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Riot Games co-founder responds to claims ARCANE was a “financial miss” – GeekTyrant

Riot Games co-founder responds to claims ARCANE was a “financial miss” – GeekTyrant

Following are reports on Riot Games’ acclaimed animated series Arcane Having struggled to recoup its massive $250 million budget, Riot co-founder Marc Merrill has come out to defend the show’s purpose and legacy.

His recent comments underscore this Arcane It was never about short-term financial gain, but about creating something meaningful for players and fans.

That’s what Bloomberg’s first report said Arcane grossed less than half of its production and marketing budget. Netflix reportedly paid $3 million per episode for the distribution rights, while Tencent paid that amount to air the series in China. This equates to revenue of $108 million – far less than the reported $250 million Riot spent on its creation.

Paul Bellezza, Arcane‘s executive producer told Bloomberg that the $250 million figure includes production and marketing. However, Merrill argues that focusing solely on profitability misses the bigger picture of what they want to achieve at Riot.

In a Reddit post about the report, Merrill dismissed the idea Arcane was a “financial failure,” which explains Riot’s mission-driven approach.

“People who look at the world from a short-term, transactional and cynical perspective have a really hard time understanding Riot. These people think we do things like that Arcane to sell hides, when in reality we sell hides to make such things Arcane.”

This philosophy is consistent with Riot’s history of reinvesting profits from its highly successful companies League of Legends Cosmetics into creative endeavors that expand the world of Runeterra.

Merrill continued to emphasize Riot’s commitment to creating great experiences across multiple media, including games, sports, music and animation.

He said: “Riot is a mission-driven company where Rioters constantly strive to improve lives as gamers.” We’re not focused on making short-term profits – we’re focused on delivering exceptional value to our audience over the long term, over and over again to offer.”

The care that goes into it Arcane features meticulous storytelling, stunning animations and attention to detail. Fans and critics alike praised the series for its artistic integrity and compelling adaptation League of Legends Lore, even if creative liberties were taken to better fit the medium.

For Merrill and the Riot team: Arcane‘s success is not defined by dollars alone, saying, “To be clear: Arcane It was a blast for the players, and so it was a blast for us too.”

While Arcane Maybe it wasn’t a financial smash on paper, but it remains a cultural phenomenon that took video game adaptation to new levels. I love that Riot’s goal is to prioritize artistry and long-term value over short-term profitability.