Skip to main content
Join The Community
- Join our community
11
Premium Benefits
24/7
Access Available
21K+
Active Members
Commenting
Join the discussion
Exclusive Articles Coming Soon
Member-only articles
Weekly Newsletters
Weekly gaming & entertainment news
Member Badges
Earn badges as you go
Exclusive Competitions
Members-only prize draws
Curated Deals Coming Soon
Tech and gaming deals worth grabbing
GET COMMUNITY ACCESS QUICK
For the quickest way to join, simply enter your email below and get access. We will send a confirmation and sign you up to our newsletter to keep you updated on all your gaming news.
By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
FIND OUT ABOUT OUR MAGAZINE
Want to subscribe to the magazine? Click the button below to find out more information.
Find out more
GET Community ACCESS QUICK

Join the GamesRadar community for quick access. Enter your email below and we'll send confirmation, and sign you up to our newsletter.

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

Background
Welcome to GamesRADAR+ Community !
Hi ,

Your membership journey starts here.

Keep exploring and earning more as a member.

MY ACCOUNT

Badge picture
Earn your first badge
Read 1 article to unlock your first badge.
Keep earning badges
Explore ways to get more involved as a member.
Latest Games News

Latest Games News

Breaking gaming news and updates

Read Now
Latest Games Reviews

Latest Games Reviews

Expert verdicts on the newest releases

Read Now

See what you’ve unlocked.

Explore your membership benefits.

Explore
Member Exclusives

Stay Ahead with GamesRadar+

Get the biggest gaming news, reviews, and releases straight to your inbox.

Explore

Sign Out
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+
US EditionUS CA EditionCanada UK EditionUK AU EditionAustralia
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Games
    • Game Insights
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • Big Preview
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
    • Genres
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
    • Franchises
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Hardware
    • Insights
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
    • Computing
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
    • Accessories & Tech
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Game Deals
    • Tech Deals
    • TV Deals
    • Buying Guides
  • Video
    • Video
    • GR+ Replay - Submit Your Clips
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
    • Total Film
  • home
  • Games
    • View Games
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • Big Preview
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • View Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • View Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • View TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • View Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • View Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • View Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Hardware
    • View Hardware
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • View Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • View Deals
    • Game Deals
    • Tech Deals
    • TV Deals
    • Buying Guides
  • Video
    • View Video
    • Video
    • GR+ Replay - Submit Your Clips
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
    • Total Film
Trending
  • Crimson Desert
  • Arc Raiders
  • The Boys S5
  • Best turn-based RPGs
  • Submit your clips. Win prizes
Don't miss these
Demon Slayer
Animated Shows How to watch Demon Slayer in order (TV show and movies)
Jujutsu Kaisen season 3
Anime Shows New anime in 2026: the biggest upcoming and ongoing shows, including release dates
Attack on Titan, Haikyu, and Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood
Anime Shows Best anime: 25 shows to watch in 2026
Avatar: The Last Airbender
Animated Movies Avatar: Aang animator lashes out at "incredibly disrespectful" fans choosing to pirate the leaked movie
One Piece
Netflix The 25 best shows on Netflix to watch in 2026
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 characters
Games Arc Raiders and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 show "mid-price is the new sweet spot," analysts say
Dan Da Dan season 2: Okarun and Momo getting ready for a fight during Dan Da Dan season 1 episode 8.
Anime Shows Best anime on Netflix: 30 shows to stream in 2026
Spike holding up a gun during the hit anime, Cowboy Bebop.
TV Best anime for beginners: The 10 essential shows newcomers must watch first
Iñaki Godoy as Monkey D. Luffy sitting on the mask of the Thousand Sunny during One Piece season 2 on Netflix.
Anime Shows The best anime shows to watch after Netflix's One Piece season 2
Iñaki Godoy as Monkey D. Luffy Emily Rudd as Nami and Jacob Romero as Usopp standing on the deck of the Merry in One Piece season 2
Netflix One Piece season 2 review: "It's hard to imagine a better version of One Piece in live action"
A screenshot of Elden Ring boss Godfrey, the first Elden Lord
Fantasy Movies The Elden Ring movie's reported budget of $100 million makes it A24's most expensive film ever
Ashes of Creation cinematic trailer screenshot shows a character looking at a tall statue.
MMO Games Riot is "committed to" the LoL MMO, co-founder says, but it considered buying another one
Cyberpunk Edgerunners
Anime Shows Cyberpunk: Edgerunners season 2: Everything we know about CD Projekt Red's anime
Eleven in Stranger Things: Tales From '85
Animated Shows Stranger Things: Tales From '85 boss says "more adventures" are on the cards, as he teases What If?-style future for the animated spin-off
Ascendance of a Bookworm heroine Myne on blue sky background
Animated Shows My favorite isekai anime is back after 4 years, and Ascendance of A Bookworm season 4 is an upgrade
  1. Entertainment
  2. TV
  3. Animated Shows
  4. Arcane

