The weekend is here, and among the Valentine’s Day celebrations I’ll be searching my local stores for one thing: Spiritforged, the latest set in the Riftbound trading card game (TCG) that features the cast and world of League of Legends and Arcane, the hit game and Netflix show.

With the addition of new Equipment gear – which your units can wield for powerful buffs – alongside Gold tokens, a new resource option for playing your most powerful cards, plus some excellent new Champions and Legends to build around, this set adds a lot of exciting game pieces for players to experiment with. I’m currently constructing an Azir deck after some lucky pulls in my box and because I love his card’s design.

But forget about all that for a minute because I want to celebrate the actual best addition to Riftbound that dropped with this new set: Pre-Rift, Riftbound’s Limited format.

I’m also a major Magic:The Gathering player and outside of Commander my favorite way to experience the game is through Limited – either Draft or Sealed environments. Essentially, rather than arriving with a premade deck, you show up, open packs, and build a deck. You then play a tournament within the venue alongside the other players.

Draft uses fewer packs, which you take one or two cards from at a time, before passing it onto the next player in your group. Sealed, meanwhile, has you open six packs that are exclusively yours – this was the format for Spiritforged’s Pre-Rift.

To make this format work, however, Riot’s designers had to make a few tweaks to Riftbound’s rules, and how the Sealed experience works. Having experienced it for myself last weekend, they did a cracking job.

Firstly, rather than Riftbound’s usual two Rune domain limit per deck, you can play up to three flavors in your deck. Secondly, while you’d usually need to play a Legend and Champion pair of the same character, for this format you can mix and match.

This not only makes it a little easier to build a deck with the random assortment of cards you open, it opens up the possibility for inventive strategies.

I played a rather basic (though admittedly hard to pilot) aggressive deck headed up by a Draven Legend and Rengar Champion, which as a duo rewarded me and helped me win combats. But others I played against were much more interesting – my round two opponent, for example, paired Irelia with Orin in an Equipment heavy deck to make their Champion a powerhouse that could decimate one battlefield before readying up and decimating the other.

This Mind, Calm, and Chaos build wouldn't be possible in a regular match, and I’m sure it’s precisely what Riot’s Riftbound team would want to see from decks made at the event.

A few other changes were the smaller deck size – which is common for Limited formats – as well as the option to choose not to play a Legend or Champion at all (you just get an extra card at the start of the game). You could also play blank Battlefields if your opened arena wouldn’t benefit you (or could actively hurt your strategy), and also have one of your six packs be seeded – that is, you get a Champion and Legend pair of the same character, as well as a selection of cards that would work well in a deck headed up by them.

I had such a fantastic time with the Pre-Rift it made me hungry to play something similar soon, but that’ll be hard because you can’t find any stock.

At the same time, we’re seeing TCGs like Magic: The Gathering create more Limited-friendly products like its Draft Night boxes, which give players packs and a prize to run their own mini event with friends, and the continued Jump Start releases which see you open two packs that you mash together and start playing with – a super-accessible entry-point for new players.

Hopefully, Riot can crack Riftbound's availability woes this year, as I’m sure so many people like me have wanted to experience this gaming world since binging Arcane, but found League of Legends to not be their cup of tea.

Until then, I’ll just have to count down the days before Unleashed (the game’s next set) drops and the next Pre-Rift will fire.

• Riot Games is expected to lay off 80 staff members from the 2XKO team
• Despite launch success, the game apparently underperformed by Riot's standards
• The game's 1.0 version has been live for just a few weeks

2XKO developer Riot Games is set to lay off a significant portion of the team that worked on the free-to-play tag fighting game.

In an update posted to the official Riot Games website, executive producer Tom Cannon detailed the motivation behind the decision.

"After a lot of discussion and reflection, we are reducing the size of the 2XKO team," he wrote.

"I want you to know that decision wasn’t made lightly. As we expanded from PC to console, we saw consistent trends in how players were engaging with 2XKO. The game has resonated with a passionate core audience, but overall momentum hasn’t reached the level needed to support a team of this size long term."

Per Kotaku, 80 employees are expected to face redundancy, which amounts to roughly half of the entire 2XKO development team. This is in spite of a relatively successful console launch. The game finally came to PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and Series S in January, following a lengthy early access period on PC.

During its console launch period, 2XKO became one of the most downloaded free-to-play titles of the month, beating out similarly free competitors like Marvel Rivals and Highguard.

Cannon rightly acknowledged that this news "will raise questions and concerns." He promised that updates will continue to be shared, and that 2XKO will continue to receive content.

Rioting

Ultimately, it's not a good look. 2XKO has already had its fair share of controversies of varying sizes. From its lengthy development period to launching with a pitifully small 11-character roster (for a 2v2 fighting game, no less), this latest news hasn't exactly inspired confidence in the player base.

"I cannot wait for 2XKO to never be in another fighting game tournament after this year," posted one user on Bluesky.

"I thought I was pretty cynical regarding Riot and 2XKO, but it turns out I wasn’t nearly cynical enough," wrote another.

The layoffs have been understandably devastating for some. "Ten years on 2XKO, 12 at Riot and I got laid off with 30 minutes notice lol. Gonna take some time," wrote one Bluesky user who seemingly worked on the project.

What makes this even more of a shame is that 2XKO has been, largely, positively received by its players. The usual free-to-play complaints are there regarding microtransactions and overall business model, of course, but the core game seems to be fun and engaging.

I could be flippant and say 2XKO's developers were punished for not immediately pulling in League of Legends or Teamfight Tactics numbers, but maybe there is a grain of truth to that.

Guess who’s back? For the last two years, I have offered up 7 board game recommendations to help prevent you and your loved one from dying of boredom in the cold, dark winter months. I’m back again this year to do jit again, and as always, I guarantee you’ll find something to love among my picks.

I have six new entries and a returning favorite from my 2025 list because it’s simply too perfect not to recommend twice. If you’re looking for more options, you can also look at my suggestions from January 2024 or January 2025 – there are some phenomenal picks among them, including Catan, Muffin Time, Dungeons & Dragons, and 13 Beavers.

So tell a friend you have a new game to play, grab one of these seven picks, and get ready to enjoy a fantastic, fun-filled evening. Whether you’re a board game nerd too or more of a novice, I have something for you.

1. Railroad Tiles

For the past couple of years, I have recommended one of my all-time favorite board games in Railroad Ink, but this year I’ve picked its sequel: Railroad Tiles.

The core concept is much the same – create an interconnected network of train tracks and streets (rails and roads) to score points. Tiles mixes things up in several ways, however, adding new game pieces, new ways to score points, and, importantly, the tiles.

Railroad Ink hits the spot for me because it uses randomness to determine which new patterns of rails and roads you can draw each turn, but everyone shares this random pool – avoiding the unfairness that can come from other games reliant on chance. Tiles keeps the randomness – determined by the order tiles are drawn – but adds a new layer of skill.

Each turn, tiles are dealt into piles of different sizes. You take it in turns to choose tile piles, and then in the following round, the order is rearranged based on which pile you took – take a larger pile, and you’ll go later in the order, while smaller pile takers will go earlier.

The skill is knowing when to go all out and gun for the largest pile, and when to play more conservatively to create your traveller’s paradise. Best of all it doesn't feel like this new element raises the skill floor by much; the puzzle-like gameplay of assembling your board with pieces is as approachable as ever, and it just means there’s more to master if you end up playing this game over and over.

Plus, there are extra rules and expansions to add into the mix as you improve, which is always a great way to keep these games fresh after many plays.

• Find Railroad Tiles at Amazon

2. Sounds Fishy

Winter is the perfect time to be with family, but finding a game you can all enjoy and be good at can be a struggle – that’s where Sounds Fishy comes in.

This ‘trivia’ game is simple enough. On their turn, each player reads aloud a question from the deck, while showing every other player the answer on the back of the card. Those other players are then secretly dealt a fish tile, which is either red or blue – don’t show the question asker your color, though.

They must then either make up an answer to the question, or if they’re the blue fish, say the correct answer – with the red fish hoping to get picked and the blue fish hoping to stay hidden.

What I love about this game is that it inspires creativity from the red fish players, and while there is some trivia element, the questions are usually so random that you almost certainly won’t know the answer when reading the question, so there’s no disadvantage for younger players, something which I remember made me not love Trivial Pursuit as a kid. It’s much more of a game about finding out liars, and using your intuition – something everyone can be good at.

3. Flip 7

The problem with being a board game nerd is that while I love games with a bajillion rules and pieces, not everyone is in my boat – and these more complex picks can be impossible to get a good group for (looking at you, Cosmic Encounters, I love it, but no one will play it with me).

Flip 7 is the total opposite. It’s probably the easiest game I’ve played in some time, and also the best.

The goal is simple: score 200 points. You do that over many rounds by being dealt cards and choosing to stick or twist – kinda like Blackjack. If you stick, you bank the total you’ve been dealt; if you play on, you can potentially score more or go bust by being dealt a card you’ve already been dealt.

The unique deck is made up of 12 twelves, 11 elevens, 10 tens, and so on down to one 1, and one 0. So the higher value cards are a double-edged sword – you score more, but are more likely to go bust with them.

There are also special cards that give you a second chance, or force any player to Flip Three in a row, and there’s the Flip 7 of it all – if you Flip over 7 unique number cards in a round, it instantly ends, you score every card you’ve been dealt, plus some bonus points for your troubles.

Every person I’ve played Flip 7 with has loved it. It’s accessible to younger and older players, people who love board games, and people who usually struggle with them. If I could only recommend one game this year, it would be Flip 7; that’s how much I love it.

• Find Flip 7 at Amazon

4. Riftbound

I’ve written about Riftbound a few times now, and I’m as in love with the League of Legends TCG as when I first played it – and I say that as someone with only minimal experience with the MOBA it’s inspired by. So if you know nothing about League, you can still love this game.

It’s pretty simple to play. You choose your Champion and Legend – some cool character who represents your deck – and head into battle against one or more opponents, depending on which format you’re playing. Using cards representing spells and units (anything from pirates to robots to strange, gremlin-like cuties), you fight over locations in a king-of-the-hill style game as you try to rack up points by winning and holding these special spaces. The first to eight points wins.

There are a few other rules to follow, but as someone who has played many TCGs I’d argue Riftbound is one of the most fun and accessible I’ve experienced in a while. I mean, I went from having played casually a few times to making the Top 8 at a local competitive event – and I wasn’t the only player there who did the same. Every match I played was a blast, even the two I lost (including the one that eliminated me from the tournament).

While not technically a board game, there is a product called Proving Grounds, which basically is one – it comes with game pieces and four reasonably powerful decks that play well against each other, and it’s super accessible to complete newcomers.

The only issue is availability. Proving grounds is (at the time of writing) essentially impossible to buy – a combination of over demand and under printing – and regular packs are tough to find too. Riot – the team behind Riftbound – has, however, promised to print a lot more of this game, and so I’d highly recommend keeping your eyes out for this one in 2026 because it is simply so excellent.

• Find out where you can play Riftbound near you

5. Herd Mentality

My second party game of this list, Herd Mentality, encourages groupthink and is the perfect game to get to know people better – or test how well you really know your friends and family.

Each round, you'll be given a subjective topic like “What's the best kind of soda?” Or “What’s the first thing you do in the morning?” Your goal isn't to necessarily give a truthful answer. Instead, you want to say what you think other people will say as you score points for thinking like the herd.

If you think too individually, you're also at risk of being declared the pink cow, which sees you being given a pink cow figure to hold onto – and while holding it, you can’t win.

This and Flip 7 are also easy games to play when you aren’t sober. As always, please drink responsibly, but sometimes, after having a few, you want a game to play that is fun yet simple. These two picks are the ones you're after.

6. Pandemic

I’m sure some folks wish this word died in 2021, but Pandemic is an all-time great co-op game – perfect for groups that would rather work together than tear each other apart during their next board game night.

You work as a team of two to four players to stop the spread of four deadly diseases – taking on various randomized roles in the medical expert field to develop and distribute a cure to each – before the world collapses.

I picked Pandemic up in 2020, like a lot of other people actually, and I still enjoy playing it years later. Winning can be quite challenging, with the situation spiralling out of control if you aren’t careful, but that only lends to the satisfaction of winning when you do eventually win your first game.

Much like Railroad Tiles and other games out there, you can also add extra rules and purchase expansions to up the difficulty and replayability of Pandemic if you play it as much as I expect you will.

My personal favorite house rule is that players can only communicate with the person who moved before them – or a player they share a space with. This adds to the sense of global chaos and helps stop one leader from emerging and telling every other player how to act perfectly on their turn. You might win less, but I’ve found it makes playing more fun.

7. Arcs

Let’s round things off with the returning entrant from last year’s best board games list: Arcs.

This strategy game is just incredible. You and up to three other players take on the role of warring space factions out to colonize planets and conquer the galaxy. You do so over five chapters made up of multiple turns, where you play a card to perform its assigned actions. There are four suits, each with a unique collection of abilities like Battle, Tax, Move, or Build.

Each suit is also numbered 1 to 7, with lower numbers letting you take more actions and bigger numbers giving you a greater chance to go first in the next round.

Going first is important for two reasons: you get to control what the rest of the group can do that turn, and you can decide what you're scoring for that chapter. That second part is why I love Arcs, because it isn’t always about simply fighting; sometimes it's about who has mined the most of a resource, or captured the most spies.

This means you have to keep track of several different things at once, but it does also give players some chance to catch up from behind if future chapters require win conditions they're better prepared for.

The only downside is this complexity, while a delight, makes Arcs less accessible to non-gamery folks. People who don't mind tracking all the various moving pieces, however, are in for a treat.

I have fallen in love with a new game called Riftbound. It’s a card game spinoff of League of Legends, and it’s utterly fantastic – you can check out a much longer article on my Riftbound obsession for more details, and to find out why it might be the TCG everyone has been waiting for.

Here, I instead want to talk about the best way to experience the new game: Proving Grounds. This starter-kit-meets-board-game comes with four solidly strong pre-made decks headlined by popular League champions (Annie, Garen, Lux, and Master Yi ). It includes cardboard playmats to help you lay out your games, giant Battlefield cards to fight over, and plastic token game pieces so you can track your points.

I’ve played it with two players and with four, with players who are TCG aficionados and folks who aren’t, and every match has been a blast, People can pick the rules up quickly, and with multiple players there’s a lot of room for forming temporary alliances in a more effective way than I’ve felt from other multiplayer TCG formats (I’m mostly thinking of Magic: The Gathering’s Commander)

It’s reasonably priced to boot at $29.99 / £29.99 / AU$59.99, but there’s a catch: you won’t find it anywhere for that price. Not at the Riot Official Store, not anywhere.

As you might expect from a card game based on one of the world’s most popular gaming franchises – with both the immensely popular MOBA, several hit spinoffs, and the phenomenal Arcane Netflix series – Riftbound has been selling like hotcakes, and in many places it’s sold out or being offered at a massively inflated price.

There’s some good news, however, with Riot announcing that it’s aware of the issues and has several plans to try and rectify them, including restocks, reprints, and “programs” to “incentivize partners and provide them rewards for engaging in player-first behavior, including reasonable pricing.”

This includes new stock, which Riot promises will be “arriving to local game stores between now and the end of the year.”

So this Black Friday and as we head into the holiday period, I know what I’ll be on the lookout for: more Riftbound packs, and you should definitely have the game (especially the Proving Grounds box set) on your radar.

As someone who has tried and failed several times to stick with League of Legends, I know firsthand how unapproachable Summoner’s Rift can seem, but that’s recently changed thanks to Riftbound. For the past week, since its launch, I’ve been playing as much of it as I can, and Dave Guskin (Riftbound’s Game Director) is right – this TCG is one of the most accessible I’ve played in a while, and it will get players hooked.

Whether you’re a longtime TCG fan like me, love League of Legends or only know the characters through Arcane, or are a complete newcomer to either League or card games, there’s something utterly delightful here with Riftbound.

Even my fiancée had a blast when I encouraged (read: bribed) her to play a few games with me – saying, “It’s a lot better than Magic [The Gathering].” I’m not sure I’d go quite that far yet, but Wizards of the Coast should look out, its lunch might soon get eaten.

Choose your fighter

Riftbound is like a delicious hotpot of ideas when it comes to gameplay.

Just like League of Legends and a couple of popular TCG alternatives (namely Flesh & Blood and Magic: The Gathering’s Commander format), your deck construction starts with your choice of Legend – a character from League’s vast roster.

This Legend decides which two of Riftbound’s rune flavors you can use in your deck – these decide what cards you can include and are based on the character’s personality, for example, Jinx is fueled by Fury and Chaos, while Viktor is concerned with Mind and Order. The Legend also has an ability you can use throughout the game to enhance your strategy – Jinx lets you draw an extra card when your hand is empty (or close to empty), so she pairs well with discard effects.

