Arcane is drawing to a close after its second season, and to dispel rumors about the show continuing for five seasons, the creator of League of Legends has stepped in to set the record straight.
Earlier this year, Netflix took fans by surprise when it announced that the second season of Arcane would also be its last. Although Riot Games has broader ambitions for the animated League of Legends universe, whispers began circulating that there were plans for five full seasons of Arcane. In response to an online discussion sparked by comments from Marc Merrill, the co-founder of Riot and creator of League of Legends, he clarified on Reddit that Arcane was “always written to be two seasons.”
Addressing the rumors further, Merrill explained, “The confusion arose because internally there was a budget conversation about ‘approving 5 seasons,’ which was really about setting aside funds for extensive development and isn’t linked to Arcane’s creative direction.” With the show’s budget, including marketing, reportedly hitting $250 million, some speculation might have sprung from there. “Creating something outstanding should always be our main focus at Riot,” Merrill emphasized.
He went on to elaborate, “We’ve always aimed to tell more stories and grow the universe. That hasn’t changed—people just latch onto rumors or catchy headlines, and Riot didn’t initially address them. But given how rumors spread, I’m happy to clear things up. Our intentions don’t make it easy; we can’t churn these out like they’re rolling off a factory line. Crafting games that resonate with players is challenging, and so is telling compelling stories and creating remarkable shows or films, especially when starting from scratch.”
So, for those still speculating, Arcane was never slated for five seasons, despite some internal budget discussions. Nevertheless, our very own Connor has been thoroughly enjoying season two and finding it nearly impossible to tear himself away.
