When animated adaptations achieve massive success and spark global social media buzz, the original video games typically see a surge of new players. This phenomenon has been observed, to varying degrees, with series like "Cyberpunk: Edgerunners," derived from "Cyberpunk 2077," and the live-action "Fallout" series. However, "League of Legends" appears not to have reaped the same benefits.
According to a Bloomberg News report, while the "League of Legends" animated series "Arcane" garnered significant attention, it failed to attract a substantial influx of new players to the original game for Riot Games.
The report also indicated that despite Netflix paying the game company $3 million per episode, and Tencent contributing another $3 million per episode for broadcast rights in China, the combined revenue only amounted to half of the $250 million production cost. In other words, this not only exceeded Riot Games' budget but also fell short of the company's business objectives.
In fact, during the broadcast of "Arcane" Season 1, the production team did not provide the "League of Legends" design team with sufficient time to create new in-game content, such as new items or characters. Consequently, while some players did register accounts and join the game during the series' initial run, these new demographics were quickly lost.
Nevertheless, Riot Games reportedly remains optimistic about the situation, with a spokesperson stating that while the series did not generate profit for the company, it has been beneficial in other business areas.
Learning from the experience of the first season, the development team allocated ample preparation time for "Arcane" Season 2. As a result, "League of Legends" has begun to introduce new character cosmetic updates, such as "Arcane Fractured Jinx," "Ambessa," and "Mel," which have progressively debuted in the game.
via： Bloomberg News