We talked to the creator of 'Arcane': "We didn't want an extension of the game, but that the characters were real"

In November, we will say goodbye to one of the best animated series ever made. Arcane bids farewell with its second and final season, and viewers and fans are more than ready for the grand finale of the Netflix series based on the video game League of Legends.

After a shocking season finale, Arcane is coming back very soon with a second set of episodes that promise to serve as the final touch to Jinx and Vi's thrilling story. In them, we will witness how Jinx's attack on the Council sets the stage for an escalation of the conflict between Piltover and Zaun.

About this return, EL ESPAÑOL | SERIES & MÁS spoke with the creator Christian Linke, who shares how he approached a competitive game like League of Legends, how the series can influence our way of playing -and even encourage potential new players to try it-, and who his favorite character is.

Although it may not have been one of the most promoted releases in 2021, several factors made Arcane stand out as one of the best series of that season and even of the platform.

The strategy of releasing three episodes each week helped increase its popularity and managed to captivate audiences of all kinds, both fans of the video game on which it is based and those who came to it and stayed for a great story.

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League of Legends is a truly competitive game and the series has managed to tell a part of the story that encompasses the vastness of its lore, reaching a wider audience. What has it been like to delve into this game and address an audience that either did not know the game before or had only heard of it?

I think it all comes down to us focusing on everything that is not competitive, this was always a very important issue for us. I guess you ask because you have played the game... Well, I think some people choose their champions [the characters they play with] because they win. Others choose their favorite champion because it's a mix of who they are... And for me it's like helping them win.

So I think we tried to understand the difference, the issue that our characters have a creative resonance, that they are really great at being who they are. And we also avoided making a series that is only about mindless fighting and action. We wanted to tell stories and we wondered 'what do our champions do when they're not fighting'.

That was really the question we asked. I think we always wanted to do something that was different in the game but at the same time kept the essence and characters that we all love alive.

"I hope 'Arcane' helps our players understand the characters a bit more"

Christian Linke, creator of the series

Do you think having such inspiring characters in the series could positively influence us when playing League of Legends?

I don't know. I think as players, we've played with these characters so often that I believe, if you like a certain champion and spend dozens or hundreds of thousands of hours with this character, all you hear are voiceovers about the story or who they are, but you never stop to think about the story they tell you...

And that was our big wish, to answer some questions, especially about the discoveries of the champions, especially everything related to Jinx, Victor, and the others.

I don't know if that necessarily makes us better people, but at least I hope it helps our players understand the characters a bit more, why they would choose them, and why they like them.

Vi and Jinx in 'Arcane' null

So, how would you like the series to address us if we were League of Legends players? And vice versa?

Good question. I think it's easy to see the champions you choose as action figures. That they are just there to move things and shoot or fight. But in reality, we see them as people, as characters who eat, sleep, dream, cry, and do all the things we do. So I hope we do justice to that idea because I think many of us, the players, see these characters this way.

Because it was important for us that Arcane not just be an extension of the game, but that it brought to life something we could respect, whether we liked it or not. To generate opinions about the actions of Vi, Jinx, Caitlyn, Heimerdinger, Victor, and Jace. In the end, that's what we want as players, for them to be real.

It may be a special series for all viewers, because we have all learned about the story behind these characters. What do you like most about the universe of League of Legends? Do you have a favorite character?

Well, my favorite is Heimerdinger, and I think what I like most about Arcane is working on it and with the people involved in it. And I also like Piltover, because it's a very special place, full of artists.

I think the people who had this crazy idea and created League of Legends broke many rules when they did it. And it's very inspiring because it is one of the longest-standing games of its kind. For me, the best part of this and participating in the creative part is being able to see that we all add a touch of magic to the project.

*This article has been automatically translated using artificial intelligence