With this in mind, you build a 40-card deck (with no more than three copies of any one card) that includes at least one Champion unit that matches your Legend. That’s so they can be your chosen Champion, a card that sits outside your deck that you can play as if it were in your hand (though unlike Magic: The Gathering’s Commander, if this Champion is slain, they stay in the trash like every other card).

Right now, there are 16 Champion Legends pairs (some Champions like Vi don’t yet have a Legend to pair with), and while I was only familiar with a handful, I’ve already fallen in love with their designs – not just their superb character artwork, but the varied gameplay styles they facilitate.

From just these 16, I’m certain most players will find a Legend that suits the kind of game they want.

As Guskin explained to me in a conversation we had leading up to Riftbound’s launch, “I think we saw there was an opportunity from building this card game from scratch to make sure people can play the way they want to.”

He wasn't just talking about what they build, but how they interact with the game in the moment with more action-packed and more relaxed playstyles being perfectly acceptable, “We can design a system that supports a really solid competitive 1v1 format, but also a multiplayer game where maybe someone isn’t involved in a fight over a Battlefield, there isn’t a risk of the game ending, and they can go like, get a snack and come back.”

Into the Rift

Once you have your deck, how do you play?

Players are in a race to earn eight points, which they do by capturing or holding Battlefields. These locations are decided at the start of the game (often with an element of randomness) and each offers some unique effect – such as buffing all units that fight there, or letting the controller draw bonus cards.

On each of their turns, players will summon units to send into a Battlefield, cast spells that make their units stronger (or disrupt their foes), and craft gear that’ll offer some kind of ongoing advantage if it’s allowed to stick around.

They do this using those Runes I mentioned before.

What’s neat about Riftbound is that your Runes aren’t like Energy or Lands in some other TCGs in that they’re mixed in with all of your other cards; instead, they have their own unique 12-card deck, and you get to put two Runes into play on each of your turns – meaning by turn six, all 12 could be in play.

I say “could be in play” because some powerful cards won’t just exhaust your resources (‘tapping’ them if you’re used to the lingo from other card games), they’ll ask you to recycle Runes too – that is, putting them back onto the bottom of your deck.

Another mix-up from the usual TCG formula, the race to eight points has a special snag: the last point is special. It can only be earned by conquering all Battlefields in a turn, or holding a location (having a unit there at the start of your turn). Otherwise, when you earn a point, you draw a card instead.

If you’ve ever played a TCG and experienced the pain of drawing too many or too few resources, you’ll know why the Runes deck is an exciting twist on the usual formula – one which puts much more tactical control in the players’ hands.

As for why the last point has to be special, Dave Guskin explained to me: “It’s kinda like sudden death time.

“So we actually didn’t have that rule at the beginning, but we did a lot of playtests internally at Riot and some externally, and you’d be playing it, it’d be really cool and dynamic, and then all of a sudden someone sneaks in for the final point and it was just a very anticlimactic end to the game.”

He added, “Winning should be this epic moment where one player shows they deserved it, and sneaking into that final point felt antithetical to what we wanted to build.

“So we came up with the idea of this kind of king of the hill. Either a player proves they can pick a spot and defend themselves from everyone who challenges them, or they can demonstrate complete military superiority by conquering every battlefield.

We tested it, and even though it did cause games to go on a little longer, nobody cared that it went on longer because those last turns became just so exciting.”

The anticlimactic nature of endings certainly rings true for some of my experiences with other points-based TCGs.

I dabbled in Lorcana for a while but eventually fell off because I felt too many games ended without me having enough agency on the outcome – it is a fantastic game in many ways but I remember several matches were I could see my eventual defeat or victory several turns in advance, and assuming we both played perfectly there was nothing my opponent nor I would be able to do to change the outcome.

With Riftbound’s approach, as both Guskin, I and other players have experienced, it’s possible to see some real nail-biter matches that have one player on the precipice of victory for a while – sometimes seizing a win, sometimes snatching defeat – and it makes for some exhilarating gameplay.

A new best TCG?

I’m loving Riftbound as you can probably tell from my writing, and I think it’s knocking on the door of being an all-time great TCG – we’ll have to see how it develops over the coming sets, but I have high hopes so far.

It has a low skill floor that makes it easy for people to pick up, even if they’re new to League or TCGs, but also a lot of tactical meatiness to chew on if that’s what you’re after.

I've already signed up for a few Nexus Nights at my local game stores, and as I write this, I’m counting down the days until the next one so I can play more.

Unfortunately, the game is so popular stock of cards is running low, but restocks and better availability have been promised by Riot to arrive soon (“between now and the end of the year”).

When these restocks arrive, be sure to pick up the Proving Ground box set ASAP – it’s basically a board game with everything for two to four players to play a game with some pretty strong preconstructed decks that make for exciting matches. It’s easily the best way to try Riftbound, and once you’ve played it, I’m sure it’ll hook you like it has me.

It's hard to believe a whole year has passed since Arcane's divisive second and final season premiered on Netflix.

And, just as Riot Games celebrated the first anniversary of the show's debut season in late 2022, the studio behind Arcane and League of Legends – the latter being the hugely popular video game that Arcane is based on – is ready to do the same for Arcane season 2.

Starting today (November 10) and continuing throughout November, an online party dubbed 'Arcane Fanniversary' will see Riot pull back the veil on season 2's creation. As part of the festivities, a new YouTube series called Looking Back: Arcane is set to reveal plenty of behind-the-scenes information on the animated show. Meanwhile, a series of Reddit Ask Me Anything (AMA) sessions on r/Arcane should provide further insight on its three-year-long development cycle from those involved in its production.

As a big Arcane fan, I'm intrigued to see what we'll learn in the days and weeks to come. However, there are three big reveals I'm hoping for from 'Arcane Fanniversary' – here's what's on my wishlist.

1. Confirmation about the original plan for Arcane

It's no secret that some fans were displeased with Arcane's sophomore season.

One of the best Netflix shows' final installment had the air of a season crammed with storylines and character arcs that should've played out across multiple seasons. It wasn't shocking, then, when co-creator Christian Linke vowed to me that, following the season 2 finale, Riot "will learn" from the mistakes made with Arcane's "rushed" final season.

Nevertheless, nobody at Netflix, Riot, or Fortiche – the latter being the studio responsible for Arcane's gorgeous animation and art style – has ever confirmed if it was supposed to end after two seasons. Ahead of season 2's arrival, one particular online rumor suggested Arcane was supposed to last for five seasons, but was shortened due to its eye-watering production costs.

Days later, Linke and co-creator Alex Yee played that down, with the pair telling me it was "never the plan" for Arcane to run for five seasons. I took them at their word, but based on season 2's overstuffed and fast-paced plot, I've never been able to shake the feeling that the original plan included more than two multi-arc installments. I've got my fingers crossed, then, that one of the aforementioned Reddit AMAs and/or episodes of Looking Back: Arcane will clarify this once and for all.

2. Answers to lingering plot questions

Riot's next YouTube series and/or forthcoming AMAs might also provide the opportunity for Arcane's cast and crew to finally give the answers we crave to various story threads that were left dangling after the season 2 finale.

There were a lot – and I mean a lot – of unresolved plotlines, too. I discuss a number of them in my Arcane season 2 part 3 ending explained piece, including offering my thoughts on the fate of Jinx, Jayce, and Viktor, and how future projects (more on these shortly) could continue Netflix's adaptation of League's Runeterra-set story that began with Arcane.

Speaking to me as part of a post-mortem chat for its final chapter, Linke wouldn't confirm or deny a big fan theory about Jinx after Arcane's season 2 finale. With the last chapter of Looking Back: Arcane set to air almost one year to a day after the series' final-ever episode, though, is it too much to ask that we get a definitive answer to that specific query and other plot- and character-based moments that have been left dangling since? I hope not.

3. A big update on Arcane's sequel projects

I'll preface this section by saying we don't actually know how many other League films and TV shows Riot, Netflix, and Fortiche are working on. During my post-season 2 finale chat with Linke, he denied Arcane would get three League of Legends sequel projects – a fanbase claim born out of comments Linke made in an interview with League superfan Necrit that were quickly taken out of context.

That said, it's possible that multiple follow-ups to Arcane are being worked on. Last June, when Linke addressed fans that Arcane would end after two seasons, he said Riot was "working on our next projects across film and television", so clearly more than one sequel idea has been bandied about Riot's offices.

Since then, we've heard Arcane's sequel won't come to Netflix for a long time, seen a new League of Legends video that might set up Arcane's follow-up, and learned that we might not have seen the last of Caitlyn and Vi. Oh, and Linke has also admitted that Arcane has rewritten certain vital parts of League lore that have reshaped, and will continue to reshape, the massive multiplayer online (MMO) game itself.

Nearly 12 months on from the hit series' last-ever episode, I'm holding out hope that we'll get an actual update on where Arcane's sequel(s) are at from a development standpoint.

I'd take anything at this stage, too. Give me a working title. Tell me which League champions will be its protagonists. Show off some concept art. Heck, give me a small teaser with genuine footage from your next League film or TV series. An anniversary celebration is the perfect time to reveal something, so please, don't let me down!

• Arcane fans might not have seen the last of Caitlyn and Vi on Netflix
• One of the show's co-creators has teased the possibility of their return in a sequel project
• The series' head writer also dropped some hints at where she'd like their story to go next

The creators of Arcane haven't ruled out the possibility of continuing Vi and Caitlyn's individual and/or collective stories in another Netflix project.

In comments made during an Arcane season 2 post-mortem panel that took place on May 10, but which was only published by Variety on Saturday (May 17), Christian Linke wouldn't be drawn on the future of the fan-favorite pair.

However, while Linke played down suggestions that Vi and Caitlyn would show up in one of Arcane's sequel projects, it teased the prospect that, while this chapter of their Runeterra-based journey was over, we may not have permanently waved them goodbye.

"Well, that’s a tough one [to answer]," Linke said in response to a fan query about Vi and Caitlyn's future. "I have to say no comment, because... you never know. That’s a s****y answer, but it’s in your favor."

Full spoilers immediately follow for Arcane season 2 episode 9.

Arcane only ended six months ago, and you can remind yourself what happened to Caitlyn in Vi by reading my Arcane season 2 ending explained piece.

If you don't have time to peruse that article, though, the short answer is Vi and Caitlyn – the gay couple dubbed 'CaitVi' by fans – got something of a happy ending in one of the best Netflix shows' final episode.

Okay, Vi's sister Jinx is presumed dead after she sacrificed herself to save her older sibling. And, for what it's worth, Link exclusively told me he could "neither confirm or deny" if Jinx actually survived events depicted in the show's last-ever chapter.

That moment aside, though, not only did Caitlyn and Vi live to fight another day following season 2 episode 9's life-threatening events, but also officially became a couple after originally expressing their love for each other in an earlier episode of the Netflix show's second and final season.

If season 2 episode 9 is the last time we see 'CaitVi', it would be a fitting end to their time in Netflix's adaptation of League of Legends (LoL), i.e., the incredibly popular video game that Arcane and its forthcoming follow-ups are based on. With so many other LoL champions expected to appear in other projects that Netflix is developing with animation studio Fortiche and LoL creator Riot Games, the chances of us being reunited with Vi and Caitlyn are currently slim.

Nonetheless, Amanda Overton, Arcane's head writer, expressed her wish to see the Piltover Enforcers' journeys continue on the world's best streaming service. And, while we shouldn't read anything into Overton's quotes, which you can read below, about their future post-Arcane, they're sure to excite fans who want to see more of their individual and shared history play out on the small screen.

"These characters are very young in the show," Overton remarked. "They’re like 20 or whatever. We haven’t seen Vi or Caitlyn become adults yet. The show was them becoming adults

"Now, they get to ask themselves, ‘Who am I when I don’t have anyone to protect? Because all they did [in] the entire show was try to protect someone besides themselves.

"Figuring out who Vi is and what she wants, and how she fits into being a cop, and who she decides to fight for and why –those are stories we have not yet explored at length," Overton added about one of Arcane's lead characters. "Is she a gumshoe investigator? Are they [Caitlyn and Vi] a crime-fighting duo? Do they go out to the wider world and encounter other champions? That would be dope and fun. I want Vi to get to see more of the world."

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• Mel Medarda is seen alongside other iconic Noxus characters, including Darius and LeBlanc

A new in-game League of Legends (LoL) cinematic appears to have teased our first look at one of Arcane's sequel projects.

The five-minute-long video, titled 'Welcome to Noxus', which was released yesterday (January 7) is, first and foremost, a fully CGI flick that markets the impending arrival of LoL's first season of the year. However, while the promo video has been created to increase the hype ahead of season 1's debut on January 9, it simultaneously acts as an epilogue to Arcane season 2 and/or a prelude to the highly-rated Netflix show's first follow-up.

Set to Teya's 'Bite Marks' track, the cinematic, which was developed in partnership with Fortiche – the French animation studio that made Arcane alongside Netflix and Riot – is filled with references to the trio's first animated LoL adaptation. The most obvious of those call-backs is Mel Medarda, the daughter of Noxian warlord Ambessa. As I mentioned in my Arcane season 2 act 3 ending explained piece, the series' final episode revealed Mel was traveling back to her homeland of Noxus to seek answers to, well, everything that happened to her in season 2. That includes how she acquired mage powers, why her now-deceased mother left Noxus with the aim of returning to conquer it with Piltover's Hextech, and what role The Black Rose has in the Medarda family's past, present and future.

Speaking of The Black Rose, there are numerous references to the clandestine organization throughout LoL's latest trailer. We get glimpses of LeBlanc, Vladimir, and Elise – three of The Black Rose's four most infamous members – and shots of Mel fighting off some of the cabal's dark magic-wielding magicians. Oh, and don't overlook LeBlanc's comment about "Piltover being a lesson" for The Black Rose to learn from. Clearly, this is a nod to events that transpired in Arcane seasons 1 and 2, so there's no denying that the Netflix series' storyline is reshaping, and maybe even retconning aspects of, the wider LoL universe.

There are plenty of other Noxian characters shown throughout the teaser, too. The assassin known as Katarina is the individual who spars with the arachnid-like Elis, while the hulking Freljord troll called Trundle is seen squaring off with, and then being defeated by Darius, who's one of the most iconic Noxian champions in LoL. The latter duel certainly suggests that Noxus is continuing its global expansion by trying to conquer the Freljord, which could be a secondary location that's explored in future spin-offs of Arcane, aka one of the best Netflix shows ever made.

Curiously, there's no mention or look at Noxus' Grand General Swain, who was teased in Arcane's last-ever episode by way of the six-eyed raven. Over on LoL's official Reddit page, some fans have been left baffled by his absence from the teaser, especially with how integral he is to this Runeterran region. Nevertheless, you can be sure that he'll be part of season 1 of LoL's 2025 calendar.

Ever since Arcane season 2 ended last November, fans have been clamoring for more information on the projects that Riot, Netflix, and Fortiche are cooking up. Right now, there's very little we know about these productions, which are still in the early stages of development, but some details have been revealed by Arcane's co-creator Christian Linke since the show's run on the world's best streaming service came to an end.

Speaking exclusively to TechRadar before season 2's debut on November 9, 2024, Linke and fellow co-creator Alex Yee claimed it'll be a long time before the next League of Legends adaptation lands on Netflix. In a separate interview with TechRadar that took place after its final chapter, Linke also denied that three Arcane spin-offs were in the works, before adding that he couldn't say when they'd be released or which LoL champions would appear in future projects. Thanks to this new LoL cinematic, it seems we may have some answers concerning the latter.

I covered Arcane season 2 extensively before, during, and post-release, so be sure to read more exclusives from yours truly about the series and its sequels in the section below.

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• Noxus, Ionia, and Demacia are set to take center stage
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One of Arcane's co-creators has finally revealed what's in store for future League of Legends (LoL) adaptations on Netflix – but isn't ready to confirm two big details just yet.

In an exclusive chat with TechRadar to discuss all things Arcane season 2 and future project plans, Christian Linke reconfirmed that Netflix, LoL creator Riot Games, and animation studio Fortiche would explore Noxus, Ionia, and Demacia in forthcoming movies and TV shows. These fan-favorite regions of Runeterra – the world that LoL and Arcane are set in – were first revealed by Linke in an extensive chat with League superfan Necrit on Twitch last Saturday (November 23).

However, while those reveals set tongues wagging among diehard LoL fans and Arcane devotees, Linke was keen to stress that any projects centered on Noxus, Ionia, and Demacia were still in the very early stages of development. That was to be expected, especially in light of Linke and fellow creator Alex Yee telling me that it'll be a long time before the next League adaptation makes its Netflix debut. This reveal, though, provides more questions than answers, including which iconic LoL champions will be part of proceedings and whether these regions are being focused on in individual movies and TV shows. [Update: an X/Twitter post from Riot Games co-founder Marc Merrill confirms that these three regions won't be explored in three separate shows.]

