Arcane Writer: “Riot Let Us Kill Anyone We Wanted”

Arcane writer Amanda Overton revealed that Riot Games allowed the team complete freedom to decide the fate of any character in the show.

Overton shared that this flexibility helped make Arcane’s story more impactful, even if it meant diverging from League of Legends’ game lore.

Speaking about the freedom Riot granted, Overton said, “We asked, ‘Can we kill Jayce and Viktor?’ and they said, ‘Yes.’ There were no limits. Riot wanted us to create the best story, even if it meant big changes from the game.”

League of Legends, the game that inspired Arcane, has deep lore. However, Overton explained that the show was written as a standalone medium. The team prioritized storytelling over strict adherence to the game’s lore, creating complex and emotional arcs for the characters.

One key example is the final scene between Vi and Jinx. Overton shared that this moment had been planned since the show’s early development six years ago. She explained, “That Vi-Jinx scene is almost exactly how we originally wrote it.”

Unlike League of Legends, where champions respawn, Arcane embraced real consequences to raise the stakes. Overton emphasized that this approach was crucial for making the story resonate with viewers.

Arcane’s creative freedom and bold choices helped make it a standout adaptation, setting a high bar for future projects based on video games.