Riot Games has officially confirmed that Aurora is the newest champion joining League of Legends today. The Witch Between Worlds has been in development for seven years and has gone through numerous 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 summon pets or animals to aid her. However, this version failed to deliver the engaging gameplay that Riot was aiming for, as Lexi Gao, lead champion producer, said when she presented the new champion to the media behind closed doors.

In search of a more interactive and exciting playstyle, the League team changed direction and developed a new kit that allowed Aurora to steal abilities from other champions and use them against their original owners. While the concept was interesting, it felt overly mean, according to Gao, and didn't fit the look of the champion.

While this iteration didn't fit Aurora's intended personality, it provided a strong foundation for another champion: Sylas. The spell-thief concept was reused to create Demacia's Unshackled mage, integrating his story and gameplay around this unique ability. Gao also mentioned that Aurora inspired not only Sylas, but other champions like Lillia as well.