Riot Games Reveals Exciting Expansions: Three New TV Series Coming to Runeterra

The success of Arcane has opened up a whole new world of storytelling for Riot Games. Despite concluding the show’s main storyline in Season 2, the creative team isn’t slowing down.

Christian Linke, Arcane’s showrunner and Riot Games’ creative director, recently confirmed in an interview with League of Legends Twitch streamer Necrit94 that three new TV series set in the League of Legends universe are already in development. These new projects will explore the regions of Noxus, Ionia, and Demacia.

Linke emphasized that while these shows will occasionally tie back to Arcane, they aim to tell fresh stories. One of the series has reportedly been in development for about a year. Let’s take a closer look at what each region offers for these upcoming narratives.

Noxus: A Brutal Yet Inclusive Empire

• Noxus, a vast empire known for its military expansion.
• This region has connections to characters introduced in Arcane, such as Ambessa Medarda and her daughter Mel.
• Noxus operates as a meritocracy, theoretically allowing anyone with talent and determination to rise to prominence.
• Yet, remnants of an old aristocracy still wield influence, often challenging this meritocratic ideal, setting political conflict.

Ionia: The Land of Magic

• Nestled across numerous archipelagos, Ionia represents a magical and spiritual world.
• Home to beloved champions like Ahri, Akali, and Irelia, this region has a rich history of conflict and recovery.
• After surviving a devastating invasion by Noxus, Ionian society is divided – some seek revenge, while others long for the peaceful isolation of the past.

Demacia: A Kingdom in Crisis

• Once considered the epitome of honor and justice, Demacia now faces unprecedented challenges. A succession crisis threatens the kingdom’s stability, with noble families refusing to crown the heir to the throne.
• Adding to the tension, a growing paranoia about outsiders is pushing away potential allies, setting the stage for compelling political drama.

Riot’s Commitment to Expanding Its Universe

Linke shared that Riot Games has been closely monitoring player feedback to guide these projects. By analyzing data and community discussions, they’ve identified regions and characters that resonate deeply with fans.

“We have a lot of data. We know which characters our audience like and play a lot. It takes quite some effort to understand the difference between people picking champions because they win, versus people picking champions because they like them. But we pay attention to that. So we don’t just go with who’s popular because they win, but, where’s resonance, and how do you define resonance?”

While fans eagerly await these new series, let me tell you that they are currently in the “exploring” stage. “We’re exploring a bunch of directions,” Linke said. “When you work on something for nine years it’s pretty normal and pretty expected that you’re gonna have ideas for other stories.”

Earlier this week, Marc Merrill, the co-founder of Riot Games, refuted claims made by Variety that the production of Arcane’s two seasons amounted to $250 million. He labeled these reports as “silly,” noting that the actual cost of Arcane was only a third or a quarter of what Pixar animation typically costs. Again, he assures fans that even though Arane ends, “there are lots of other stories to tell” in the Runeterra universe.