By Caye (Caroline) Bromley and Maika Branch
Netflix’s hugely popular TV series Arcane released its second season in November 2024. The series represents a current creative trend of translating popular video games into screen media. There are both positives and negatives when it comes to this new wave of storytelling. For example, the re-use of beloved intellectual property (IP), the mixed-use of 2D and 3D animation, and the representation of strong, diverse, lead characters. Not only does Arcane bring forth storytelling opportunities, but it also supports advancements in the creative media world. Arcane has had a deep impact on video game and television media through its strong female-led cast and having queer and racial representation.
Using video games as a storytelling device in television media can be divisive. While there can be extensive lore attached, video games’ primary focus tends to be on the gameplay rather than storytelling. Instead, video games often drop hints at a character’s past and worldbuilding through dialogue in-game, as League of Legends—the game Arcane is based on—did initially. As an online multiplayer game and popular esport, League has over 150 playable characters. Many people enjoy the puzzles and mysteries of similar games, learning about characters and their backstories. A show such as Arcane can explore more of the game’s fantasy world and select characters.
Successful video game properties such as Arcane, The Last of Us, Minecraft, Five Nights at Freddy’s, and Super Mario Bros, have strategically retained their relevance among their fans while simultaneously advertising to new ones. On the other hand, one might argue that video game adaptations take over space that could be used for original ideas in visual media. While expanding these stories is fun for fans, they reuse much of the same and can make it harder for original ideas by developing storytelling artists to get out there.
Arcane, in particular, has set a new standard in animation and soundtracks. Brought to life by international animation company Fortiche, the show features bright, contrasting colours, complex facial reactions, body language animations, and fluid movements. It took over 170 animators to create the combined first and second seasons, and each second of Arcane is stunning. It breaks the mold of many animated shows by combining both 2D and 3D animation, which Fortiche is known for. This technique is incredibly time-consuming, but it pays off by breathing new life into the animation world. From a career perspective, if more shows are animated like this, it would significantly increase the need and employment for animators and collaborators involved in the process—writers, directors, storyboard artists, and more. Not only that, but the team for Arcane created a lot of music explicitly for moments in the show. Having the music used this way or remixed for specific scenes also increases job opportunities for musicians and sound artists.
The recent surge of video game adaptations represents exciting opportunities for change in the entertainment industry. New media like Arcane has not only given new insight into beloved video game characters but has interested new audiences in the show and, by extension, the lore of the source game. While these adaptations offer a more detailed exploration of characters and spaces, it does run the risk of overshadowing original creative works. All that aside, if more shows in a similar genre are on the horizon, new opportunities for creative workers can open up. This benefits the ever-evolving media world, getting more creative minds into the working world and spreading new ideas.