With season 2's final three episodes teasing the arrival of a major League champion (Grand General Jericho Swain) who has ties to Noxus, Ionia, and Demacia – read more about these in my Arcane season 2 act 3 ending explainer – I couldn't help but ask Linke for more details on the above. Perhaps unsurprisingly, though Linke wasn't in the mood to confirm too much about the sequel (or, potentially, sequels) to one of the best Netflix shows.

"That's hard for me to say," Linke replied when I asked if Swain would be a protagonist or major supporting character in Arcane's follow-up. "Look, there's a presence throughout Arcane, as well as at its end... I mean, we gravitate toward the stories that our audience wants and we would be silly geese not to look at these really interesting and amazing regions of our IP [intellectual property]. I guess I can't really speak about specific characters yet. But, as I said to Necrit, we're really exploring these regions and there are essential characters that are attached to those regions."

As for whether Noxus, Ionia, and Demacia would feature in the same project or not, Linke added: "At this point, it really comes down to finding the right visionaries, storytellers, and people to shepherd and realize these. So, I really can't say anything too specific, but just know that we're working hard on them."

I guess we'll just have to wait for more news from Linke and company when they have something official to share, then! Hopefully, the wait won't be too long, either – indeed, when Linke confirmed (in June) that Arcane's second season would also be its last, he implied that more information would be shared on the award-winning animated series' sequels before 2024 ends. Unless he's already revealed said information by confirming Noxus, Ionia, and Demacia's inclusion in the next project, then, I'd expect some more details in the weeks ahead. It would be a nice festive gift if more was unveiled, wouldn't it?

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One of Arcane's co-creators has vowed "we will learn from it" after fans criticized the award-winning show's "rushed" second season.

Speaking exclusively to TechRadar after the final three episodes of Arcane season 2 aired last Saturday (November 23), Christian Linke acknowledged that Arcane's second and final season wasn't to everyone's liking. He also revealed that the show's primary creative team "want to learn" from this season's mistakes as they continue to work on Arcane's sequel projects, which are currently in development.

Linke's comments come in the wake of numerous fan complaints about one of the best Netflix shows' sophomore outings. A major criticism among viewers has been this season's pacing and narrative structure, with many describing it as being faster paced than its more methodical, character-driven predecessor. Add in grievances over the superfluous introduction of new characters, the side-lining of major supporting characters, and the minimalist approach to some key storylines, and fans haven't held back in their evaluation of the animated series' last installment.

With season 2's final three episodes – read more about them in my Arcane season 2 act 3 ending explained piece – bringing this particular story to a close, Linke and company have had time to reflect on what worked and what didn't. And, while Linke "understands" and "respects" the opinions of those who weren't totally enamored with this League of Legends (LoL) adaptation's concluding chapter, he's also keen to point out how "hard" it would've been to please everyone.

"I understand them," Linke told me when asked if he accepted those criticisms. "I also respect people feel that way. We need to listen and learn from it.

"We're making this for an audience of people, not just ourselves [but] it's hard. On one side, the vast majority of people seem to like the way that it is, which is great. There are also some people saying it's rushed [and] there's too much going on, and I understand that.

"There's also a flip side to that opinion," Linke continued. "There's been a good amount of fans asking 'why isn't Camille, who's part of Piltover, in the story?' or 'why isn't Blitzcrank in there?' or 'where's Twitch?' – like, where do we include them or other LoL champions? There's an economy to animation and it's always nice to have more time, but this is the time we had [to make this show].

"For people who tuned in to watch season two, having loved season one, I can see how they could've been disappointed, because there's a specific pace and a specific way we did things in season one. Yeah, we changed it for season two – we wanted to do things a little differently in season two. So, yeah, I understand that, I respect that, and I want to learn from that."

Linke's comments about having "more time" are sure to pique the interest of some readers. Before season 2's initial launch on November 9, rumors spread that Arcane was supposed to run for five seasons – speculation Linke and fellow creator Alex Yee played down to me by saying it was "never the plan" for the series to last that long. Nevertheless, fans will be equally intrigued by Linke also suggesting that season 2's problems were a "symptom" of the Netflix show being a duology rather than a much larger multi-season project.

"I think part of the issue is it's a symptom of Arcane being two seasons long," Linke added. "I don't know if fans would've had that feeling if it wasn't for season one having a slower pace. But, it's a learning for those of us who are making this stuff, and we want to learn from it. We don't want to make something that's jarring, so this is all part of the learning process."

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• However, while Linke's words said one thing, his reaction said something else

Full spoilers immediately follow for Arcane's season 2 finale.

Arcane co-creator Christian Linke has implied that, despite what happens in the season 2 finale, Jinx is still alive.

Speaking exclusively to TechRadar after the Netflix show's final episodes aired last Saturday (November 23), Linke suggested that Arcane's deuteragonist didn't die. While Linke said he could "neither confirm or deny" that this was the case, the fact that he shuffled nervously in his seat and raised a wry smile all but confirmed that Jinx didn't perish in this season's ninth and final entry.

There's plenty of evidence to suggest that Jinx lives to fight another day, too, which I previously covered in my Arcane season 2 act 3 ending explained piece. For starters, as Jinx detonates her Hextech bomb to kill Warwick and seemingly sacrifice herself, Jinx appears to use her Shimmer-based super-speed powers to avoid the explosion. Indeed, a unmistakable streak of purple, i.e., the color of Jinx's Shimmer abilities, can be seen in a blink-and-you'll-miss-it moment mere milliseconds before the bomb goes off.

In one of the best Netflix shows' final few scenes, Caitlyn is seen combing the Kiramman family archives while she fidgets with the monkey head of another of JInx's homemade explosive devices. As she browses these records, she finds the schematics for Piltover's Hexgate tower, which Jinx and Warwick fell down before the former detonated her bomb. Zooming in on the blueprint's air duct and cooling system section, Caitlyn raises a smile. Clearly, Caitlyn was trawling through the archives to find the tower's designs to work out if Jinx could have survived. Based on her smirk, it's evident that she believes Vi's younger sibling did.

The last two pieces of evidence come in Arcane season 2's final scene. The most obvious one is the Jinx-style 'The End' title card that flashes on the screen before the end credits roll, and which indicates that Jinx's story isn't over. Even more importantly, though, the series' final shot shows an airship flying to an unknown region of Runeterra. Why is this significant? In Arcane's very first episode, the child version of Jinx – then known as Powder – sees an airship and says "one day, I'm going to ride one of those things". Considering that the airship in season 2's final episode is identical to the one that Powder sees in the animated show's premiere, it doesn't take a genius to deduce that Jinx is flying the airship in the League of Legends (LoL) adaptation's final chapter.

Armed with these clues, I asked Linke if he could confirm whether Jinx was alive, and if she was the individual who was flying the airship. As I mentioned, Linke didn't give me a definitive answer, with Arcane's co-showrunner choosing instead to speak about Jinx's redemption-based character arc that was teased in season 2's final trailer. His body language, though, practically confirmed that Zaun's self-appointed 'big, fat hero' is not only alive, but also managed to break the cycle of violence she was trapped in and walk (or, rather, fly) away to start a new life.

"I can neither confirm or deny [the Jinx is alive]," Linke coyly replied. "I will say this: her whole story is about turning from the little, bumbling sister into someone who is able to take responsibility and do what a big sister needs to do.

"Isha is really that example for Jinx. She [Jinx] is starting to understand what it's like to be responsible, and to be able to grow and be stronger. Even in that scene [involving Vi, Jinx, and Warwick], there's something where VI is incapable of kind of sacrificing the ones she loves and leaving them behind. Jinx has a moment where she has grown and she's capable of stepping in, and it's a big decision that's important for her. So, that's I guess, where I'll leave it."

Even if Jinx is still kicking around, it's unlikely that we'll see her again. Arcane's second and final season wraps up Jinx and Vi's story, as well as that of Piltover and Zaun. That's in spite of rumors that Arcane was supposed to run for five seasons, too – with Linke and fellow creator Alex Yee telling me it was "never the plan" for Arcane to last that long.

Regardless, there are plenty of other LoL movies and TV shows in the works that will explore more regions of Runeterra and focus on other LoL champions. First, see why it'll be a long time before the hit series' follow-up projects are released. Then, get the latest on the three "amazing" regions that'll be explored in Arcane's sequel.

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Full spoilers follow for Arcane season 2 act 3.

After two critically-acclaimed seasons, multiple award wins, and millions of hours streamed, Arcane has ended – and what an ending it was. Following the release of season 2's final trailer on Tuesday (November 19), the hugely popular Netflix series has bowed out with an emotionally stunning finale, and I'm certainly struggling to comprehend how Arcane season 2's third and final act could end in such bittersweet fashion.

As one of the best Netflix shows' final credits roll and the dust begins to settle on an animated masterpiece that'll stand the test of time, I imagine you've got plenty of questions rattling around your head. Well, as I fight back tears, I'll do my best to answer them. This is your final warning: full spoilers immediately follow for the entirerty of Arcane, including its final three episodes.

Arcane season 2 act 3 ending explained: is Jinx dead?

Let's start off with the big one: did Jinx die? It certainly seems that way, but I'm not buying she is.

In the final 15 minutes of season 2's mind-bending and bloody ninth episode, titled 'The Dirt Under Your Nails', Vi, Jinx, and an apparently dead Warwick are left strewn across the dilapidated Hexgate tower, with Jinx marooned on a steel beam above another that Vi and Warwick are perched on.

As Jinx and Vi stagger to their feet, the latter looks down at the monster that used to be Vander, aka the siblings' surrogate father. Intuitively knowing that Vi will try to save Vander once more, Jinx pleads with her older sister to leave it be and head for a safer metal beam. Ever the stubborn individual, Vi ignores her sister's pleas and, as she reaches out to Vander/Warwick, the beast awakens and begins lashing out at Vi.

With every attack from Warwick further destabilizing the beam that it and Vi are on, Jinx – using her shimmer-based powers – leaps from her girder, ploughs into Warwick, and knocks them off Vi's beam. Vi reaches out and grabs Jinx's right hand with one of her Hextech gauntlets to try and haul her sibling to safety, but Warwick grabs Jinx's waist; the pair's combined weight meaning Vi must make a choice: save herself, or they'll all perish in the inevitable fall.

Jinx, realizing that Vi needs to let her go but knowing full well she won't, delivers a tear-jerking goodbye to her sister, saying "Always with you, sis". Using her free hand, she removes the Hextech gemstone from Vi's gauntlet, which causes it to power down, and release Jinx and Warwick. As the pair seemingly fall to their death, Jinx pulls out the Hextech gemstone bomb she'd originally made to kill herself at the start of episode 9, pulls the pin, and seemingly kills her and Warwick as a grief-stricken Vi watches on.

All of that would suggest Jinx is dead, right? Not quite. You see, during episode 9's final scenic medley, Caitlyn is seen scrolling through the Kiramman family archives and stumbles upon the Hexgate's construction plans. There, she spots a set of cooling tunnels (see the image above for more) that branch off from the building, which leads to a wry smile spreading across Caitlyn's face. To me, this implies that Caitlyn thinks Jinx used one of said tunnels to escape her own bomb blast, and there's more evidence to suggest she does, too.

For starters, season 2's final scene depicts an airship flying off to whereabouts unknown. This might seem like a strange scene to end things on but, if you remember back to Arcane's very first episode, Jinx (then known as Powder) says "one day, I'm going to fly one of those things". What other perfect ending could there be to Jinx's story, then, than realizing that dream and sailing off into the proverbial sunset?

As for the other crucial piece of evidence, as the screen cuts to black after that scene, a Jinx-style smile and a graffiti-esque 'The End' quickly flashes on the screen. The revelation about the cooling tunnel, coupled with these obvious Jinx references, lead me to believe that Zaun's self-appointed "big, fat hero" is alive. Even better, she seems to take the advice from Silco (well, the apparition of him that appears before her while she's imprisoned in episode 8) and end the cycle of violence by walking away from it all.

Arcane season 2 act 3 ending explained: do Caitlyn and Vi end up together?

Yes! After almost two seasons' worth of teases, the couple affectionately dubbed 'CaitVi' by Arcane's fanbase get their happy ending. They're seen snuggling in one of the last scenes in 'The Dirt Under Your Nails'.

It's been a long road to get to this point. Indeed, season 1 was full of hints that Caitlyn and Vi had feelings for each other, but it wasn't until season 2's third episode that Arcane finally gave us a huge 'CaitVi' moment – that being their first kiss, which the show's creators told me they "couldn't have done in season one."

Regardless, Caitlyn and Vi's dynamic suffered some significant setbacks throughout this season, not least because Caitlyn's mom was one of three Piltover councillors who died in Jinx's attack in the season 1 finale. Given the diverging nature of their journeys from season 2 episode 3 onwards, there was no guarantee that 'CaitVi' would survive this season's explosive storyline. Thankfully, they did – and it came after they finally consummated their relationship by having sex for the first time, too, albeit we only got a tasteful glimpse at that in episode 8 before that chapter moved onto other matters.

The duo have been impacted by some truly traumatic events before and since we've met them, including Caitlyn losing her left eye in her final showdown with Ambessa and Vi losing, well, everyone she's loved (Jinx's undetermined fate notwithstanding) apart from Caitlyn. Despite their personal losses, though, Netflix, Riot Games, and animation studio Fortiche Production didn't incite a riot among fans by giving 'CaitVi' the happy ending they deserved.

Arcane season 2 act 3 ending explained: is Heimerdinger dead? And who else lost their lives?

Before season 2 act 1 aired on Netflix, aka the world's best streaming service, on November 9, co-creator Christian Linke warned fans (via the Black Girl Nerds podcast) that this nine-episode installment would be something of a bloodbath. Indeed, he suggested it would be something on the level of Games of Thrones – a comparison I'm not afraid to admit I rejected because I didn't think Linke and co-creator Alex Yee would kill any of their darlings.

How wrong I was. There had already been numerous significant deaths this season – read my season 2 act 1 ending explained and season 2 act 2 ending explained articles for more on who shuffled off their mortal coil prior to act 3's launch – but season 2's final three episodes and, in particular, 'The Dirt Under Your Nails', though, were an absolute massacre.

Indeed, episode 7, aka 'Pretend Like It's the First Time', got things off to a hot start with the demise of Heimerdinger – the centuries-old Yordle scientist appearing to sacrifice himself to allow Ekko to return to the pair's original universe after the Anomaly sent them to a parallel dimension. This season's penultimate entry, titled 'Killing Is a Cycle', saw the destruction of Sky's consciousness when Viktor made the fateful decision to fully embrace his Glorious Revolution plan, too.

It was episode 9, though, where the most significant deaths happened. Loris, Vi's friend, is killed in a hail of crossbow bolt fire during Ambessa's assault on Piltover. Gert, one of Jinx's followers, also dies in the initial wave of attacks.

Then there's Maddie, the Piltover enforcer who idolized Vi (but not enough to stop her jumping into bed with Caitlyn in a rebound-style relationship in season 2 episode 4), also dies. After betraying Caitlyn to side with Ambessa, Maddie prepares to execute her former lover, but she's killed when the bullet she fires towards Caitlyn bounces off a magic-based shield – one created by Mel, whose mage powers have fully activated by this point – and strikes and kills Maddie instead.

Ambessa is a casualty of her own invasion, too. Thanks for Caitlyn and Mel, she's eventually captured by the Black Rose – it turns out they weren't, as some of us believed, Arcane's main villain after all – whose leader starts using her dark magic to kill Ambessa. For what it's worth: I still believe this individual, aka the so-called 'Illusionary Sorceress' voiced by Minnie Driver, is LeBlanc – for more details, read my Arcane season 2 cast and character guide.

But I digress. In a bait-and-switch move, Mel saves Ambessa (aka her mom) by not only interrupting this Black Rose member's attack, but also by sending them away using her own magical abilities. Despite everything Ambessa has put her through, Mel still clearly loves her mother. Recognizing this, a grateful Ambessa says "now you are the wolf" – a reference to Noxian strength – before dying in Mel's arms.

As I mentioned earlier, Jinx and Warwick appear to die in episode 9 as well, but this pair's fates aren't the only ones left up in the air...

Arcane season 2 act 3 ending explained: is Jayce dead? And what happened to Viktor?

Of all of these questions, this is the one I'm least confident about answering. Like Jinx, it would appear Jayce and Viktor perish in season 2's final chapter – the pair using their combined willpower and consciousnesses to halt Viktor's Glorious Evolution plan that would've turned Runeterra into a dystopian nightmare.

They succeed in this endeavour, too, but the duo suddenly disappear as they prevent this Calamity – one bigger than the Rune Wars, a near-world-ending event that threatened Runeterra millennia ago, apparently – from happening.

