Riot Games will reportedly retire animated projects after ARCANE due to revenue challenges

When Arcane debuted on Netflix and redefined what video game adaptations could achieve. Based on the hit game League of Legendsthe show was received with acclaim for its stunning animation, exciting storytelling, and world-building.

It is considered one of the best video game adaptations ever made. Yet despite the praise, Riot Games has reportedly chosen to reduce its investment Arcane and its broader multimedia ambitions, citing massive production costs and mixed returns.

As reported in the past, Riot Games spent $250 million Arcanethere are two seasons. While the show’s success has earned it a devoted fan base, the investment has yet to turn a profit, although it may eventually break even.

Riot’s decision to walk away Arcane and other television and film projects reflect a broader shift in strategy toward its gaming roots.

For Riot Games, Arcane it wasn’t just an artistic effort but a strategic play to attract new players League of Legends. While the game remains free-to-play, it generates substantial revenue through in-game cosmetics.

However, the company reportedly failed to capitalize Arcaneduring its initial release. The designers lacked the time to develop skins and items inspired by the show, a missed opportunity to monetize the hype.

When Arcane Season 2 launched, Riot Games had prepared themed cosmetics League of Legends players. Unfortunately, other challenges, such as the game’s notoriously steep learning curve and the toxic reputation of its community, have dissuaded new players from sticking around.

According to Riot employees who spoke to Bloomberg, there was internal skepticism about investing so heavily in a project outside the company’s core gaming focus, a concern that appears to have materialized.

Riot’s struggle to profit Arcane that’s not entirely surprising, considering the studio’s history of moving away from underperforming ventures.

For example, Legends of Runeterrathe company’s digital card game, underwent a significant downsizing when it failed to meet expectations. Despite ArcaneThe immense popularity of, high production costs, and limited impact on player acquisition led Riot to suspend the series and other planned media projects indefinitely.

This decision is incredibly disappointing because as a fan I was hoping to see Riot’s vast lore explored further in films and shows. However, as Riot refocuses on gaming, it has been teasing new projects like 2XKO AND Project Kalong with alleged spin-offs, including a Destiny-shooter set in League of Legends universe.

This news comes after we learned that there are spinoff shows in development. Showrunner and co-creator Cristiano Linke having said that that the spin-offs will feature “individual stories” of characters from the first two seasons of Arcane.

He added: “[There] they’re definitely like, ‘Hey, let’s continue their stories with their kind of franchises and stories.’ So surely Arcane is only the first. We want to keep telling stories.”

So let’s hope this Bloomberg report is wrong, because it would be a real shame if Riot Games gave up on these animated projects.