I’ll be honest with you: there’s only one item I want to buy in the new LoL Arena mode, and that’s the Cappa Juice. Sure, it might do absolutely nothing in the actual MOBA, but the sight of League of Legends champions in adorable little hats is enough for me. Turns out that Riot actually ‘borrowed’ the concept from the League of Legends April Fool’s event we saw earlier this year – in fact, it did more than that.
Do you remember when YouTuber ‘Vandiril’ made that video of Sett running around with 200 hats on during the LoL April Fool’s event? I do, and it’s one of my favorite things ever made. So, imagine playing as Soul Fighter Sett and running around with your hat on in the Arena – it’s as close as you’ll ever get to replicating that video.
Hats have made a triumphant return in the new mode, acquired by slugging some Cappa Juice at the start of each new round. Said bizarre liquid does nothing else other than grant you a hat, and sells for 700 gold. That may prompt a ‘Hotline Bling’ style nope from you, but it’s clearly a price worth paying.
And Riot agrees. When asked in a July 26 Reddit AMA, “why did you decide to make the hat potion cost as much as other potions instead of letting us delight in maximum hat overdrive by making it free or 50 gold? Why do you deny hats?!” lead modes designer Daniel ‘Maxw3ll’ Emmons replies “the hats are made of the finest quality materials. You think Choncc should sell them at a LOSS!?”
But you’re not here to listen to me ramble on about why hats, you’re here because it turns out Riot has committed an act of theft. Yes, really. One player asks whether or not the April Fool’s event was a trial run for the final hat shenanigans we see in Arena, and Maxw3ll responds “Nope. SRT [Summoner’s Rift Team] did that on their own, and we stole made use of their work.” Someone get the police hats, there are some sneaky thieves in town!
All jokes aside, it’s the little things like this that remind me why I love League so much. Amid the constant Kai’Sa botlanes, the annoying Blitzcranks, and teammates swearing at me in another language that, while I don’t speak it, I understand, there are little pops of joy like this that are purely there just to make you smile – and I’m smiling bright right now.
If you’re looking to score yourself a snazzy hat, then make sure you check out our rundown of League of Legends patch 13.14 – Naafiri is here, and there’s a lot to get your head around. Alternatively, you can check out our list of all the new and upcoming League of Legends skins if Soul Fighter isn’t your vibe – after all, skins are better with hats.