So, what happened to them? Sure, we finally got answers about why Arcane season 2 was seemingly sending Jayce down a very dark path, but this query largely goes unanswered. So, it appears they died to not only save Piltover and Zaun, but also Runeterra as a whole.

Again, though, I'm unconvinced Jayce and Viktor are dead. In fact, I believe they were either whisked away by Jayce's crystal shard to another realm or, because of Viktor's celestial-like magical powers, have undergone the process known.

Without getting into the weeds of Riot's hugely popular game franchise, which Arcane is based on, according to League of Legends (LoL) lore, Ascension is a process by which humans were altered by celestial magic. Originating in an area of Runeterra known as Mount Targon (they're Ascended where known as Aspect Hosts), and later copied by the lost empire of Shurima (they're Ascended were called God-Warriors), Ascension allowed blessed individuals to channel celestial magic through their connection to entities that are considered to be LoL's version of Gods. It's my opinion, then, that Jayce and Viktor have temporarily disappeared and will return as Ascended in future LoL adaptations, which would continue to prove Arcane season 2 has rewritten large parts of established League lore.

Arcane season 2 act 3 ending explained: is there a mid- or post-credits scene?

No. Once Arcane season 2's end credits roll for the last time, there isn't an end credits scene to stick around for. That didn't come as a surprise to me, especially as Linke and Yee exclusively told me prior to this season's release that "we're not in production" on other LoL movie and/or TV adaptations.

Arcane season 2 act 3 ending explained: what is the three-eyed raven? And who is Swain?

There may not be a post-credits sequence that teases what's to come after Arcane, but that doesn't mean there aren't hints towards likely follow-up projects. Indeed episode 9's final montage drops a big clue about one such story that may be told next.

First, though, we need to back things up a little. Throughout Arcane's 18-episode run, black ravens have been spotted by viewers and the series' characters – indeed, the earliest appearance of one that I can recall is in season 1 episode 5, which sees Jinx return to her and Vi's former hideout and shoot a raven when it spooks her.

At the time, I didn't think much about it or subsequent raven appearances. But, as I've come to learn about Riot and Fortiche in particular, they're very meticulous about the imagery and Easter eggs they've littered throughout Arcane. That is to say, a lot of things they include are added in for a reason.

So, as more ravens showed up, I did a little digging – and LoL diehards won't need me to tell them what I discovered. For those less familiar with LoL lore, though: ravens are a bird most commonly associated with a very specific LoL champion called Swain. Even more explicitly, the six-eyed raven who appears in episode 9's final sequence – the one seen pecking at Jayce's corrupted Hextech hammer to unearth its Hextech gemstone – is directly tied to Swain.

Alright, so who is he? Again, I don't want to turn this into a particularly lengthy explanation. But, for anyone curious to know something about him: Grand General Jericho Swain is Noxus' visionary ruler who possesses demonic abilities. That makes him another dark magic wielder, with Swain acquiring such powers after losing his left arm in Noxus' invasion of Ionia – another magic-infused region of Runeterra.

How does this potentially set up the next LoL adaptation? Per LoL lore, Swain is one of three individuals who currently rule Noxus (one of the others is LeBlanc, by the way) as a group known as the Trifarix. With Mel seen sailing to Noxus in episode 9's final sequence, coupled with the wider mystery surrounding her abilities, the Black Rose, and how all of this ties to Ambessa, I'm convinced that the next League adaptation – or, at the very least, one of them – that lands on Netflix will expand on Noxus, its complicated history, and its impact on Ionia and other Runeterran regions and kingdoms.

Arcane season 2 act 3 ending explained: will there be a third season of Arcane?

Nope. In June, Netflix and Riot confirmed Arcane's second season would also be its last, so a third season isn't on the way. Ahead of season 2's arrival, there were reports that Arcane was originally going to run for five seasons. However, just 48 hours after those rumors emerged, Linke and Yee told me that it was "never the plan" for Arcane to last for five seasons.

While this is the end of Vi and Jinx's story, Netflix, Riot, and Fortiche aren't done adapting LoL in animated and/or live-action form. In a video accompanying the announcement that Arcane was ending, Linke revealed other projects were being developed. Unfortunately, per Linke and Yee, those ideas are still in their very early stages, so it sounds like it'll be a long wait for future League projects to follow in Arcane's footsteps.

Arcane season 2 act ending explained: what other League of Legends stories could be told? Will Orianna star in one?

A movie or TV series centered on Noxus aside, there are other narratives that, based on how Arcane ends, are ripe for exploration.

For starters, one could star Orianna, aka the Lady of Clockwork. The final few minutes of episode 9 revealed that Singed – the man formerly known as Doctor Corin Reveck – successfully brought his daughter Orianna back to life. He did so via a combination of Apex Hexcore and the clockwork-inspired design of Viktor's former followers, so it would be fascinating to see how her rebirth impacts Orianna and Singed individually, as well as their familial bond.

Another possible project could follow Ekko. Sure, it seems Netflix, Riot, and Fortiche are keen to explore other regions of Runeterra and the characters inhabiting them, but Linke told ScreenRant that there's the potential to continue the stories of some characters from Arcane. We only got a glimpse of Ekko's true potential in this show, and I'd certainly be keen to see him get more screen time, whether it's in the alternate timeline that episode 7 was built around, or the reality that the main show is set in.

Orianna, Ekko, or any of the individuals who survived Arcane, however, are but a fraction of the near-170 LoL champions who exist in Riot's massively successful videogame series. There's no guarantee that we'll see these individuals again, then, but it would be nice if we did, wouldn't it?

• Arcane's showrunners have suggested it'll be a long time before their next project is released
• Multiple League of Legends (LoL) movies and TV shows are in development, but none are in full production
• The award-winning Netflix animated show's creators will only make something they're "really passionate about"

Arcane's creators have implied it'll be a long time before their next League of Legends (LoL) movie or TV adaptation is released into the wild.

Speaking exclusively to TechRadar before Arcane season 2 made its initial Netflix debut on November 9, Christian Linke and Alex Yee warned fans not to expect another LoL project, animated or live-action, in the near future. Indeed, while multiple projects were in development, the pair were keen to stress that "we're not in production on any of those".

The disappointing update comes five months after it was announced that Arcane's second season would also be its last. Speaking on a pre-recorded video posted on Arcane's various social media accounts, though, Linke tempered fans' sadness – mine included – by confirming more LoL adaptations were in the works. Even better, one of the best Netflix shows' co-creators said he hoped to have more news to share before the end of 2024.

With Arcane season 2's final three episodes set to arrive tomorrow (November 23), viewers may be hoping for a reveal of some sort – either as a post-credits scene or a new project announcement on social media – before 2024 is over. The latter is certainly possible but, considering what Linke and Yee told me when I asked for a status update on what's coming next, I wouldn't bank on the former.

"That's the fun part for us right now," Linke replied when I asked which part of LoL champions and/or regions of Runeterra we'd see in Arcane's follow-up. "Really, we're just focusing on what's next.

"Look, we've played the game [League of Legends] forever and there are a lot of characters we're passionate about," Linke continued. "The way we're exploring this is: 'what are we really passionate about?' and 'what do we have that'll be a great story that our audience will also be passionate about?'. We're not in production on any of those yet. We're really just developing stories and scripts right now, so I can't say anything yet, unfortunately. I wish I could. I wish there was this maturity on the internet where everyone goes 'it's okay if it doesn't work out'. Anything we say to you [Tom] is considered to be a hard commitment that'll ends our lives if it doesn't happen!"

"I think that if we were to say, at any point in Arcane's development, that we definitely knew what the end result of this show would be, we would've lied many times," Yee added. "So yeah, I guess it's good that we did the right thing [not say anything] and continue in that manner as we develop these things.

"A lot of the stories that'll excite [LoL] players and Arcane fans are the same ones that excite us. So, the big message from us is, rest assured, we still have the hunger to tell these stories."

Considering it took six years to make Arcane's first season and then over three years to make its sequel, it sounds like we're all in for a long wait for another LoL adaptation to launch on Netflix, aka the world's best streaming service. As I said, we won't have another nine-episode installment of Arcane to tide us over in the interim, either, even though there were rumors that Arcane was initially supposed to last for five seasons. Despite reports to the contrary, Linke and Yee told me it was "never the plan" for Arcane to last more than two seasons. In short: while we wait for an official unveiling on its sequel show, you and I will just have to watch Arcane re-runs for many months and years to come.

Before you watch its third and final act, remind yourself what happened in the previous three chapters by reading my Arcane season 2 act 2 ending explained piece. Alternatively, check out Arcane season 2's final trailer to see what it teases ahead of act 3's release. Then, once you've streamed it, get answers to your biggest finale questions by reading my Arcane season 2 act 3 ending explainer.

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• Netflix has released one final trailer ahead of Arcane season 2's final three chapters
• The 45-second teaser was revealed at the end of Arcane Afterglow's second episodes
• The footage suggests there'll be plenty of surprises in store before the hit series ends

Full spoilers follow for Arcane season 2.

Arcane season 2's final three episodes are just days away from airing on Netflix. And, while my excitement levels are already at fever pitch for season 2's concluding act, the arrival of a new teaser is making me wish it was November 23 so I watch them over and again.

Released at the end of episode 2 of Afterglow, aka Arcane's official after show, the 45-second long trailer is packed with melodrama, tons of action, and the potential return of two popular characters who died in Arcane season 2 act 2. Before I expand further on these teases, though, stop what you're doing and watch the act 3 sneak peek in the video below (skip to the 10:27 mark for the footage).

As you'll have seen, there's a lot shown off in the teaser. For starters, a voice over – I'm assuming it's Jayce who's speaking – says "a storm is coming... the likes of which Piltover has never faced". If that wasn't unsettling enough, Jayce's voiceover is accompanied by shots of Ambessa leading her Noxian troops into battle. Oh, and some of them have been supercharged by shimmer, the addictive substance created by Singed that grants superhuman abilities to anyone who consumes it. Piltover's enforcers are no match for Noxus' extremely well-drilled foot soldiers, let alone ones whose physical capabilities are augmented by shimmer.

That's only the beginning of the problems that the likes of Vi and Caitlyn will have to face. The next clip shows the pair in Piltover's underground council chamber – the same one we saw in Arcane season 2 act 1's first episode – alongside two other familiar faces. The first of those is Mel, who escaped the Black Rose's clutches in episode 5 and has somehow found her way back to the so-called City of Progress.

Even more surprisingly, Jayce is the other individual who's drawing up a plan of action alongside the trio. You don't need me to remind you that he was responsible for killing his former scientific partner and best friend Viktor (more on him in a moment) in episode 6 – one event of many that seemed to be sending Jayce down a very dark path in season 2. Viktor's demise set off a cataclysmic chain of events in act 2's final chapter, so I'm intrigued to see why Jayce has not only been welcomed back into the fold, but also seems to have been cured of the magic-based "sophisticated conjuration" ailment that he's afflicted by.

As for Viktor, Caitlyn asks Jayce if Viktor is "at the center of all this", which leads into an ominous, quick-cut montage of Singed appearing to bring two fan-favorite characters back from the dead. Indeed, the teaser's next shots suggest Singed will combine Viktor's Hextech-powered body with Warwick's shimmer-infused corpse to create a truly terrifying foe who may prove to be unstoppable.

Remember: during their tense chat in episode 6, Singed told Viktor that, by combining Warwick's regenerative blood, aka Apex Shimmer, with Viktor's Hextech-augmented body, Singed could stabilize Viktor and give him infinite powers, which would be known as Apex Hextech. Until his death, Viktor's powers were believed to be limited, but he refused to sacrifice Vander/Warwick's humanity to improve himself. It seems, then, that Singed will get his wish, with Arcane's love-to-hate alchemist fusing them together to create what he regards as the ultimate life form.

It seems to work, too, based on one of Viktor's deceased disciples being resurrected moments later in the teaser. Reading between the lines (or, rather, quick cuts between the trailer's clips), I believe Singed will transfuse Vander/Warwick's blood into Viktor, which will transform Viktor into the cybernetically augmented individual that League of Legends (LoL) players will instantly recognize from Riot's hugely popular videogame franchise. That may be the reason why there's a shimmer-colored pod – one hooked up with pipes – sitting behind Singed and Ambessa. This is the manufactured cocoon that they've placed Viktor in to undergo his transformation.

As we see towards the end of the teaser, though, it appears Viktor's consciousness might try and fight back – the brief flash of him being attached to a tube-like mainframe suggesting he could foil Singed and Ambessa's plan from the inside. Whatever happens, it seems Viktor's story is one of many aspects of LoL lore that's being rewritten by Arcane.

All of this comes before we're given a glimpse of Jinx, too. No doubt succumbing to her inner demons following Isha's death in episode 6, we only catch a couple of flashes of Vi's younger sister – Jinx's reflection seen in some shattered glass and then standing in a building as she watches it burn around her.

It's nailed on, though, that she'll be convinced to join the fight against Ambessa and Singed. Indeed, we hear Vi telling her "if you come, use all of that explosive potential for good, maybe we could rewrite your story" towards the end of the teaser. There's also a shot mere seconds before that line is uttered, too, which shows a blue and pink-colored airship, one likely flown by Jinx, in the sky above Ambessa before the latter shouts "fire!". There's another very brief shot of Jinx's sky-faring vehicle using its five-cannon gun to bombard Ambessa's troops right before the trailer ends, too. Expect Jinx to come to Piltover's aid and help change the tide of the conflict, then.

There's more interesting footage within the teaser, including an Ambessa-Caitlyn showdown and Vi chastizing Caitlyn for joining forces with Ambessa earlier in the season. This is only the tip of the iceberg for what's to come in one of the best Netflix shows' final episodic trio, whose total runtime will clock in around the two-hour mark. Indeed, we need to know where Ekko and Heimerdinger are, if the Black Rose is the hit show's main villain after all, and if 'CaitVi' will get their happy ending after finally kissing in season 2 episode 3. Suffice it to say: bittersweet as they'll be will be, I can't wait to see how Arcane's second and final season wraps up the series' overarching story. Don't mess it up, everyone!

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Full spoilers follow for Arcane seasons 1 and 2.

There are only three episodes left of Arcane's second and final season and, as the clock ticks down to its finale, fans are still waiting for an answer to an absolutely huge question.

No, not the "what's going on with Jayce?" one, which I already examined in this article about Jayce walking a very dark path in Arcane season 2's later entries. I'm talking about the hit Netflix show's main villain, who's yet to be revealed as Arcane approaches its endgame.

There have been plenty of candidates for the series' antagonist-in-chief. Silco fulfilled that role last season but, following his demise in the season 1 finale, we're none the wiser about who's succeeding him as Arcane's Big Bad. Is it Ambessa, who's been an increasingly antagonistic figure since her season 1 episode 7 debut? How about Jayce following his unexpected heel turn in Arcane season 2 act 2? What if, in the end, it actually ends up being Jinx?

In many viewers' minds, mine included, it won't be any of them. Indeed, fans have had a magical theory about Arcane's main villain for a long time, with some proposing that the Black Rose, a secret and dark magic-wielding organization, will be the show's actual evildoers. It's a hypothesis that predates Arcane season 2's official trailer being released in mid-September, too, with that two-minute-long teaser hinting at the Black Rose's introduction.

Well, as I covered in my Arcane season 2 act 1 ending explained piece, the Black Rose is officially part of the proceedings. What's still unclear after the arrival of season 2 episodes 4 through 6, though, is whether the Noxus-based sect is one of the best Netflix shows' chief bad guys. Or, rather, bad girls, because three of their four most famous members are females. That includes their infamous leader LeBlanc, the millennia-old sorceress who's essentially Noxus' shadow ruler and pulls the strings of whoever sits on the expansionist empire's physical throne.

With the Black Rose playing an increasingly larger role as Arcane season 2's story progresses, will we see LeBlanc and/or any other Black Rose members appear before Arcane's final credits roll? I had the opportunity to speak to the animated League of Legends (LoL) show's creators Christian Linke and Alex Yee ahead of its initial debut on November 9, so I felt obliged to ask the pair if this would be the case. Interestingly, they didn't actually deny it.

"Hmm... you really want to know, don't you?" Linke replied with a wry smile and a not-so-coy laugh. Before I had a chance to respond, Yee jumped in to cleverly add: "Are you asking 'will they be there' or 'will you see them?'"

You've played this game before, haven't you, gentlemen? Considering the pair didn't outright deny that LeBlanc and/or her fellow ancient magic wielders would appear, I'm led to believe that, at the very least, one of them will. I've got the evidence to back that up, too. The cast list of season 2 episode 5's end credits sequence mentions a character named 'illusionary sorceress' who's not only the individual who speaks to Mel in this chapter but also voiced by Minnie Driver. Don't be shocked if Driver is the voice for Arcane's animated take on LeBlanc, and, providing I'm right, if Driver and LeBlanc are subsequently added to my Arcane season 2 cast and character guide.

