Arcane becomes a smash hit on Netflix, #1 in 38 countries

Nicholas James Published 10/11/2021

Riot Games’ debut venture into the traditional entertainment space seems to have been a smashing success.

The animated series, Arcane, premiered on November 6. The Studio Fortiche-made show has gotten rave reviews from fans and has skyrocketed up to the number one most-viewed series on Netflix in a wide range of countries. Reviews have been overwhelmingly positive, and the series has serious momentum heading into its second act, which will release on November 13.

Arcane was announced as a part of Riot Games’ 10th anniversary for League of Legends alongside Valorant, Riot Forge, and a long list of other forthcoming games and features. Riot has pulled out all the stops for the publicity effort heading into Arcane’s launch, tying it into the Worlds 2021 finals and the month-long RiotX Arcane event for all their games.

It’s beginning to look like that effort has paid off, with Arcane becoming the most-watched series on Netflix in 38 different countries the day after its release.

Is Arcane on Netflix a good show?

The dark take on League of Legends’ world has surpassed many fans’ expectations. Arcane has been raking in rave reviews on platforms like Rotten Tomatoes, touting a staggering 100% Average Tomatometer and a 98% audience score.

Between the gorgeous spin on Runeterra that Studio Fortiche created, an excellent score, and a character-focused story that gets personal and raw quite quickly. Arcane scratches the itch for something more comprehensive that champion biographies or comic spinoffs can’t quite satisfy for many League of Legends fans. Arcane is also marking a large surge of viewers who have never loaded onto Summoner’s Rift in their lives.

Main characters like Vi, Jinx, and Jayce are all seeing their play rates surge after the debut, piquing many players’ interest for the first time. With the next act releasing on November 13, Arcane’s success is expected to continue.

Nicholas James

About Nicholas James

Nicholas James is a gaming writer with a passion for all things geekdom, as well as live theater. Nicholas is best known for covering League of Legends and other top MOBA titles, but his expertise covers numerous games across multiple genres. When not watching the LCS or playing the latest new release, Nicholas can be found doing some tabletop gaming and painting his favorite miniatures. Nicholas has also published with Hotspawn, TheGamer, Dexerto, Esports.gg and other industry outlets.

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