League of Legends has drawn countless players to its diverse fanbase over the years. Not all of them are there for its competitive play or even Riot’s flagship game itself, as the Runeterra canon encompasses various forms of media. Fans can now officially consider Arcane, the League of Legends-inspired animated series on Netflix, a part of that canon too, as a developer from Riot Games has confirmed this to be the case.
I’ve never been able to get into League of Legends‘ more competitive side myself. While I’m not a fan of the MOBA-style gameplay, I’ve devoted a good portion of my time to Riot’s intriguing stories and its banger music. From the Yordles of Bandle City to the Zaunite inhabitants of the City of Iron and Glass, there is no shortage of LoL lore to voraciously consume.
When Arcane dropped on Netflix, long-time fans of the multiverse and newcomers alike tuned into the animated origin stories of League of Legends champions. The show, which focused on beloved characters like Jinx and Caitlyn, garnered millions of viewers and set “unheralded” records for the streaming service, as described by Forbes.
Although there are inconsistencies between Arcane’s narrative and what fans know of Runeterra’s own lore, the question of whether or not the animation is “canon” has been up in the air for years now. The debate is officially over, though, as a Riot developer says that Arcane is indeed canon.
Riot Brightmoon, executive producer of League of Legends, responds to a fan online explaining that “Arcane and League are part of the same Runeterra canon.” The dev acknowledges that the situation isn’t so clear-cut, though, assuring us that while the lore isn’t “perfectly aligned,” the team “will address that slowly over time.”
We’ll see Riot clear the canon’s air on Piltover and Zaun once and for all, it seems. I’m looking forward to seeing how the developer connects the dots in the future. For now, I’ll share my excitement about the upcoming League of Legends boy band skins with my fellow K-pop stans. If you’re more into the gameplay than the aesthetics or music, you can browse through our rundown on the recent League of Legends patch 13.20.