But I digress. Even if I'm completely wrong in my assumptions about members of the Black Rose appearing before season 2 ends, it doesn't sound like this is the last we'll see of them. With many more LoL movie and TV adaptations in development, Linke suggested they may crop up, or at least be mentioned, in future projects.

"When we've talked about them internally, the coolest version of the Black Rose is when they're invisible," Linke said. "But what's also really cool is they're one of the first glimpses of this larger world, and the characters that have an association with the arcane and magic that comes from another realm. It's a good thing that fans have opinions on what's happening with Hextech, magic, and all of these things, and we're really excited about those things, too. But, you know, the Black Rose is an integral part of season 2, and that's all you'll get for now."

For more coverage ahead of season 2 act 3's release, check out more articles from my exclusive chat with Linke and Yee below.

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Full spoilers follow for Arcane season 2's first six episodes.

What on earth has gotten into Jayce? It's one of the biggest questions on Arcane viewers' minds after another typically explosive and emotionally stunning capper to the animated series' latest batch of episodes.

I've written about my thoughts on what's happening to him in my Arcane season 2 act 2 ending explained piece. I'm an impatient individual, though, so I simply can't wait until the award-winning Netflix show's next three episodes to get a definitive answer. The gap between acts is even greater for me, too, as I watched season 2 act 2's episodic trio over two weeks ago.

So, when I sat down for an exclusive chat with series creators Christian Linke and Alex Yee before Arcane's second and final season initially debuted on November 9, I had to ask: what's going on with Hextech's co-founder?

Unsurprisingly, the pair weren't forthcoming with answers – you know, something about not wanting to spoil significant storylines before season 2 act 3 arrives on November 23 or whatever. Coy as they tried to be, though, Linke and Yee offered a tantalizing crumb of information about Jayce's descent into madness in Arcane season 2, which was just enough to satiate my appetite before one of the best Netflix shows' final hurrah next Saturday.

"Oh, you will find out," Linke teased. "You will find out in gratuitous detail. Let's just say certain illusions [about the good that Hextech can do] have dwindled."

"Yeah, it's safe to say his dreams for Hextech have died," Yee added.

Intriguing as those hints are, I was already under the impression that Jayce has experienced some extremely traumatic events since we last saw him. Indeed, after he disappeared alongside Ekko and Heimerdinger in season 2 episode 3 – read my Arcane season 2 act 1 ending explainer for more details – it was unclear when we'd see Piltover's so-called Man of Progress again.

As it happens, the wait wasn't a lengthy one. This season's fifth episode reunites us with Jayce after he returns to the material realm, aka the real world, following his Anomaly-based exploits. However, this isn't the same Jayce who went missing two chapters ago. The individual who reappears is an unkempt, exhausted-looking, and rage-filled character who's not only wielding a corrupted form of his Hextech hammer but whose rune-based magic crystal is now embedded in his left wrist.

Clearly, wherever he's been, Jayce has experienced some... how can I put this politely... unpleasant events. Why else would he perform a 180-degree turn and say Hextech, the magic-infused invention he created with Viktor that he's defended time and again, needs to be destroyed? Oh, and why else would he kill Salo and Viktor, not to mention escalate the conflict between Piltover and Zaun by murdering his former scientific partner in cold blood?

Whatever's happened to Jayce, this isn't his first emotionally harrowing jaunt. Being saved by a mage as a child, almost committing suicide when his Hextech dream was originally snuffed out by Heimerdinger, killing a kid in season 1 episode 8, and Jinx's attack in Piltover's council – it was "always the plan" for certain characters to die in that attack, Linke and Yee told me – are just four psychologically damaging incidents he's dealt with in this show.

Throw in being whisked away to another reality and becoming a physical manifestation of a "sophisticated conjuration", as Viktor describes it in episode 6, and it's understandable why Jayce isn't doing well. Let's hope the idealistic and good-willed man of science inside him isn't completely lost as we approach the end of Netflix's first League of Legends animated adaptation.

Ahead of season 2's last few episodes debuting on November 23, pass the time by reading more from my chat with Linke and Yee in the section below.

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• However, they "aren't troubling" themselves with what's considered to be canon
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Full spoilers follow for Arcane season 2's first six episodes.

Ever since Arcane made its Netflix debut in November 2021, League of Legends (LoL) fans have fiercely debated whether what happens in the animated series is considered canon in Riot Games' hugely popular videogame franchise.

Three years on from the emergence of those online discussions, we have a definitive answer: yes, but only kind of. That's the verdict of the hit show's creators Christian Linke and Alex Yee who, in an exclusive TechRadar interview that took place before Arcane season 2's initial launch on November 9, they admitted that Arcane is officially rewriting elements of League's history.

However, the pair also stated they aren't concerning themselves with the definition of what's canon or not. Instead, Linke and Yee chose to describe the alterations to LoL's mythology as what "should be considered to be the truth" at this point in time.

The duo's comments come as act 2, comprising episodes 4 through 6 of Arcane's second and final season, makes some massive changes to the canonicity of LoL, such as the revelation that the monstrous, wolf-like LoL champion known as Warwick was created by Singed using Vander's corpse.

Another notable admission is the reveal of Vi and Powder's mom Felicia, her ties to Vander and Silco, and how she was a key driver in the latter pair's determination to create the undercity state of Zaun to ensure it's governed independently of its aristocratic neighbor Piltover. Then there's everything surrounding the 'will they won't they' pairing affectionately dubbed 'CaitVi' by Arcane's fanbase and that huge season 2 moment involving Caitlyn and Vi that we waited years for.

By far the biggest lore alternation, though, concerns the aforementioned alchemist known only as Singed. Season 2 episode 5, titled 'Blisters and Bedrock', confirms a long-standing fan theory that Singed is not only the scientist/inventor formerly known as Doctor Corin Reveck, but also the father of another LoL champion called Orianna, aka The Lady of Clockwork. For those interested in learning more about these changes, my Arcane season 2 act 2 ending explained piece provides more information.

This isn't the first time Arcane, one of the best Netflix shows, has reshaped what LoL fans thought they knew about the mythos surrounding Riot's most popular game. Arcane's first season made subtle changes to the way Jayce and Viktor's friendship is depicted in LoL, revised Vi and Jinx's backstories to make them blood relatives, and introduced new champions like Ambessa and Mel who weren't part of LoL history prior to their appearances in the show. Netflix's animated adaptation of Riot's biggest game, then, hasn't been shy about modifying its established lore.

Despite these changes, Linke and Yee are unmoved about the prospect of potential fan backlash over what was previously accepted as League canon. Yes, they still hope these tweaks "feel true" to fan expectations for these characters and Runeterra – the world Arcane and LoL are set on – but they're not worried about the complexities associated with what's canon and what isn't.

"We want to tell stories that feel true to the expectations of fans," Yee replied when I asked if Arcane's events are now considered canon in LoL. "This question of canon – to me, it's like 'what is canon [as a definition] but the thing we say it is for now'? So, I guess I'm not necessarily troubling myself with it too much."

"We set out to tell the stories of these characters," Linke added. "I mean, it should be considered to be the truth. That's the most important thing."

There you have it, folks. Arcane is officially reworking what we knew about LoL, but it's not defined in the traditionally canonical sense if that makes, well, sense. Anyway, as we prepare for the arrival of Arcane season 2's final batch of episodes, read more from my chat with Linke and Yee, plus my wider season 2 coverage, below.

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Full spoilers follow for Arcane season 2 episodes 4 to 6.

The second part of Arcane season 2 is out now – and, if you thought season 2 act 1's ending was as emotionally stunning as things were going to be, you were wrong.

I suspect that, as you come to terms with the soul-crushing events that occurred in the popular Netflix show's latest episodes, you've got lots of questions rattling around in your head. Allow me, plus Arcane's creators Alex Yee and Christian Linke, to answer – or, at the very least, try to answer – them. Full spoilers immediately follow for Arcane season 2 act 2, so turn back now if you haven't watched them yet.

Arcane season 2 act 2 ending explained: is Viktor really dead?

It would appear so. After all, the teaser that wrapped up Arcane season 2 after show's first episode had fans fearing for their favorite character's life. Plus, there aren't many people who can take a Hextech gemstone-powered blast to the chest and live to tell the tale.

After a paranoid Jayce – more on what's wrong with him later – escapes the Anomaly, which apparently trapped him in an unknown dimension in episode 3, aka 'Finally Got the Name Right' he heads to Viktor's utopian camp on the outskirts of Zaun. Infiltrating said base, he almost kills one of its child inhabitants due to the impact of the Anomaly on his physical state – again, more on this soon.

Jayce manages to pull himself together before he gives the kid the same treatment he gave Salo (RIP, by the way) in the final scene of episode 5, titled 'Blisters and Bedrock'. I've no doubt that Jayce also remembers the kid he accidentally killed in season 1 episode 8, too, which stops him from murdering another innocent victim here.

Despite almost being gunned down, the kid takes pity on Jayce and takes him to meet the so-called Herald (the camp's messianic title for Viktor). Once there, Jayce powers up the gemstone beam alt-ability of his warped Hextech hammer and, aiming it towards a meditating Viktor, blasts him in the chest and seemingly kills him.

Why do I say 'seemingly'? Because, as fans of Riot Games' hugely popular League of Legends (LoL) videogame franchise, which Arcane is based on and is apparently a prequel to, will tell you, Viktor's ongoing presence as a playable LoL champion suggests he might not be dead after all.

When I quizzed Yee and Linke about whether Viktor's demise, they didn't confirm he was. "I think a fair answer is yes and no," Yee teased. Fine, keep your secrets, but I'm fully convinced this isn't the last we've seen of this cybernetically-augmented individual.

Arcane season 2 act 2 ending explained: what happened to Warwick?

Viktor's death has a devastating impact on his disciples, including Huck, who Viktor healed of their ailments with his Hextech powers. As Viktor perises, his followers scream in agony and suddenly die, too. Given Viktor's ability to take over any of his disciple's minds and/or bodies – as evidenced by him doing so to Salo in episode 5 – it seems Viktor and his peaceful acolytes are linked in some way, be it telepathically or in a form of hive mind consciousness.

But I'm getting off track. Heartbreakingly, Warwick – the monster Singed created from Vander's corpse – is also a casualty of Viktor's demise. Viktor used his powers to try to reverse Singed's alchemical effects and turn Warwick into Vander, so Warwick is also connected to Zaun's new Herald. Long story short: Warwick is also going to die.

Unlike Viktor's human followers, though, a panicked Warwick reverts to his feral state and becomes a murderous, blood lava-esque spewing machine. Fuelled by his unquenchable rage, Warwick mauls Rictus, Ambessa's lieutenant, to death as a horrified Vi, Jinx, Isha, Caitlyn, and Ambessa watch on.

Overcome with grief, an angry Ambessa instructs her Noxian forces to attack Warwick. He manages to take some of them down, but the overwhelming odds, and the fact he's already dying, mean Warwick's time on Runeterra – the world Arcane and LoL are set on – is fast coming to an end.

Arcane season 2 act 2 ending explained: did Isha die?

Another fair question, but one Linke and Yee were unwilling to fully commit to answering. With three more episodes to come, they wouldn't be drawn on anything to do about season 2 act 3, so it's completely understandable why they wouldn't confirm or deny if Isha died.

However, I think she's all but certain to have perished. Indeed, it looks like Isha sacrifices herself to save Jinx, Vi, and Caitlyn (but mostly Jinx) by killing Warwick with Jinx's Hextech gemstone-fuelled gun.

Episode 6, titled 'The Message Hidden Within the Pattern', foreshadowed this. Early in act 2's final episode, Huck asks Vi and JInx to leave their weapons at the entrance to Viktor's camp. The pair reluctantly agree but, before she surrenders her handgun, Jinx removes its gemstone and gives it to Isha for safekeeping. Noticing that Vi didn't remove the gemstones from her Hextech gauntlets, Isha grabs that pair, albeit off-screen, too. You can see her shoving them into her belt bag as the trio enters the camp.

Given the heart-warming nature of Jinx and Isha's evolving sibling-like bond, plus the fact Arcane constantly wants to rip out our hearts, Isha's death has also been signaled since the duo crossed paths in episode 2. So, when Warwick lashes out at Jinx as she tries to subdue him, and then menacingly approaches Jinx to deliver a lethal blow, Isha springs into action.

Running into the fray, she slides and grabs Jinx's pistol, which is lying on the ground, and jumps through the air to land at Warwick's feet. After loading all three gemstones into the weapon, she salutes Jinx with a tear-jerking finger-gun motion – the same one Jinx used on Isha in episode 2 – before shooting Warwick, which unleashes a destructive Hextech blast and likely kills them both.

The big question now is: how will Isha's death affect Jinx? Vi's younger sister has surprisingly kept a lid on her psychosis so far in season 2, and it seems her friendship with Isha is a key reason for that. With Isha gone, though, we'll probably see Jinx surrender to her mental disorder and/or become a depressed recluse in episode 7. Arcane season 2's official trailer confirms she'll eventually emerge from her emotional rut, and aid Piltover and Zaun's joint fight against Ambessa and her Noxian forces. For now, though, a heart-broken Jinx will mourn Isha and Vander's loss – that duo, Viktor, and Rictus joining Arcane's growing casualty list that began with three big character deaths in the season 2 premiere.

Arcane season 2 act 2 ending explained: what's wrong with Jayce?

As I mentioned, Jayce has evidently been affected by the Anomaly. The magic crystal, which was given to him by the mage who rescued Jayce and his mom when he was a child, isn't helping matters, either. It's usually bound to a wrist strap Jayce wears but, after escaping the Anomaly, it's now embedded in his wrist, which won't be good for anyone's physical, emotional, or mental wellbeing.

So, where has he been? I don't have an answer to that but, playing it coy once more, Linke and Yee say "all will be revealed" about the dark path that Jayce is now walking very soon.

There are a couple of hints in episode 6 as to why Jayce is on a mission to destroy Hextech (i.e. his life's work) and anyone associated with it. The first of those is what, at the start of the sixth episode, Viktor calls a "sophisticated conjuration". According to Viktor, this is a singularity that simultaneously self-replicates and self-annihilates itself. In layman's terms, then: whatever the Anomaly and/or the titular Arcane (remember, at the end of 'Blisters and Bedrock' Viktor tells Jayce he can see that Jayce has "been touched by the arcane") has done to Jayce, he's continuously being ripped apart and put back together by it.

That's not all. In episode 5's final scene between Jayce and Salo, and the sixth episode's sequence before Jayce almost bludgeons one of Viktor's child followers to death, he sees corrupted versions of Salo and said kid. Check out the below image for a screenshot of what they look like.

Clearly, these semi-hollow, disfigured versions of Salo and the child disciple are evil in Jayce's unstable state, hence his desire to eradicate Hextech and anything it's touched from existence. Is he being forced to do so by the Anomaly, the Arcane, the crystal stuck in his forearm, or a combination of the three? We'll find out soon.

Arcane season 2 act 2 ending explained: how will Ambessa react to Rictus' death and episode 6's wider events?

Not well, I suspect. Her second-in-command is dead. Caitlyn, who Ambessa was priming to be Piltover's new commander-in-chief (albeit one that Ambessa believed she could puppeteer), has also betrayed her and re-allied herself with Vi and Jinx. Singed's plan to recapture Warwick failed. Oh, and a mentally distorted Jayce not only suddenly reappeared on the scene, but was also responsible for everything that happened in episode 6's last 10 minutes after murdering Viktor.

Ambessa's been looking to assume totalitarian control of Piltover since her first appearance in season 1 episode 7 through manipulating (unsuccessfully, I'll add) numerous high-ranking Piltovans. Amid episode 6's fallout, I suspect she'll now pull a Thanos and decide to "do it myself" – i.e. make a play to become Piltover's autocratic ruler. After all, we see Ambessa and her Noxian soldiers making light work of Piltover's enforcers in season 2's official trailers, so expect her to show her true colors in act 3.

Arcane season 2 act 2 ending explained: who is Felicia? And how does she know Vander and Silco?

The short answer is she's Vi and Powder/Jinx's mom. A 'Blisters and Bedrock' flashback sequence also confirmed Felicia was a close friend of Vander and Silco. Indeed, the trio – as we learn when Vi, Jinx, and Isha come across an abandoned miners' break room while searching for Warwick in Zaun's underground tunnel network – were part of said mining team.

We also find out Felicia is the one who urged Vander and Silco to finally realize their dream of securing Zaun's independence from Piltover. The reason? Felicia finds out she's pregnant with Vi, who she conceived with her husband Connol. It's Vander who comes up with the name Violet, too. Oh, and Felicia and Connol's deaths, which we glimpsed in the opening scene of Arcane's season 1 premiere, were the reason for the breakdown in Vander and Silco's friendship. That's confirmed in an apology-filled letter, which Vi and company find in the aforementioned break room, that Vander wrote but never gave to Silco.