As Arcane showrunners protest that their $250 million budget is quite cheap for 18 episodes, 1 anime director points out that its costs 25 times more per episode than his show

News
By Issy van der Velde published 16 November 2024

Arcane is great, but think of how many shows could have been funded with its budget

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Arcane
(Image credit: Riot Games)
  • Facebook
  • X
  • Pinterest
  • Flipboard
  • Email
Share this article
Join the conversation
Follow us
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more


By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

You are now subscribed

Your newsletter sign-up was successful


Want to add more newsletters?

GamesRadar+

Every Friday

GamesRadar+

Your weekly update on everything you could ever want to know about the games you already love, games we know you're going to love in the near future, and tales from the communities that surround them.

GTA 6 O'clock

Every Thursday

GTA 6 O'clock

Our special GTA 6 newsletter, with breaking news, insider info, and rumor analysis from the award-winning GTA 6 O'clock experts.

Knowledge

Every Friday

Knowledge

From the creators of Edge: A weekly videogame industry newsletter with analysis from expert writers, guidance from professionals, and insight into what's on the horizon.

The Setup

Every Thursday

The Setup

Hardware nerds unite, sign up to our free tech newsletter for a weekly digest of the hottest new tech, the latest gadgets on the test bench, and much more.

Switch 2 Spotlight

Every Wednesday

Switch 2 Spotlight

Sign up to our new Switch 2 newsletter, where we bring you the latest talking points on Nintendo's new console each week, bring you up to date on the news, and recommend what games to play.

The Watchlist

Every Saturday

The Watchlist

Subscribe for a weekly digest of the movie and TV news that matters, direct to your inbox. From first-look trailers, interviews, reviews and explainers, we've got you covered.

SFX

Once a month

SFX

Get sneak previews, exclusive competitions and details of special events each month!


Join the club

Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards.


An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
Subscribe to our newsletter

By now, you've probably heard that Arcane's two seasons cost $250 million to make, and one anime creator claims just one season of the League of Legends spin-off show would have paid for 25 seasons of his own.

Thomas Astruc, creator and director of Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir, took to Twitter to write that "one season of Arcane costs 25 seasons of Miraculous." 

One fan asked, "what would you do differently if we gave you an Arcane level budget, and no limits on what the script would be like?" Astruc's reply appears to take a jab at the overall length of Arcane. He writes, "You do the best you can with what you're given. With $250M budget, Miraculous would probably be very different. But still, I think I would do more than 2 seasons only. Somehow, I wouldn't feel comfortable to pour such insane amount of money in so few episodes."

Article continues below
You may like
  • Jinx and Vi in Arcane season 2 Arcane studio lead denounces “soulless" and "disrespectful” AI-generated fanart: "Don’t be afraid to pick up a pencil"
  • Jujutsu Kaisen season 3 Anime piracy has ballooned to a $30 billion cost in 2025, the highest figure ever
  • Attack on Titan, Haikyu, and Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood Best anime: 25 shows to watch in 2026

The Arcane showrunners have explained why they've decided to call it quits after season 2 already. Some of the team have been working on it for nine years, it's time to move on.

Altruc also shed some light on the animation industry. "Miraculous has a very high budget compared to a japanese series, a high budget compared to french series, and a very low budget compared to a US series," he explains. "And any US series has a very low budget compared to Arcane, apparently."

One person replied that the difference is passion and quality, but Altruc had a response for that, too. "All animation workers are passionate and want to do quality stuff," he says. "The only difference is the time you give them and the workload. These two factors are determined by the budget."

Showrunner Alex Yee shares this view. "You have artists who we wanted to have time to really be able to put in their touches and to have so many different disciplines in this really be able to do their best and show what they could do," he tells GamesRadar. "In a lot of ways, the money is just a reflection of the amount of effort that was put into this."

Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

If you've already watched all the Arcane episodes out now, why not check out some of the best anime series you could watch right now. 

