“If we come to the conclusion something is bad, we assess the priority to change or remove it as with everything in League,” developer ‘GreaterBelugaWhale’ said on Reddit.

“We’re fielding a survey. It’ll be a bit before we get results. The reddit and English-speaking social media backlash is clear, but that hasn’t always meant players overall disliked a feature in the past,” developer Bryan ‘Axes’ Salvatore added.

While it’s more likely Riot will continue making changes to the Chemtech Drake like they have done, if the negative response in the survey is overwhelmingly strong, they might pull the plug all together.

For now though, players will have to deal with the Chemtech Dragon, Soul, and Rift until Riot makes a decision on its future, either in patch 12.2 or beyond.

About The Author

Hailing from Perth, Andrew was formerly Dexerto's Australian Managing Editor. They love telling stories across all games and esports, but they have a soft spot for League of Legends and Rainbow Six. Oh, and they're also fascinated by the rise of VTubers.