Arcane season 2 act 2 ending explained: how does Mel survive the Black Rose's attack?

By using the same ability she manifested when Jinx attacked Piltover's council chamber in the season 1 finale.

After being kidnapped by the Black Rose in 'Finally Got the Name Right', Mel is put through the wringer in 'Blisters and Bedrock'. Indeed, not only does she witness Elora's death at the Black Rose's hands, but she's also imprisoned in an oculorum; a specialized chamber built by ancient forces to lock up false prophets. She also thinks she's been reunited with her apparently deceased brother Kino but, due to his apparent ability to teleport to different areas of the oculorum, and the missable Black Rose-hued flourishes that occasionally flash over him, it's clear he's nothing but an illusion.

It doesn't take the ever-perceptive Mel long to realize he's not real. Determining that appears to be to her detriment, however, with the Black Rose choosing to kill her once she works this out. Unfortunately for them, Mel's latent, seemingly light-based powers allow her to escape the Black Rose's dark magic-crafted chains.

Arcane season 2 act 2 ending explained: who is Mel's so-called sister? Is it LeBlanc?

Nobody knows what happens to Mel after she destroys the Black Rose's supernatural shackles. We'll have to wait until episode 7, at the earliest, to learn more.

What I'm confident about, though, is Mel and Kino having another sibling. The Black Rose's Kino apparition mentions as much and, while their story initially comes across as just another one of the clandestine organization's lies, there appears to be some truth to it.

Indeed, just before Mel escapes the Black Rose's clutches, a mysterious voice calls Mel their "sister". Episode 6's end credits sequence identifies this character as 'illusionary sorceress' who's voiced by Minnie Driver.

But who is this enigmatic individual? Before season 2's debut, Arcane fans conjured up a magical theory about who the show's main villain is: LeBlanc, a prominent member of the Black Rose and millennia-old sorceress who, without getting into the weeds of her extensive LoL backstory, is essentially Noxus' shadow queen.

Armed with this hypothesis, I asked Linke and Yee if we'd see any Black Rose members, LeBlanc or otherwise, before season 2 ends. I suspect we will, based on Linke's wry smile and telling laugh, and Yee's coy response, which you can read in this exclusive that teases the Black Rose's involvement in Arcane season 2's last three episodes. Time to update my Arcane season 2 cast and character guide again, everyone!

Arcane season 2 act 2 ending explained: who is Doctor Reveck? And why is he significant?

As Caitlyn explains in episode 5, Doctor Corin Reveck is Singed's true identity. A revered alchemist who was kicked out of Piltover's scientific academy for committing an unknown crime, Reveck is also responsible for creating shimmer, the addictive substance that flooded Zaun's streets in the wake of Vander's death in season 1.

The revelation that Singed is Reveck has massive repercussions for LoL lore. Indeed, it doesn't just validate a long-standing fan theory that Singed and Reveck are the same person, but also confirms the identity of Singed's daughter, who we see lying in a stasis pod midway through season 2's fifth chapter.

Historically, Reveck had a child named Orianna who, for reasons unknown (I imagine The Gray, aka the toxin-riddled air that used to hang over Zaun, has something to do with it), develops a terminal lung condition. However, Reveck manages to keep her alive by suspending her in the previously mentioned pod while he devises a way to cure her.

Now that Reveck and Singed are canonically the same person, Singed's daughter must also be Orianna. As Singed notes, his monstrous experiments, Warwick included, have been tests to determine if there's a way to bring Orianna back to life. Considering he succeeded on the Warwick front, he's one step closer to achieving his goal of overcoming death.

Fun fact: Orianna, who's also known as The Lady of Clockwork in LoL, is one of the game franchise's many champions/playable characters. Her appearance in 'Blisters and Bedrock', then, serves as an origin story of sorts for this mechanical humanoid and, whisper it quietly, may set up a future LoL movie or TV adaptation starring Orianna.

For more on many of the aforementioned LoL lore revisions, see what Linke and Yee had to say when I asked if Arcane's rewriting of League's mythos was breaking the game franchise's established canon.

Arcane season 2 act 2 ending explained: where are Ekko and Heimerdinger?

We still don't know. They were trapped inside the Anomaly alongside Jayce, but they didn't return to the material realm (i.e. the physical world) with their mentally unstable scientific fellow.

As Linke and Yee confirmed, we'll find out what happened to Jayce in act 3 – here's hoping we get more details in episode 7 – so I fully expect us to learn more about Ekko and Heimerdinger's whereabouts then. We know they'll return at some point, as there are scenes involving the duo in season 2's main trailers that weren't part of episodes 1 through 6.

It's incredibly likely that one or both of them will return with superhuman powers as well. LoL diehards already know Ekko has the ability to not only rewind time but also explore the branching possibilities of reality to create the perfect outcome. This time-reversal ability was teased by the stopwatch he used in season 1, so I'd be amazed if he doesn't acquire said power due to his experiences with the Anomaly.

What's unclear is if he'll need his Zero Drive, the gadget he created in LoL lore, to stabilize his powers. Regardless, expect Ekko and Heimerdinger to play vital roles in season 2's final act. Speaking of which...

Arcane season 2 act 2 ending explained: when is episode 7 being released on Netflix?

Season 2 episode 7 will be released on Netflix, aka one of the world's best streaming services, on Saturday, November 23.

It won't be the only episode that launches on that date. As with the previous two Saturdays, three new episodes, making up season 2's third and final act, will arrive on the same day. With Arcane season 2 set to be the animated show's final installment – there were rumors that a five-season plan was originally devised, but Linke and Yee told me that was "never the plan" for Arcane – there won't be any more episodes to enjoy after they've aired. Sad faces all around.

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Full spoilers follow for Arcane season 2 act 1.

Are you desperate to fill the week-long gap between the multi-episodic releases of Arcane season 2? I can't imagine you've answered anything but an emphatic "yes" to that question.

Well, as the excruciating wait for the next batch of episodes to drop on Netflix goes on, the streaming titan has delivered some new Arcane content for you to consume. An official aftershow, titled Afterglow, has just debuted on YouTube – indeed, episode 1 is available to stream today (November 12) on YouTube and it provides a peak behind the curtain on some of this season's most important and emotionally stunning moments, as well as season 2 act 1's explosive ending.

Clocking in at just over 12 minutes, the behind-the-scenes look at one of the best Netflix shows' second season is hosted by Hailee Steinfeld and Ella Purnell, who Arcane fans will recognize as sisters Vi and Jinx, aka the series' deuteragonists. For anyone unfamiliar with the actors or the characters they play – why would you be reading this if you weren't? – you can learn more in my Arcane season 2 cast and character guide.

But I digress. Episode 1 sees the stars joined by co-creator Christian Linke in a real-world recreation of The Last Drop, the famous drinking establishment that sits in the center of the undercity known of Zaun. As part of Afterglow's premiere, the trio run through some of episode 1 through 3's biggest moments, including discussions surrounding Jinx and Sevika's burgeoning friendship, the breakdown of Jayce and Viktor's partnership, Ambessa's motivations, and that huge season 2 scene involving Caitlyn and Vi – a scenario Link exclusively told TechRadar that the creative team "couldn't have done" in season 1.

"The fans have been waiting for this," Steinfeld said of Caitlyn and Vi's long overdue kiss. "More importantly, [we knew] that Vi and Caitlyn were going to get this moment. We know that they see and understand each other, and they want that intimacy. But, it's very difficult for them to have, given the circumstances they're in.

"The dialog before that [kiss] says it all," Steinfeld continued. "Vi's in a place where she's lost everything she's ever been seen by, or been close to. The only way she has any of it left is through Caitlyn, and she's now asking a lot of her [Caitlyn] and to not change, given what she [Caitlyn] is now going through. I think it unlocks this newfound vulnerability [in Vi]... there's such a pay off of 'we are in that moment'. It's not just another kiss. It's a really beautiful scene that means a lot."

"So many people around her have changed," Linke added. "She's also seen Caitlyn, like, suddenly become this dogged leader, so I think Vi is really scared to commit because she's lost people so often. Is Caitlyn going to be another one for her [to lose]? So, it's a really fragile moment for Vi, because she's such a powerhouse."

Alongside other intriguing conversational points, Afterglow episode 1 also gives fans a glimpse at what's to come in season 2's next three episodes. Having seen episodes 4 through 6 – read my Arcane season 2 review for more teases about what's on the way – let me say that nobody is prepared for how epic and emotionally devastating season 2 act 2 will be. Make sure you have a box of tissues handy, everyone, because they made me cry more than once (yeah, I'm not afraid to admit it!).

With two more parts comprising three entries apiece, there'll be more Afterglow episodes coming soon, too. Another behind-the-scenes look at the League of Legends TV adaptation will be released on Tuesday, November 19, and it'll cover chapters 4 to 6. Afterglow episode 3 will debut a week later on November 26, with that installment examining what happens in the series' final three episodes.

In the meantime, read more of my coverage on Arcane season 2 below – and check back in with TechRadar this weekend (November 16 and 17) for even more from my exclusive chat with Linke and co-showrunner Alex Yee.

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Full spoilers immediately follow for Arcane season 2 episode 3.

The creators of Arcane have opened up on why season 2's third episode was the perfect place to finally give fans a big moment they've waited years for: an official Caitlyn and Vi kiss.

In an exclusive chat with TechRadar, which took place before Arcane season 2 premiered on Netflix yesterday (November 9), Alex Yee and Christian Linke explained the reasons behind holding back that crowd-pleasing moment until season 2 act 1's final chapter.

The pair's smooch has, as I mentioned, been a long time coming. Ever since Caitlyn and Vi – or, as Arcane's fandom affectionately dubbed them, 'CaitVi' – met in season 1 episode 4, viewers have been convinced they have feelings for each other. There was plenty of evidence to suggest this throughout one of the best Netflix shows' first season, too, especially as the Piltovan enforcer and Zaunite brawler grew closer with each installment.

Unfortunately, due to more explosive story beats, 'CaitVi' fans were left hanging about the pair's 'will they, won't they' dynamic. Indeed, with no resolution forthcoming by the end of season 1, and its sequel season taking three years to land on the world's best streaming service, audiences have endured a long wait for this moment.

At long last, though, it's happened. This season's third episode, titled 'Finally Got The Name Right', sees the pair let their guard down and confirm their attraction to one another. And that long-awaited kiss will be celebrated by Arcane's global fanbase. Even so, why did Yee and Linke wait until this chapter to give the people what they want? Expectedly, it all boils down to the story that the pair and Arcane's wider writing team wanted to tell.

"They've both just lost something at the start of season 2," Linke said, alluding to the fact that Caitlyn's mom was one of the councilors revealed to have perished in Arcane season 2's premiere and that Vi's estranged sister Jinx was the culprit. "I think they're both very afraid of change, too, and they have that moment in episode 3 where they're still holding onto those things that have slipped away from them because they're starting to tread down this dark path [of seeking revenge on Jinx].

"In the wake of what Caitlyn's lost, Vi can sense there's a fragile trust in this relationship they have, and there's this moment coming up where they'll both have to decide how they're going to be when they're staring down the barrel when they find and fight Jinx. It's a fragile moment, the calm before the storm, and they're both thinking 'this may be the last moment we're going to have together.'"

"In that moment, Vi is making a big commitment to Caitlyn by choosing her over Jinx," Yee added. "And I think that's ultimately why Caitlyn takes the lead [in instigating the kiss].

"It feels wrong not to give a shout-out to [lead writer] Amanda [Overton] at this point. The relationship between Caitlyn and Vi is something that fans have carried for a very long time, and we knew it was something we wanted to bring to fruition. Amanda really championed that cause and a lot of the specific mechanics of that dynamic she had a huge part in."

'It wouldn't have been possible from a technical standpoint'

The decision to delay Caitlyn and Vi's first kiss wasn't only determined by Arcane's storytellers, though. Linke also revealed that Fortiche Production, the animation studio that brought Riot Games and Netflix's first League of Legends (LoL) adaptation to life in such gorgeous detail, wasn't confident it had the talent or technology to do justice to such a beautifully delicate scene if it had been included last season.

"Interesting tidbit: I actually spoke to Bart [Barthelemy Maunoury], our animation director, about the kiss last week," Linke said. "He was asked the same question and he later told me if we'd written that last season, the animation team wouldn't have been able to do it well because they weren't technically capable yet.

"So, he thanked us for not doing that!" Linke jokingly added. "He said 'I don't think we would've done a good job. We couldn't have done it in season one', so it was interesting to hear that it wouldn't have been possible from a technical standpoint, even if we'd have wanted to do it."

I've got more to share from my exclusive chat with Yee and Linke, but you'll have to wait until season 2 act 2 arrives on November 16 to read more. In the meantime, check out more of my coverage of Arcane's second and final season below. Alternatively, read my Arcane season 2 review for more teases about its next three episodes, or my Arcane season 2 act 1 ending explained piece for answers to your biggest queries after the first three entries.

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Full spoilers follow for Arcane's season 1 finale and season 2 premiere.

Arcane's showrunners have revealed how they decided who died – and who didn't – as a result of Jinx's explosive attack on Piltover's council chamber.

Speaking exclusively to TechRadar ahead of Arcane season 2 making its Netflix debut yesterday (November 9), Christian Linke and Alex Yee discussed the process of determining which characters they were going to kill off.

In the season 1 finale, titled 'The Monster You Created', Jinx used her Hextech-powered Fishbones rocket launcher to fire a missile at Piltover's council chamber. At the time, the so-called City of Progress' leaders were meeting to validate Jayce's plan to give Zaun – Piltover's deprived cousin, which deuteragonists Jinx and Vi are citizens of – its independence. In practice, that would mean Zaunites wouldn't be governed by Piltover's council anymore.

Jinx's attack, though, ends any hopes of Zaun being an independent state. Even worse, the projectile that causes such devastation, as evidenced by season 2's opening scene, kills three Piltovan council members: Irius Bolbok, Torman Hoskel, and, most importantly, Cassandra Kiramman, Caitlyn's mom and Jayce's patron. Meanwhile, Jayce's scientific partner Viktor is severely wounded by the blast, while two other councillors – Shoola and Salo – are also injured, with Salo coming off worse out of the pair when falling masonry paralyzes him from the waist down.

With eight Piltovans, Jayce and his fellow councillor/love interest Mel included, present in the chamber during the attack, any of them could've died in the hit Netflix show's season 1 finale. Of course, thanks to some characters' established history in League of Legends, Riot Games' popular video game franchise that Arcane is based on, at the very least I expected Jayce and Viktor to survive. Indeed, I stated as much in my piece on eight huge questions that Arcane season 2 needs to answer before the animated series ends.

The aforementioned duo notwithstanding, though, how did Linke and Yee decide on who, out of the remaining six individuals, would die in one of the best Netflix shows' season 2 premiere?

"I think it was always planned that way [for that trio to die]," Linke said. "It [Jinx's attack] was supposed to bring out Mel's abilities [to shield those in close proximity to her], and it also forced Jayce's hand with what happens with Viktor and how Jayce uses the Hexcore to save his life."

"Hoskel and Bolbok, though..." Yee interjected, before he jokingly added: "There are some big fans on the team for those counselors!"

Speaking of things that were planned – or, in this case, weren't planned – Linke and Yee also told me that it was "never the plan" for Arcane to run for five seasons on the world's best streaming service. Even if it had, though, I'm convinced that there would be enough plot armor to protect Jayce and Viktor for many more episodes to come. Still, let's all pour one out for Cassandra. I guess we should do likewise for Hoskel and Bolbok, too, even though they continually riled up viewers with their decision-making in season 1.

Anyway, you can expect more exclusives from my chat with Linke and Yee in the days and weeks ahead. For now, read my Arcane season 2 review for more details about the next three episodes, plus my Arcane season 2 act 1 ending explained piece for answers to your biggest questions after its first three chapters.

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Full spoilers follow for Arcane season 2 act 1 and League of Legends' (LoL) extensive lore.

Arcane season 2 has finally debuted on Netflix – and its first three episodes have left us with more questions than answers.

Unfortunately, season 2's next three episodes, which make up act 2, are – at the time of writing – won't be released for another week. Arcane's creative team, then, is making us wait a bit longer to find out what happens next, which means the eight biggest questions I have about Arcane season 2 won't be answered yet.

That won't stop me from offering my thoughts and theories on what's going to happen. Below, I've tried to answer the biggest questions presented by season 2 act 1, as well as revealing when act 2 will be available. Major spoilers follow for season 2's first three entries so, if you haven't watched them yet, read my Arcane season 2 review first and then stream them before reading on.

Arcane season 2 act 1 ending explained: when can I watch episode 4 on Netflix?

Arcane season 2 episode 4 will launch on Netflix on Saturday, November 16.

