With the recent special announcement by Riot Games, the universe of the popular online game League of Legends expands yet again. This time, the Netflix series Arcane, known for its engaging narrative and character development, will officially become part of the game's canon. Previously, Arcane had lived in its own separate continuity, but now stands to exist alongside future storytelling within the League of Legends universe.
Laura DeYoung, the Head of IP Creative, explained the decision during the announcement. Over time, inconsistencies have inevitably made their way into the storytelling and world-building of Runeterra. Such fragmentation opposes the sense of reality in the game world. It depreciates meaningful character development, making it difficult for fans to invest in a story unsure of its future honor.
DeYoung assures fans that the change will not abruptly throwaway or 'retcon' the stories and characters they've grown to love. The shift will be gradual, promising a carefully planned integration of the game's rich lore with the outstanding storytelling introduced in Arcane.
Arcane presents the backstories of the fan-adored champions like Jinx, Vi, Caitlyn, Jayce, and Viktor. The plot revolves around two sisters on the opposite sides of a looming war between the utopian city of Piltover and its marginalized underbelly, Zaun. The series garnered attention with its starry voice cast, including Ella Purnell of Yellowjackets, Kevin Alejandro of True Blood, Katie Leung of Harry Potter, and Hailee Steinfeld of Hawkeye.
Central to the narrative of the series is the ingenuity of Hextech - technology allowing ordinary Piltover residents to wield elemental and spirit magic through devices charged with hex crystals. In the series and game, Vi employs Atlas Gauntlets while her younger sister, Powder, transforms into the notorious Jinx, wielding Fishbones as her weapon. According to developer Andrei van Roon, these origins of Hextech from Arcane will become the official origins in the game's world.
Beyond the integration of Arcane, the announcement featured teases from van Roon and fellow developer Jeremy Lee about the game's upcoming characters. They also shared their mission to amend the old lore of the scorpion-like character, Skarner, to fit Arcane's depiction of Hextech.
Netflix's Arcane is currently available for streaming. While awaiting the previously confirmed second season, consider catching up on the best Netflix shows currently screening. The integration of Arcane implies a promising future for the storytelling and world-building of the League of Legends universe, and fans can only anticipate the depth this will bring to their beloved game.
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