Since its release in 2021, Arcane has managed the near-impossible: it's a video game tie-in show that most people thought was pretty good. So good, in fact, that it's earned a total of four Emmy awards in 2022. Thanks to gorgeous animation, satisfying character drama, and some excellent action sequences, the League of Legends spin-off story earned itself a lot of fans—even from viewers without any existing attachment to the MOBA. League's creators certainly seem pleased with the results, as Riot's made a healthy investment in Arcane animation studio Fortiche between seasons.
While Arcane's first season tied bows on some character narratives, it ended with plenty of dangling threads to weave for main characters Vi, Jinx, and the city of Piltover's fragile relationship with the undercity Zaun.
Details are scarce about the confirmed second season, but we'll be gathering them as they trickle out. Here's everything we know about Arcane's second season.
When can we watch Arcane season 2?
Unfortunately, while Netflix has confirmed that Arcane season 2 is coming, all we know is that it won't hit in 2022. Otherwise, we don't have a hint of a release date, but spring 2023 seems like the earliest possible window.
During Arcane season 1's run last November, Riot Games CEO Nicolo Laurent tweeted: "The good news: you won’t have to wait for 6 years (the time it took us to making season 1). The bad news: it’s not coming in 2022."
What's the latest Arcane season 2 news?
- March 14: Riot invested a "significant" stake in Arcane animation studio Fortiche (opens in new tab)
- March 13: Arcane cleaned up at the Annie awards, winning in 9 categories (opens in new tab)
- Riot confirmed season 2 was in production last November (opens in new tab)
Netflix produced a five-episode documentary about Arcane's first season
While we're waiting for more info about the second season, there's still some Arcane content hitting this summer if you need something to stream. On August 4, Riot's YouTube began releasing Arcane: Bridging the Rift, a Netflix-produced behind-the-scenes series documenting the first season's production.
The first episode of Bridging the Rift (opens in new tab) revealed some the history of Arcane's pre-production—how the initial concept for a Vi and Jinx series emerged. The miniseries will last for five episodes, releasing on a weekly cadence. Expect some looks into the full spectrum of creative disciplines that have a hand in creating a show like Arcane.
What is Arcane about?
Arcane centers on the origin story of two of League of Legends' most iconic characters: Jinx and her sister Vi. It begins with the sisters' childhood growing up on the streets of Piltover and Zaun, a pair of cities that represent a kind of technological utopia and dystopia. The show eventually broadens its lens to tackle the class disparity between the two cities and the morality of building advanced technology that can be used for war through other LoL characters like Jace and Heimerdinger.
Also, it's about some incredible action scenes, with 3D animation that looks unlike any other show or film I've ever seen.
As anyone who has played League of Legends probably knows, Jinx and Vi aren't exactly best friends. In the game, Jinx is an infamous terrorist with a passion for very big explosions, while Vi is a sheriff hellbent on preserving law and order. Arcane explores the dynamics of their relationship and how they split apart.
But one of the most impressive things about the show is how well it weaves in new characters that aren't in the games. You definitely don't need to be a League player to follow (or enjoy) its story.
Which characters might show up in Arcane season 2?
Arcane already features a number of characters from League of Legends: Vi, Jinx, Caitlyn, Jayce, Ekko, Heimerdinger, Singed, and Viktor. Those last two don't much resemble their game counterparts in season 1, which will likely fit into their character arcs in season 2.
Fans have plenty of theories about who could show up next season. The frontrunners are werewolf warrior Warwick and clockwork woman Oriana, both of whom have ties to mad scientist Singed.
It seems unlikely that a minor character from the first season will be responsible for introducing two new major characters into the second season, though, so odds are it's probably one or the other. For the sake of tidy drama, my money's on beloved season 1 papa Vander returning as Warwick in season 2.
There are plenty of other LoL characters tied to Piltover and Zaun who could show up in the second season, including Ezreal, Camille, Urgot, Janna, and—the one I'm really hoping for—Dr. Mundo.
Will 'Enemy' still be the intro song for season 2?
136 million plays on Youtube and another 486 million on Spotify? Yeah, it's probably sticking around.
Read more: The best anime games