It won't be the only new installment to air on that date, though. Episodes 5 and 6 will launch alongside it, so you'll have a new trio of chapters to consume soon.

Arcane season 2 act 1 ending explained: what happens to Vi, Jinx, and Caitlyn?

I think the question should be what doesn't happen, really.

After they finally track down Jinx in the depths of Zaun, Vi and Caitlyn think they've got the former's younger sister where they want her. However, the pair don't realize they've been lured into a trap. Indeed, after a tense back-and-forth between the estranged sisters, Caitlyn thinks she spots Jinx and, with Vi's "If you see an opening, take the shot" words still ringing in her ears, fires her Hextech rifle towards Jinx. Unfortunately for Caitlyn, she wasn't actually aiming at Jinx – it was her reflection in a circular mirror. Hey, I told you the duo affectionately dubbed 'CaitVi' by Arcane fans had walked into an ambush.

Anyway, tired of playing Jinx's game, Vi engages her sibling in what appears to be a fight to the death. Caitlyn, meanwhile, is blindsided by Sevika's unexpected appearance; Silco's former lieutenant now teaming up with Jinx to take on Vi and her Piltovan ally.

No fight in Arcane is straightforward, though. The duels become more complex due to Jayce-led events taking place elsewhere (more on these shortly) that curiously cause Vi, Caitlyn, and Jinx's Hextech-based weaponry to glitch out, malfunction, and – in the case of Jinx's Fishbones rocket launcher – explode.

In the resulting chaos, Caitlyn incapacitates Sevika and, eyeing another opening, fires at Jinx once more. This time, the Hextech-powered bullet shoots off the middle finger on Jinx's left hand and, as a shocked Jinx tries to come to terms with what just happened, Vi pins her down using her Hextech gauntlets and prepares to end her sister's life.

That would be the case, anyway, if a) Jinx's seemingly final words to Vi cause her older sister to freeze and b) Isha, the young girl Jinx is now protecting, bursts from the shadows, grabs Jinx's gun, dives on top of her hero, and holds Vi at gunpoint. Before Isha can pull the trigger, though, Caitlyn shoots the gun out of her hand. Despite Vi's pleas not to shoot a kid, Caitlyn fires two more times – the first bullet bouncing off Vi's gauntlets and the second being fired into the ground when Vi grabs Caitlyn's rifle to deflect it.

Sensing an opportunity, a recovered Sevika presses a secret button to detonate a bomb, which blows out the back wall and sends a powerful air blast careering through the expansive location they're in. The resulting gust blows 'CaitVi' away and causes numerous powder-colored, wind-powered blasts to erupt from Piltover's street vents – a warning to the City of Progress' leaders that Zaun isn't to be trifled with.

Jinx has escaped – again – and it's an understatement to say Caitlyn isn't happy. Still grief-stricken over her mom's death at Jinx's hands and angry at Vi's paralysis when it came to killing her sister, Caitlyn physically and verbally lashes out at Vi in a heart-breaking scene that parallels that Vi-Powder scene from season 1 episode 3. Caitlyn leaves to return to Piltover, leaving a distraught Vi alone in Zaun's underground network of tunnels.

Arcane season 2 act 1 ending explained: where do Jayce, Ekko, and Heimerdinger go?

The answer to this query is less clear. After chatting about wild runes (more on this in a bit), they travel to an underground Hexgate gemstone mesh failsafe to get to the *ahem* bottom of the problem that's affecting the tree at the heart of the Firelights' hideout.

Unfortunately, the group can't solve the conundrum. Just minutes after arriving at their destination, the Anomaly – a giant Hexcore-like object – appears before them. Jayce's curiosity gets the better of him and, as the Piltovan councilor-scientific genius touches the metallo-organic object, it appears to cause a rupture in the space between the material and spirit realms; two of many zones that exist in the LoL universe. It's Jayce's contact with the Anomaly that makes the weapons glitch out during Vi, Jinx, Caitlyn and Sevika's fight.

But I digress. A trippy, kaleidoscopic, Doctor Strange-esque scene plays out before a fearful and hasty Jayce tries to destroy the Anomaly with his Hextech hammer. As he strikes it, Jayce, Ekko, and Heimerdinger are abruptly whisked away to an unknown location.

So, where are they? Some fans may think they've traveled to another dimension. Others might theorize they've been sent to the shimmer-addict district of Zaun, which is where Viktor, Jayce's former scientific partner, is now operating. Unfortunately for you, due to spoilers in act 2, which I've already seen, I can't confirm where they've been transported to in one of the best Netflix shows. Don't worry, though, more, if not everything, will be revealed in episodes 5 and 6.

Arcane season 2 act 1 ending explained: what are wild runes?

There's more explaining for Arcane to do here. Essentially, though, wild runes are the naturally occurring runes Viktor hypothesized about when he and Jayce were conducting their Hextech research.

As Jayce tells Ekko in episode 3, titled 'Finally Got The Name Right', wild runes are "patterns that occur naturally where the border between Runeterra [the physical world that LoL is set in] and the Arcane is at its thinnest". They don't communicate in the traditional way other runes do, which gives them a natural or raw quality that's more impulsive or animalistic than Hextech runes. Wild runes, as Ekko suggests, are also akin to the Arcane's "fingerprints", which are left across Runeterran locations where the Arcane is more active.

I suspect we'll learn more about wild runes as season 2 progresses. For now, this is as good an explanation as we'll get.

Arcane season 2 act ending explained: what is Viktor's new mission?

To end Zaun's suffering and heal its populace. Doing so, however, means humanity has to evolve – and he's already shown how that'll happen by curing some shimmer addicts of their illness and disfigurements, which was teased in Arcane season 2's official trailer.

Indeed, armed with his new Hexcore-based powers – remember, the Hexcore fused with Viktor in season 2 episode 1, when Jayce used it to save his friend's life – Arcane's iteration of Viktor is fully embracing his 'glorious evolution' ability from LoL; one he believes will help humanity realize its full potential. An idealistic and altruistic plan, sure, but one that may place him in a secondary antagonist role from this point on.

Arcane season 2 act 1 ending explained: what is Ambessa's end goal?

Of all of season 2's individuals – read my Arcane season 2 cast guide for a rundown of its pre-release character list – Ambessa is arguably the most fascinating. How so? Because it's so difficult to pin down what she wants to achieve this season.

I have two theories about her objectives. The first is simple: bring Piltover under Noxus' rule. Ever since Ambessa unexpectedly showed up in the City of Progress in season 1 episode 7, she's been a prominent figure within the corridors of power. Her importance to Piltover's cause has only grown in the wake of Jinx's attack on the nation's council, while her manipulation of key Piltovans, including Salo and Caitlyn, suggests she's puppeting them to help her gain full control of Zaun's more prosperous cousin. The fact that the Noxian warlord can also acquire Hextech while adding Piltover to her expansionist home nation's empire is an added bonus.

My other theory is a bit more complicated. Based on what we've learned about Ambessa, her family, and her role in Noxian high society, it seems all isn't well for Ambessa back home. Indeed, her son is dead and the secret organization (more on them shortly) reportedly behind his demise has stripped Ambessa of what her daughter Mel's assistant Elora describes as "most of her holdings". Reading between the lines, that's got to be money and/or titles.

If Ambessa has effectively been kicked out of Noxus by the aforementioned enigmatic sect, she could be using Piltover – and Caitlyn, who Ambessa installs as Piltover's new commander-in-chief in episode 3's final scene – as a means to an end. That end being, acquiring Hextech and using Piltover's armed forces to stage a coup on Noxus' throne and eradicate those who've harmed her family and brought shame on her.

My guess? Elements of both theories are true, but the latter seems to have greater weight behind it, especially in light of the covert syndicate operating within Noxus and Piltover's shadows. Speaking of which...

Arcane season 2 act 1 ending explained: what are Amara and the Black Rose?

Where Amara is concerned, the short answer is she's a member of the Black Rose, aka the clandestine group that pulls Noxus' strings from the shadows.

According to LoL lore, the Black Rose is, without getting into the *ahem* weeds of Runeterra's history, an organization led by Noxian aristocracy who conceal their identities using masks. The group is so secretive that its members don't actually know who else is a part of it. Nevertheless, they covertly guide whoever sits on Noxus' throne – and seemingly have done so for hundreds, if not thousands, of years.

Of course, this begs the question: will the Black Rose be revealed as Arcane's Big Bad? I certainly think so. I wouldn't be surprised if Amara – who isn't dead (in my view, anyway) after her episode 3 run-in with Ambessa – is actually revealed as the series' primary antagonist, albeit someone who's disguised themselves as Amara. It's a magical theory that Arcane fans have had about the show's real villain since its official trailer dropped, and there's nothing to suggest they won't be proven right.

Arcane season 2 act 1 ending explained: what is the monster that Singed is creating?

That'll be Warwick. Another LoL champion, albeit a monstrous one, Warwick's backstory hasn't been fully explored in the lore of Riot's multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game franchise. Indeed, the only things we know about this creature are he haunts Zaun's grey alleys, is the product of agonizing, alchemical experiments, and preys on criminals to terrorize Zaunites.

As a LoL prequel, though, Arcane appears to answer some big questions about Warwick's origins or, at the very least, retcons aspects of his history. Season 1 episode 8 revealed Singed, the malicious chemist and creator of shimmer who worked for Silco, had commandeered Vander's shimmer-infused corpse – remember, Vi and Powder's surrogate dad died in last season's third episode – and started experimenting on it.

In January, Arcane season 2's very first clip teased Warwick would make his debut in the hit Netflix series. Five months later, a gorgeous new season 2 poster all but confirmed the fan-favorite character's arrival – and that Singed was using Vander's remains to create Warwick.

Thanks to season 2 act 1, we know this is 100% true. The final scene in this season's premiere showed Singed tracking down two wolves (I actually think it was a two-headed Murk Wolf; creatures that live on Runeterra's northern continent of Valoran and who've been magically altered by runic energy) in a snow-filled location and using his poison to kill them. Episode 2 revealed he was using their body parts, alongside his poison and Vander's corpse, to create Warwick. Lastly, episode 3 contains the aforementioned clip, which shows Singed transfusing his own blood into Warwick before Singed brings his latest creation to life.

The stage is set, then, for Singed to let Warwick loose on Zaun, and I fully expect him to cross paths with Vi and Jinx at some point. Could a potential heart-breaking reunion between the pair and 'Vander' be the reason why Jinx voice actor Ella Purnell "cried" while recording her lines for season 2's final episode? Don't bet against it.

Arcane season 2 act 1 ending explained: who is Janna?

One of the least important season 2 act 1 questions, but nonetheless a fascinating one to answer.

Another of LoL's many champions, Janna – whose original Shurima-derived name is Jan'ahrem – is a mysterious, wind elemental-wielding spirit. According to the lore within Riot Games' hugely popular videogame franchise, she protects dispossessed Zaunites and, as a beacon of hope for the undercity's population, various murals of Janna can be glimpsed throughout season 2 act 1. The most notable ones are seen in episode 2, titled 'Watch It All Burn', as Viktor walks Zaun's streets, and in 'Finally Got The Name Right' before that entry's primary action sequence.

Given the references to Janna in act 1, can we expect to see her before Arcane ends with its second and final season? I don't think so, but, hey, I've been wrong before!

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Spoilers follow for Arcane season 2's first six episodes.

I love Arcane. Just ask anyone who's listened to me wax lyrical – with increasing regularity, some might say – about the history-making Emmy award winner since it made its Netflix debut in November 2021.

With its predecessor ending on a stunning cliffhanger, the wait for Arcane season 2 has been excruciating. However, as the saying goes, "good things come to those who wait", so I've constantly reminded myself that the three-year gap between seasons would be worth it.

And it absolutely was. Having watched its first six episodes, I staunchly believe Arcane's second and final chapter is a monumental artistic and narrative achievement that, its final three installments notwithstanding, is a near-perfect duology capper to Netflix, Fortiche Production, and Riot Games' first League of Legends (LoL) animated adaptation.

The hunt begins

Season 2 begins mere moments after its forebear's dramatic finale. Jinx's (Ella Purnell) deadly attack on Piltover's council leaves three of its members dead, including Caitlyn's (Katie Leung) mom Cassandra, and many others, Viktor (Harry Lloyd) among them, severely wounded.

As the council's traumatized leader Jayce (Kevin Alejandro) attempts to save Viktor's life and his fellow councillor/love interest Mel (Toks Olagundoye) mobilizes the rest of Piltover's scarred ministers to plan their next move, a grief-stricken Caitlyn takes matters into her own hands. Establishing a five-member strike team that includes Jinx's estranged and guilt-riddled sister Vi (Hailee Steinfeld), Caitlyn leads her newly-formed squad into Zaun with three aims: capture Jinx, shut down production of the dangerous and addictive substance known as shimmer, and neutralize anyone still loyal to Zaun's recently deceased defacto leader Silco (Jason Spisak), such as Sevika (Amirah Vann).

Succeeding won't be easy. Silco's death has ignited a civil war among Zaun's chem-barons, with gang bosses like Smeech (Lenny Citrano) taking advantage of the current power vacuum to try to become the undercity's new crime kingpin.

Caitlyn's squad, then, may have a hard time tracking down Jinx at such a tempestuous time. Plus, with Zaunites learning of Jinx's successful strike on PIltover's powerbrokers, Vi's younger sibling suddenly finds herself installed as a revolutionary figure they can rally behind – a development that'll make Caitlyn and Vi's mission even harder to accomplish.

As a character-driven spectacle, Arcane's main strength lies in its approach to compelling us to emotionally invest in each individual's journey. It's not unlike HBO's Game of Thrones in that respect, with the evolution – and, in some instances, de-evolution – and decision-making of its morally complex cast provoking viewers to frequently switch allegiances between them. Indeed, the war that erupts between Piltover and Zaun will flip audiences' devotion to some characters on its head, with Zaun's major players adopting more heroic roles early in season 2 and Piltover-based individuals positioned as Arcane's new antagonists-in-chief.

What struck me most, though, is how the overarching plot undergoes its own structural evolution. Like season 1, episodes follow multiple storylines, with some converging to satisfyingly form conducive, singular narratives as season 2 progresses. However, each chapter's focus on specific characters – established members of its strong female contingent gifted even more agency than last season, or otherwise – lends them an unexpected yet gratifying individuality.

Take episode 1, titled 'Heavy Is The Crown', for instance, whose narrative is anchored by a heartbroken and vengeance-fuelled Caitlyn. Meanwhile, season 2's third episode, aka 'Finally Got The Name Right', sheds light on Ambessa's past, her reasons for traveling to Piltover, and the mysterious dangers that lurk in the shadows of her home nation Noxus. Then there's episode 4, named 'Paint The Town Blue', where Jinx learns of her symbolic position among Zaun's downtrodden populace that instigates her transition from villain to unlikely anti-hero. There's a natural, appropriate progression to most characters' season 1 arcs, too, with plenty of space devoted to exploring the vulnerabilities, desires, and newly-formed motivations that trigger Arcane's so-called heroes to explore their dark sides, and vice versa with their supposedly villainous counterparts.

Season 2's exploration of additional subgenres is a welcome bonus, too. Whether it's the gradual evolution of Mel's storyline that becomes a conspiracy thriller-cum-supernatural horror, the slasher-style introduction of a terrifying new LoL champion teased in Arcane season 2's first clip and a gorgeous season 2 poster, or the highbrow sci-fi aspects that punctuate Viktor's arc, season 2's genre expansion adds new storytelling dimensions and narrative weight that I didn't expect. If season 1 was a largely grounded story with fantasy and sci-fi elements weaved into it, its sequel is almost the complete opposite, especially once season 2 reaches its midway point.

Daring and in-demand dynamics

Arcane's final season is just as eager to introduce new character dynamics, too. Tense alliances Ambessa shares with Caitlyn and Singed, plus a three-pronged team-up between Jayce, Ekko, and Heimerdinger, make particularly engrossing viewing due to each character's wildly different backgrounds and upbringings. The inclusion of Isha (Lucy Lowe), a young girl Jinx saves from chem-baron Chross' goons, is equally fascinating, wit Isha's sibling-like idolization of Zaun's reluctant freedom fighter reminding me of Jinx's sisterly reverence of Vi in season 1's first act.

You shouldn't worry about previously established relationships being overshadowed by these new coalitions, either. For instance, there are plenty of captivating and heart-rending moments centered on 'CaitVi', the Arcane fandom's affectionate term for Caitlyn and Vi's 'will they, won't they' dynamic. Indeed, season 2 reunites them just 10 minutes into its premiere for a scene that offers the briefest insight into the compelling and explosive escalation of their romance-fuelled, melodramatic bond this season. I'd advise you to make a mental note for a specific 'CaitVi' moment in episode 3 that's not only been a long time coming but is also as crowd-pleasing and sensitively handled as you'd expect.

