Riot Co-Founder Shuts Down Arcane Financial Loss Rumors, Says the Show “Crushed It”
Riot Games co-founder Marc Merrill has stepped forward to dismiss claims that Arcane Season 2 was a financial flop, asserting instead that the Netflix series was a resounding success from Riot’s perspective.
While Arcane Season 2, one of the most anticipated releases of the year, continued to receive critical acclaim, rumors have swirled regarding its financial performance. Reports suggested the series, despite its accolades and fan love, failed to turn a profit.
According to a Variety report, Riot Games poured a staggering $250 million into the full 18-episode production, entirely self-financed. While this bold move won the hearts of fans and garnered awards, questions arose about the show’s profitability.
The absence of a confirmed Season 3 led some to speculate that financial losses were behind the decision. However, Riot has firmly countered this narrative, revealing plans for a broader “MCU-style” approach with new animated projects on the horizon.
Riot Co-Founder Declares: “Arcane Crushed It” Amid Bloomberg’s reporting that labeled Arcane a financial “miss,” a Riot spokesperson previously stated that Season 2 was “on track to at least break even.” Building on this, Marc Merrill directly addressed the rumors in a Reddit thread, sharing Riot’s philosophy and perspective on the series.
“People who look at the world through a short-term, transactional, cynical lens, really struggle to understand Riot,”
He recalled how similar skepticism surrounded Riot’s earlier endeavors, from free-to-play games and esports to music projects.
“These people think we make things like Arcane to sell skins, when in reality we sell skins to make things like Arcane. Riot is a mission-driven company where Rioters are constantly striving to make it better to be a player.”
Merrill emphasized that Riot is a mission-driven company focused on enhancing the player experience. Their goal isn’t always about immediate profit but about creating lasting value for players.
“We’re not focused on short-term profit extraction,” he explained. “We’re focused on delivering exceptional value to our audience over the long term, time and time again.”
For Riot, Arcane wasn’t just a show—it was a way to celebrate the League of Legends universe and deepen player connection to its lore. Merrill proudly declared, “To be clear, Arcane crushed for players, and so it crushed for us.” In a direct reply to a fan, Merrill confirmed that Arcane was “profitable enough” for Riot, though he didn’t delve into specific figures. The message was clear: Riot views the series as a huge success and remains committed to expanding its creative endeavors.
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