CATEGORIES
Netflix Streaming Services
Issy van der Velde
Issy van der Velde
Social Links Navigation
Contributor

I'm Issy, a freelancer who you'll now occasionally see over here covering news on GamesRadar. I've always had a passion for playing games, but I learned how to write about them while doing my Film and TV degrees at the University of Warwick and contributing to the student paper, The Boar. After university I worked at TheGamer before heading up the news section at Dot Esports. Now you'll find me freelancing for Rolling Stone, NME, Inverse, and many more places. I love all things horror, narrative-driven, and indie, and I mainly play on my PS5. I'm currently clearing my backlog and loving Dishonored 2.

Read more
Jinx and Vi in Arcane season 2
Animated Shows Arcane studio lead denounces “soulless" and "disrespectful” AI-generated fanart: "Don’t be afraid to pick up a pencil"
 
 
Jujutsu Kaisen season 3
Anime Shows Anime piracy has ballooned to a $30 billion cost in 2025, the highest figure ever
 
 
Attack on Titan, Haikyu, and Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood
Anime Shows Best anime: 25 shows to watch in 2026
 
 
Arc Raiders character sitting at terminal of monitors
Third Person Shooters Reported Arc Raiders budget of $75 million is "not too far off," says Embark head: "We can live for a long time"
 
 
Antony Starr as Homelander in The Boys season 5 trailer
Superhero Shows The Boys creator says there aren't "full battle scenes" in season 5 because they don’t have "a Game of Thrones’ budget"
 
 
A screenshot of Jordan drinking a soda during the reveal trailer for Intergalactic: The Hertic Prophet.
Games New AAA games could cost $300 million or "much more" to make, insider says, which might "explain" layoffs
 
 
Latest in Animated Shows
Stranger Things: Tales From '85
Sci-Fi Shows Stranger Things: Tales From '85 review: "Makes you nostalgic for the early days of Stranger Things"
 
 
Lucas, Dustin, Will, and Mike in Stranger Things: Tales From '85
Animated Shows Stranger Things: Tales From '85 gives us the epic final showdown we deserved in season 5 – and there's not even a Demogorgon in sight
 
 
Eleven in Stranger Things: Tales From '85
Animated Shows Stranger Things: Tales From '85 ending explained – Does Nikki die? Where did the monsters come from?
 
 
Invincible season 4
Superhero Shows Invincible season 4 finale post-credits scenes: how many are there and how do they set up season 5?
 
 
Eleven in Stranger Things: Tales From '85
Animated Shows Stranger Things: Tales From '85 boss says "more adventures" are on the cards, as he teases What If?-style future for the animated spin-off
 
 
Mark Grayson (Steven Yeun) and Omni-Man/Nolan (J.K. Simmons) posing on the poster for Invincible season 4
Superhero Shows Invincible season 4 episode 8 ending explained: who dies, where are the Viltrumites and will there be a season 5?
 
 
Latest in News
Halo: Campaign Evolved screenshot showing Master Chief hero shot in Unreal Engine 5
Games Microsoft will reportedly pay yet more employees to quit voluntarily in historic first
 
 
Xbox
Xbox Xbox will "reevaluate" its approach to exclusive games and AI, new CEO and CCO say
 
 
Alice stands next to the Cheshire cat wearing a bloodstained apron
Third Person Shooters Quake 2 dev felt "breathless" when he saw how Valve was using id Software's engine
 
 
Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced key art showing famous pirate Blackbeard
Assassin's Creed Ubisoft taps Skull & Bones studio to lead Assassin's Creed: Black Flag Resynced development
 
 
Two characters in S&box
Games Garry's Mod follow-up S&box will launch on Steam with "sustainable" payout for content creators
 
 
Xbox Gamescom 2023 logo featuring a stylized city skyline in green
Xbox Microsoft goes back to Xbox and ditches Microsoft Gaming as leaders admit "players are frustrated"
 
 
LATEST ARTICLES
  1. Halo: Campaign Evolved screenshot showing Master Chief hero shot in Unreal Engine 5
    1
    Microsoft will reportedly pay yet more employees to quit voluntarily in historic first
  2. 2
    Xbox will "reevaluate" its approach to exclusive games and AI, new CEO and CCO say
  3. 3
    Quake 2 dev felt "breathless" when he saw how Valve was using id Software's engine
  4. 4
    Ubisoft taps Skull & Bones studio to lead Assassin's Creed: Black Flag Resynced development
  5. 5
    Garry's Mod follow-up S&box will launch on Steam with "sustainable" payout for content creators

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google
  • Terms and conditions
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Accessibility statement
  • Careers
  • About us
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...