Arcane, Riot Games’ joint project with Netflix, could not make a profit with its huge budget of 250 million dollars, although it received great acclaim.
Adapted from the universe of Riot Games’ popular game League of Legends and released on Netflix in 2021. ArcaneAlthough it received full marks from critics, it did not achieve the expected financial success. According to Bloomberg, the production cost of Arcane for two seasons reached 250 million dollars. However, this huge budget was not enough for the project to make a profit. Due to this situation, Riot Games suspended its animation projects and turned its focus back to the gaming industry.
Arcane’s Success and Financial Challenges
Arcane is considered by fans and critics alike to be one of the best video game adaptations ever made. However, Riot Games’ goal wasn’t just to make a TV show, it was to turn Arcane fans into League of Legends players. However, this goal was not fully realized. Factors such as the lack of “Arcane-themed” in-game cosmetics in the first season and the learning difficulty of League of Legends made it difficult for new players to stay in the game.
Although the second season of Arcane will be released in 2024, Riot Games will reportedly take a break from TV and film projects. The company plans to focus on League of Legends and other gaming projects. While new games and projects include productions such as “2XKO” and “Project K”, the future of Arcane remains uncertain. Even if Riot Games returns to the world of animation, it is not yet clear whether the third season of Arcane will come.
While Arcane’s success demonstrates the potential of content adapted from the video game world, it also reveals that the financial risks are great. While fans hope for Arcane’s story to continue, Riot Games prefers to focus on its games, which are its main source of income, for now.