Arcane, the hit League of Legends TV show, won fans over with its intricate storytelling in Piltover and Zaun. Players have yearned for Riot to expand beyond its borders though, and the plans are in motion to explore all of Runeterra — but they need time to do it right.
Arcane Season 1 was a cultural phenomenon, bringing League of Legends into the mainstream. Following the stories of sisters Jinx (Powder) and Vi, long-time fans of the MOBA were rewarded with intricate lore while new eyes were exposed to Runeterra.
The first season primarily focused on the relationship between the topside of Piltover and those in the underground Zaun. The two cities, tied into one region, have a complicated political history, and the show started exploring all those nooks and crannies.
The in-depth level of storytelling had League of Legends players wanting more from across Runeterra. And ultimately, that’s in Riot’s plan. Arcane showrunner Christian ‘Praeco’ Linke said the show’s raucous reception has given Riot and animation studio Fortiche increased interest in telling League of Legends stories from this perspective.
However, they don’t want to rush into things. Arcane was a seven-year project, and to do things right, each region will need a similar amount of time.
“We definitely want to explore other regions,” Praeco continued. “At the same time, we’ve all seen shows and movies that try to cram in too many different perspectives too quickly. I think we got to earn our way into a larger worldview first.
“So definitely coming in the future, but we have to find the right pace for the story we want to tell.”
The question is whether they will work in more regions into the Piltover and Zaun-based narrative or not. Noxus has already made an appearance with the warmongers turning up on the shores of Piltover in the second half of Season 1.
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Part of the success of Arcane was being able to hone in on that one region and do it well: “One of the joys of working on Arcane was having the opportunity to dive deep into the style, look, and culture of Piltover and Zaun,” co-creator Alex Yee added.
“At Riot, we of course have our ideas, but there is still a magic of discovery whenever you invest time conceptualizing one of Runeterra’s regions.”
A cameo appearance might please diehard players. But Arcane bridged a gap between them and the general public, who could appreciate the game’s narrative without having any prior knowledge. The story has to flow for everyone now, not just League of Legends players.
Both long-time League of Legends developers, though, have a fascination with all of Runeterra, and this is something that’s always on their mind: “I’ve always been a fan of the intrigue of Noxus, the aesthetics, and history of Ionia, the mythos of the Freljord,” Yee continued.
Whether Arcane will move beyond Piltover and Zaun after Season 2 is yet to be revealed, with Praeco choosing to keep his lips sealed on the topic. These regions might even debut as part of an entirely new show, keeping Arcane solely contained in Piltover and Zaun.
However in the years, and potentially decades, to come, expect to get an in-depth look at all of Runeterra as Riot builds its League of Legends cinematic universe.
