On Nov. 8th, many news sources reported League of Legends show, Arcane will be canceled after Season 2’s limited runtime. A week later, creators Christiane Linke and Alex Yee came out to address it’s not. Reporters rushed to this conclusion due to the show’s million-dollar budget. Linke and Yee have offered Arcane fans insight into the show’s situation.
Understanding Arcane Two-Season Budget
After three years in production, Arcane returns to Netflix for its second season on Nov. 9th. The show so far has made plans for three acts. It received a welcome return for diving more into its storytelling. After explaining the characters’ backstories, the war between Piltover and Zaun has broken out.
Fans and League of Legends players were happy to see Vi and Jinx opposing each other. Yet they also can’t help but feel sad after learning it will be the final season on June 11th. On Nov. 8th, League of Legends developer Riot Games shared that Arcane has an expensive production budget. In total for two seasons, it cost the show $250 million. There are at least two reasons why it is.
3-D Animation Process
Arcane is revealed to be one of the most anticipated animated shows in history. This League of Legends adaptation requires staying true to the MMO’s world-building. Studio Fortiche gained inspiration from Sony Pictures’ Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse art style. By using 3D cel-shading with League’s jagged character designs, they are given a beautiful, rough comic vibe. And the team applied it to the show’s environments and action scenes.
It does come at a cost when it comes to using 3D modeling, rendering, and animation rigging. 3D animation requires preparing every object by modeling, painting, and bone rigging. It costs less than drawing frames but is still expensive to model from concept art and rigging skeletons. This includes the added after-effects animated into the action scenes.
Riot Games’ Marketing
As one of the longest-played MMOs, Riot Games will invest their time in marketing their League of Legends IPs. Since September, Arcane has been advertised in League of Legends’ ‘Wild Patch’ update. This update featured the battle smith, Heimerdinger, and time manipulator Ekko who starred in the show’s second season. Noxian Warlord Ambessa joins the battle as a close-quarters fighter, pummeling opponents with her fast combos.
There is also the upcoming Teamfight Tactics Mode, Into the Arcane. This new TFT mode allows players to fight through waves of enemies using characters from the show. Everyone has a unique skill set that can support other teammates in battle including special finishers.
Who Mistook the Cancelation?
According to What’s on Netflix, Linke and Yee’s statement was first mistaken by Slashfilm. After publishing about the show’s cancelation, other publishers followed suit. While it is understandable to assume due to the show’s two-season budget, it doesn’t mean the network cut it short. There is no mention of Arcane’s cancelation, only promises to explore more stories surrounding Runeterra.
“Arcane is just the beginning of our leather storytelling journey and our wonderful partnership with Studio Fortiche. […] Since we started working on this project, we had a very specific ending in mind, which means the show will end in the second season.”
A Cautionary News Tale
Linke and Yee have taught publishers a valuable lesson when it comes to researching. They managed to quickly correct the assumption and reassure fans that Arcane will end on a good note. As they patiently wait for Part 3, we are now curious who will be after Jinx’s and Vi’s story. There are hundreds of champions to choose from that can make a compelling narrative. The creators also show gratitude and trust in Studio Fortiche’s animation for future projects.
