Netflix's Arcane is now officially part of League of Legends canon

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Riot Games confirmed the news as part of a big League of Legends special announcement recently

Jinx in Arcane
(Image credit: Netflix)

Well, it's official; Netflix series Arcane is a part of the League of Legends, despite being previously set in its own continuity. Or, at least it will be...

As part of a special announcement on Twitter recently, Riot Games confirmed that going forward, "all new storytelling" set with the League of Legends universe will exist alongside one another. 

"Over the years, we've introduced inconsistencies that have woven their way into the storytelling and worldbuilding of Runeterra," the head of IP Creative Laura DeYoung explained. "We don't believe that's the right approach, because that kind of fragmentation makes the world feel less believable. It just undercuts meaningful character development and frankly, it makes it hard for all of you to feel like you can deeply invest in a story knowing it might not be honored [in the future]."

DeYoung went on to say that the shift will be "gradual" and assured fans that Riot won't just suddenly "retcon every champion or story we've told".

Inventing backstories for fan-favorite champions such as Jinx, Vi, Caitlyn, Jayce, and Viktor, Arcane centers on two sisters, as they find themselves on opposing sides of a brewing war between the utopian city Piltover and its oppressed underbelly Zaun. Yellowjackets' Ella Purnell, True Blood's Kevin Alejandro, Harry Potter's Katie Leung, and Hawkeye's Hailee Steinfeld are among the starry voice cast.

Much of Arcane's narrative centers on Hextech, an invention that allows regular Piltover citizens to channel elemental and spirit magic through devices powered by hex crystals. In both the show and the game, Vi wields Atlas Gauntlets, while her younger sibling Powder, or Jinx as she goes on to become known, uses a weapon dubbed Fishbones. The origins of Hextech in Arcane will be the official origins as of now, according to developer Andrei van Roon.

Elsewhere in the above video, Van Roon and fellow developer Jeremy Lee teased the video game’s next champions, and a look at the update for scorpion-esque character Skarner, whose old lore will be tweaked to fit Arcane's depiction of Hextech.

Arcane is streaming now on Netflix. While we wait for more news on the previously greenlit season 2, check out our list of the best Netflix shows to watch right now.

Amy West
Amy West

I am an Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, covering all things TV and film across our Total Film and SFX sections. Elsewhere, my words have been published by the likes of Digital Spy, SciFiNow, PinkNews, FANDOM, Radio Times, and Total Film magazine.