- Riot’s first original animated series Arcane achieves massive popularity just days after its release
- The studio teases the potential for new video content in the future
- Riot says they are determined to prioritize their dedicated player base, rather than a more general audience
With the huge success of Riot’s first animated series Arcane, the game studio announces plans for more video content after this. There’s a possibility we will even be seeing a live-action piece set in the Runeterra cinematic universe.
Arcane’s Popularity Skyrockets
Arcane has been out for just a few days, with its first arc of three episodes airing on November 6, just after the end of this year’s League of Legends World Championship. Despite the recent start, the show has already climbed the top ranks, becoming the most popular Netflix show in 38 countries around the world.
By this point, most League of Legends players have watched or at least heard of Arcane and its story. It is set in Piltover, a fantastical city of hextech inventors, where the rich live in luxury. This is contrasted by the miserable lives of the downtrodden inhabitants of this otherwise idyllic location. The story follows young sisters Vi and Powder (a.k.a. Jinx), as well as scientific masterminds Jayce, Viktor, and other characters players would recognize.
The show reached such quick and massive success, partially because of Riot’s event that spans all of their games, that the studio has announced they will be making more video content in the future, even hinting at a potential live-action piece at some point.
Riot Teases Potential New Video Content
The LA Times recently interviewed Shauna Spenley, Riot’s president of entertainment, who said that there will be a big expansion to the league of Legends cinematic universe. “I think we have a huge opportunity to build amazing organic stories inside this world [Runeterra] and for it to quietly build and become the IP that defines a generation. We’ll be here a while: it’s going to take a little time.”, she said.
It is still unclear if this would mean we will be seeing more seasons of Arcane, or if Riot will be focusing on entirely new shows.
Back in April, Riot hired people in two key positions necessary for making any kind of video content, namely a Global Head of Live-Action TV, and a Global Head of Live-Action Film. Spenley said that any future forays into the TV world or even theatres in the future “must be built properly.”
She also confirmed that Riot will be focusing more on its player base, rather than making content that’s supposed to please the masses. “It’s okay if we’re not for everyone. We get to focus on and understand players better, and the stories that will really resonate,” she said.
