Riot Co-Founder Responds To Claims Arcane Was A ‘Financial Miss’

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Summary

  • Arcane didn’t make as much money as expected, with Bloomberg reporting it was a “financial miss.”
  • Riot Games co-founder Marc Merrill defended Arcane, stating they focus on long-term value over short-term profits.
  • Riot refuted Bloomberg’s report, claiming Arcane was a success based on their internal measures.

As a film enthusiast with decades of experience under my belt, I must say that the case of Arcane is a fascinating one. Having witnessed the rise and fall of countless productions, I can appreciate Riot Games’ unique approach to storytelling and business strategy.

The superhit series “Arcane” on Netflix was already in development for several spin-offs by its creators. Yet, a recent report suggests that it didn’t bring in substantial profits.

The animated series titled “Arcane” is based on the popular game “League of Legends.” This series was well-received by viewers, having been aired on Netflix for two seasons. Despite receiving praise for its stunning visuals and captivating narrative, it appears to have fallen short in terms of financial success. A report from Bloomberg suggested that the reason behind this was Riot Games investing excessively in the production, but the series failed to draw new “League of Legends” players. The article further stated that Riot Games had no apparent strategy to recoup the $250 million they spent on the show over two seasons.

Riot co-founder Marc Merrill broke his silence about the issue and took to Reddit to air their side. According to him, their plan to produce Arcane was way more than making money from it. “People who look at the world through a short-term, transactional, cynical lens, really struggle to understand Riot […] These people think we make things like Arcane to sell skins, when in reality we sell skins to make things like Arcane,” he wrote. Merrill added that “Riot is a mission-driven company” and they have expanded their operations in various mediums, from just games to sports, music and animation. He admitted that they do not get everything right but are focused on bigger things.

Our primary aim is not just about immediate profit gains; instead, we’re committed to consistently providing outstanding value to our audience, time after time, with a long-term vision in mind.

To clarify, the Arcane series was not well-received by players or our team, but contrary to Bloomberg’s report, we at Riot Games consider it a success based on our internal performance metrics. According to our spokesperson, despite Netflix reportedly paying them $3 million per episode, Riot Games invested heavily in the production and marketing of Arcane, resulting in no profits from the venture.

The achievement of Arcane can be evaluated using various methods, with financial success being one of them. Since Riot Games labeled it as a “success”, they likely considered other aspects to determine its triumph. Riot Games has shown courage in expanding their business ventures; for example, they launched Riot Forge in December 2019 to broaden their brand through spin-off games. However, the initiative only lasted for four years before it was discontinued in January 2025.

Releasing the animated TV series, “Arcane,” on Netflix signifies another venture for them into animation and potentially attracting new players to “League of Legends.” Although Riot Games may not have earned profits from “Arcane” yet, its success can lead to increased revenue by selling more character skins. Fans are generally supportive of this move as it allows them to express their backing for the company. Ultimately, only Riot Games can determine if “Arcane” was financially successful or not since they control the project’s financial aspects.

Arcane is streaming on Netflix.

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2024-12-25 22:43