League of Legends has officially announced a reboot of the Runeterra canon, incorporating the narratives presented in the Netflix animated series Arcane.
Arcane, which showcased LoL champions like Jinx, Vi, Jayce, Caitlyn, Heimerdinger, and Ekko, served as an introduction to the League of Legends universe for many viewers. The anticipation for the upcoming second season of Arcane is high among fans of both the game and the show, and it now holds even more significance.
Arcane will be canon in League of Legends.
The League of Legends canon is undergoing a transformation, with Arcane positioned as a central element in this evolution. The dev team has acknowledged the past inconsistencies in the lore, where in-game events and cinematics were disjointed, leaving players uncertain about their place in the official canon. Riot is actively addressing these issues, aiming for a more coherent and unified storytelling experience.
In a recent dev update video, the League developers outlined their commitment to a shared canon for all new storytelling. Going forward, cinematics, short stories, Riot Forge games, seasonal events, and Arcane will contribute to a consistent and cohesive narrative. Laura DeYong, the head of IP Creative, emphasized this shift from a collection of similar yet inconsistent experiences to a unified storytelling approach.
Responding to inquiries on Reddit, Riot Meddler, the Head of League studios, confirmed that “Arcane is canon. League is also in that same canon.” This clarification reassured fans that this transition wouldn’t be a sudden and massive overhaul but rather an iterative update process that will take time.
Importantly, the existing canon will not be erased; instead, Riot aims to address inconsistencies and prevent further breaks in the canon moving forward.
This announcement has received widespread praise from the League of Legends community, who have invested considerable time exploring short stories and other media in an attempt to understand the origins of their favorite champions.
The commitment to a more streamlined and coherent lore is seen as a positive step forward by players.