With Arcane’s final season approaching, it’s been revealed that the series has become the most expensive of all time, with an estimated cost of $250 million.
Back at League of Legends’ 10-year anniversary, Riot Games unveiled several ambitious projects, one of which was a League-inspired animated series, Arcane.
The show, set in the world of Runeterra—specifically the city of Piltover—premiered in 2021, telling the story of League champions Vi and Jinx, along with other iconic characters like Jayce, Caitlyn, Ekko, and Heimerdinger.
Since Arcane’s first act launched, it has seen massive success. The show still holds a perfect critic score and a 96% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Its popularity was so immense that Riot confirmed a second season shortly after Season 1 concluded. The series’ success exceeded even Riot’s expectations, prompting them to carefully invest time and resources into making Season 2 just as impactful.
Now, as we gear up for the release of Season 2 this month, it’s been estimated that Arcane has cost Riot Games a whopping $250 million overall, securing its spot as the most expensive series ever produced.
In a recent interview with Variety, Riot and Arcane’s teams shared insights on the production. Co-founder Marc Merrill didn’t confirm the final budget but emphasized Riot’s commitment to investing in content that resonates with fans.
According to Variety, Season 1 cost about $80 million to produce, while Season 2’s budget is projected around $100 million, with an additional $60 million spent on promotions. Arcane’s widespread marketing even reached games outside of Riot’s own, like Fortnite and Among Us.
For fans waiting for Season 2, the first episode has already launched on Netflix on Saturday, November 9.