Vi and Jinx's seemingly irreparable bond gets a striking amount of airtime as well. Outside of what Arcane season 2's official trailer teased, I don't want to ruin what's in store for the deuteragonists' shared storyline. However, I will say it goes to some unexpected places and that viewers should anticipate numerous incendiary and tear-jerking scenes – some of which occur earlier than I'd foreseen – involving the iconic pair. I'm not afraid to admit that I cried, just like Arcane star Ella Purnell told me she did, during some emotionally charged scenes that herald the beginning of the end of Vi and Jinx's story.

Similarly fraught but respect-laced bonds are also examined to varying degrees, including Jayce and Viktor's increasingly unprincipled partnership, and Jinx and Sevika's burgeoning odd-couple dynamic that juxtapose 'CaitVi' in histrionic and amusing ways. Season 2 finds ample opportunities to devote more screen time to Arcane's supporting cast, too. Smeech, Piltover councillors Salo (Josh Keaton) and Shoola (Mara Junot), and another newcomer in Piltovan enforcer Maddie (Katy Townsend) feature enough to make me believe that their inclusion, and overall importance to the story, is worthwhile.

Lore lessons and animated enhancements

And what of Arcane's Art Nouveau-inspired painterly animation style? Already mesmerizing to look at, season 2's rich visuals are not only more cinematic in scope but creatively ambitious in design. Whether it's the somberness of the sketch-penciled backdrops that contrast the vivid colors of 'CaitVi' during Cassandra's funeral, episode 3's pop-art-influenced opening sequence, or visual flourishes like the vapor trails from Jinx's pistol spelling out 'Poow' in episode 2, Fortiche has dialed Arcane's visual fidelity all the way up to 11.

Fortiche's determination to refine every aspect of this show is further evidenced by its animated improvements. Season 1 was jaw-dropping, but its successor feels bolder and more innovative, especially from an action viewpoint. Duels and large-scale battles – of which there are many, for anyone who felt the first season was lacking in physical confrontations – are more violent, heart-pounding, and breathtaking than before. Anime-inspired graphics energize some fights, such as Sevika's season 2 showdown with Smeech, in laugh-out-loud ways, too – honestly, the Sevika and Smeech bout is easily in my top three fights in Arcane, it's that inventively fun.

Long-time LoL fans will be very satisfied with Arcane's attention to detail from a lore perspective as well. Season 1 wasn't lacking in references to Riot's hugely popular game series – neither is season 2, with episode 5's game of tellstones one of myriad nods to LoL – but its follow-up fleshes out this region of Runeterra in an engrossing manner. The expansion of LoL's mythology, particularly from Hextech, Hexcore, and Rune standpoints, is fulfilling for League devotees and casual viewers alike. Elsewhere, confirmation about a long-standing rumor concerning Singed, coupled with intriguing glimpses into Vander and Silco's collective past, may rewrite some key aspects of Runeterran history and League mythos, and go some way to answering eight big questions I had heading into Arcane's second season.

Infatuated as I am with Arcane, I have a couple of minor gripes with this masterpiece of an animated show's final hurra.

For one, its occasionally chaotic pacing leaves little room to deal with the fallout, or rekindling, of some relationships, nor does it find the time to fully examine the existential themes in its middle act. It's commendable that Arcane's creators want to maintain consistency across the show's episodic runtimes. The lack of self-indulgent plot exposition means viewers' intelligence is not insulted and episodes don't suddenly grind to a halt, too. Indeed, season 2's exposition dumps are kept to a minimum, with characters only filling in the narrative gaps where absolutely necessary. Still, periodically slowing things down a smidge, for non-plot expository reasons, wouldn't have been to season 2's detriment.

The abrupt discarding of some supporting characters is just as curious. Some viewers may not mind this, but I found it slightly galling that individuals like Sevika, Maddie, and another newcomer Loris (Earl Baylon), whose roles are seemingly pertinent to Arcane's overarching plot, are side-lined at a moment's notice. I hope it doesn't continue, or is even pleasingly resolved, in season 2's final three episodes.

My verdict

Arcane season 2 doesn't just cement the show's place as one of the best Netflix shows ever created, but also as one of the greatest animated TV series of all-time. That's a bold claim to make but, if its final three episodes are as extraordinary as the rest, I'll be fully justified in suggesting as much. If Arcane had run for the five seasons it was reportedly going to do – its creators told me this was "never the plan", for what it's worth – I'd have even more evidence to back that up.

Netflix, Riot, and Fortiche can feel similarly vindicated in their fastidious approach to season 2's development. It may have taken over three years to make Arcane's final season as good as it can be, but it absolutely shows. This is a once-in-a-generation TV series, created with real love and ambition, that tells an intelligent, meticulously crafted, and emotionally captivating story (one set to a banging original soundtrack that'll top my 2024 Spotify Wrapped list). I don't think I'll see a show as ground-breaking as Arcane, nor one I'll worship as much, for a long time. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to watch this two-season wonder, whose story is tailor-made to be streamed back-to-back, again.

Arcane season 2 act 1, comprising its first three episodes, is out now on Netflix. Act 2 and act 3 launch on November 16 and November 23 respectively.

• Arcane's creators have revealed the truth about the hit show's rumored five-season plan
• It was always going to end after two seasons, despite what a recent report claims
• The rumor was born out of a prank pulled on co-showrunner Christian Linke years ago

Arcane's creators have dismissed reports that the hugely successful show was originally going to run for five seasons.

Speaking exclusively to TechRadar before Arcane season 2 makes its Netflix debut on November 9, Christian Linke and Alex Yee said the situation had been blown out of proportion. Indeed, the pair admitted it was all just a simple misunderstanding, with its origins stemming from a prank that former Riot Games CEO Nicolo Laurent pulled on Linke years ago.

Linke and Yee's response comes hot on the heels of a Variety article published on November 6. Citing sources close to the Netflix series' production, the outlet suggested that Arcane was originally going to run for five seasons. Unsurprisingly, the story spread like wildfire across the internet, leading to fans – myself included – to ask why Riot and Netflix had decided to call time on Arcane after two seasons.

As it happens, Arcane season 2 was always going to be the hit animated show's final chapter – Linke telling me that a two-season arc was settled on "from the beginning". And, as Linke and Yee went on to explain, Vi and Jinx's story was always going to be concluded after two seasons.

"When we started building out the story after the pilot [that we showed internally at Riot], that's when we were like 'Okay, it's going to be two seasons,'" Linke revealed. "It was never the plan for it to last five seasons.

"But, what happened was – I think we had the pilot or a few episodes, but we still hadn't had the green light for a full season. At the time, Nicolo thought it would be really funny to pull me into a room and say 'Hey, I know you haven't had the green light yet, and I decided I'm not going to give it to you'. I sat there, looking pretty upset, before he added 'Because I'm giving you the go-ahead for five seasons!'. We both laughed but it was, you know –"

"It's almost the opposite of what people have interpreted it [the five-season rumor] to be," Yee interjected. "Making an animated series – it has such a long development pipeline that it was a lot for us to ask them [Riot's executive team] to trust us with one season. But we also said 'If you want there to be another season soon after that, we need to start working on it while we're finishing the first one'. So, that five-season joke was their way of saying 'Hey, we want to give you a lot of runway with this.'"

"Yeah, then we said 'okay, it's going to be two, and then we'll grow from there,'" Linke added.

That "we'll grow from there" quote still suggests that there may have been talk of another installment, though. So, were there any discussions about stretching out season 2's original plot across two more entries? After all, a similar approach is being taken by HBO regarding its TV adaptation of Naughty Dog's The Last of Us Part 2 video game, whose story will span The Last of Us season 2 and a sequel season.

"Honestly, the story that's concluding with this season is the one we plotted out from the get-go with the rest of the team," Yee confirmed. "I think we imagined ways that it could go beyond that, but one more season was the milestone we always wanted to hit."

"Long story short," Linke added, "five seasons was nothing but tomfoolery on our part."

I'll be bringing you more exclusive content from my chat with one of the best Netflix shows' showrunners in the days and weeks ahead, so check back in with me soon for further insights. In the meantime, read some of the other season 2-focused articles I've written before Arcane's return on the world's best streaming service below.

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Update: Speaking exclusively to TechRadar's senior entertainment reporter Tom Power, Arcane's creators have dismissed claims that a five-season story was ever discussed.

Original story follows.

Arcane season 2 will bring the curtain down on the hugely popular Netflix show very soon, but it sounds like that wasn't always going to be the case.

According to a new report from Variety, the critically-acclaimed and award-winning animated series was initially going to get more installments. Indeed, Variety's sources claim that Riot Games, who oversees development on Arcane alongside Netflix and animation studio Fortiche Production, had initially budgeted for a five-season run.

With Arcane season 2 set to be the hit show's final chapter, though, those plans – if Variety's report is to be believed – were significantly altered at some point during production. It's unclear if the plan for Riot, Netflix, and Fortiche's first League of Legends (LoL) adaptation was changed as development on season 1 reached its climax or while season 2 was being made.

Based on Variety's report, the decision to wrap up Arcane's story after two seasons appears to be money-related. Per the outlet's sources, one of the best Netflix shows of all-time is also the most expensive animated series ever made, with Riot supposedly pumping an eye-watering $250 million – approximately, anyway – into 18 episodes spread across two seasons. $80 million was reportedly spent on season 1, with another $100 million outlay for its sequel, which will exclusively air on Netflix beginning Saturday, November 9.

Variety's sources note that the costly endeavor was largely down to a "labor-intensive approach", script delays during season 2's development, and Riot's decision to fund a $60 million marketing campaign ahead of season 1's release in November 2021. That final sum is far greater than what Netflix is said to have spent on its own promotional campaign, although Netflix and Riot declined to comment on the specifics of their monetary outlays when approached by Variety.

Regardless, Netflix and Riot aren't losing sleep over how much they reportedly spent on the show. Arcane became Netflix's new TV darling upon season 1's launch three years ago, with the LoL-inspired series becoming the most-streamed show in 85 countries in its first week on the world's best streaming service and earning a rare but fully deserved 100% critical rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

With the TV project also winning four Emmys, including an historic Outstanding Animated Program gong, at the Television Academy's 2022 awards ceremony, there's little doubt that the pair feel vindicated over how much it cost to make. That much is clear in an answer that Marc Merrill provided to Variety, too, with the Riot co-founder saying: "We’re more than comfortable with the spend it took to deliver a show that was worthy of our players’ time."

As I mentioned earlier, season 2's long-overdue release is almost upon us and, if Arcane season 2's official trailer is anything to go by, it looks like it'll be as epic, heart-breaking, and action-packed as its predecessor. Before its first three episodes arrive on November 9, get the lowdown on every character in Arcane's second season, or read up on the eight big questions I need season 2 to answer before the show ends. Oh, and be sure to check back very soon for my full thoughts on season 2.

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Full spoilers follow for Arcane seasons 1 and 2.

Arcane season 2 is here. Three years after its forebear wowed audiences on Netflix, the first two acts of the award-winning animated series' second and final chapter have been released, so it's time to watch it.

Before you stream Arcane's second and final installment, I suspect you'll want a recap on one of the best Netflix shows' numerous cast members. To that end, I've compiled a complete list of every character who's appeared in season 2 so far, plus the actors who voice them and where you may have heard them before. I've listed those in the spoiler-filled sections in the order of their first appearances, too.

Full spoilers follow for Arcane, including season 2's first six episodes. So, if you want as little information as possible on who actually shows up, you should just read this piece's first section, which only includes the characters confirmed to return prior to season 2's initial release on November 9.

Arcane season 2 pre-release character roster

Hailee Steinfeld as Vi

One of Arcane's deuteragonists who's famous for wielding those giant Hextech gauntlets, Vi was one of three characters confirmed to return when the League of Legends (LoL) animated show was renewed for a second season in late 2021.

The older sister of Powder/Jinx, Vi is an "act first, think later" individual who usually lets her fists do the talking – a hot-headed approach that's landed her in hot water more than once in season 1. Based on Arcane season 2's first trailer, she'll join Caitlyn's (more on her later) brand-new elite Piltover Enforcers Squad, who'll supposedly be tasked with tracking down Jinx (again, more on her in a bit) after the latter's seemingly fatal Piltover council chamber attack. However, given the new footage on show in Arcane season 2's official trailer, and a Vi-starring clip revealed alongside season 2's release date in late September, Vi and Caitlyn's relationship will break down at some point next season.

As in season 1, Vi will be voiced by Hailee Steinfeld. An increasingly popular actor, Steinfeld has also voiced Gwen Stacey/Spider-Gwen in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. Readers may also know her from Dickinson on Apple TV Plus, Hawkeye on Disney Plus, and Transformers spin-off film Bumblebee.

Ella Purnell as Jinx

Arcane's other main character, Jinx is Vi's younger sibling who, due to numerous traumatic events she suffered as a child, is plagued by regular psychotic episodes. These cause Jinx to make impulsive, reckless, and at times fatal decisions, such as her inadvertent murdering of surrogate father Silco in season 1 episode 8.

Her attack on Piltover's council chamber in the final moments of last season's finale means she's the City of Progress' public enemy number one as we head into season 2. Based on a suspense-filled, Jinx-starring season 2 clip, Zaun's Chem Barons will be gunning for her too due to her affiliation to Silco, who the crime lords lost patience with before last season ended.

Jinx will be voiced once more by Ella Purnell, who's best known for playing Lucy MacLean in Amazon's TV adaptation of Bethesda's iconic video game franchise Fallout, aka one of the best Prime Video shows. She's also featured in Yellowjackets on Paramount Plus, and can currently be seen starring in dark comedy-thriller show Sweetpea on Sky and Now TV in the UK.

Katie Leung as Caitlyn

The third and final character confirmed to return as part of Arcane's season 2 renewal announcement in November 2021, Caitlyn will be on a revenge-fuelled mission to arrest Jinx if, as I've previously predicted, Caitlyn's mom Cassandra – one of Piltover's councillors – is confirmed to have perished in Jinx's council chamber attack.

Doing so will be a complicated endeavor, though – not least because Caitlyn's quest for vengeance will likely put her at odds with Vi. Fans have bought into their "will they, won't they" dynamic ever since they crossed paths in season 1 episode 4, and desperately want 'CaitVi' to get a happy ending before season 2's final credits roll. Indeed, it's one of eight big questions we all want before Arcane's second season ends. Whether they will, however, depends on how this season's story plays out.

Katie Leung, who some readers might also recognize as Cho Chang from the live-action Harry Potter movies, returns to portray Caitlyn. She's also set to play Lady Araminta Gun in Bridgerton season 4, which will surely catapult Leung into the limelight after years of underrated performances in other shows, such as The Wheel of Time and Nightsleeper.

Reed Shannon as Ekko

"Oh, look who it is. The Boy savior!", Jinx cried before her creatively epic duel with former best friend Ekko in season 1 episode 7. One of Arcane's most underappreciated characters didn't get too much screen time last time around but, given his prominence in season 2's various teasers and this Batman-inspired stealth mission clip, it seems Ekko is going to have a much bigger role to play in Arcane's sophomore outing.

Indeed, not only is his alliance with Heimerdinger going to bear fruit for the undercity of Zaun (I hope, anyway), but the creation of Ekko's Zero Drive – a time-warping device that'll surely be of huge importance in season 2, as it is for gamers who play as Ekko in LoL – will cement him as one of this season's indispensable individuals.

Like the trio before him, Reed Shannon re-entered the voice recording booth to play Ekko. A gifted performer whose equally adept as a comedian and musician, Shannon's other most notable acting role came in The Wilds, a Prime Video survival drama series that ran for two seasons before it was unceremoniously cancelled.

Mick Wingert as Heimerdinger

A renowned albeit eccentric inventor who helped Piltover to flourish, the Yordle known as Heimerdinger no longer resides in the City of Progress after he was voted off Piltover's council in season 1 episode 6. Instead, the long-lived individual finds himself working in conjunction with Ekko to improve the lives of Zaunites. Season 2's numerous teasers confirm that he'll be putting his centuries-old body on the line to do so, too, with one blink-and-you'll-miss-it moment in the official trailer showing Heimerdinger getting a bit too close for comfort with a highly volatile object.

Tenacious and talented voice actor Mick Wingert, whose extensive back catalog is filled with roles in various video games, Marvel projects, and other animated and live-action films and shows, returns to portray Heimerdinger.

Amirah Vann as Sevika

With her serving as Silco's second-in-command (I'm not counting Jinx) before his death, some viewers may have expected Sevika to be suffering from an identity crisis as season 2 begins. Indeed, Silco's demise means his criminal empire has lost its leader, so Zaun won't just have to deal with the full weight of Piltover's law enforcers crashing down on it, but also an internal turf war as various factions fight for control of the undercity.

However, despite her clear dislike for Jinx, it seems – based on the aforementioned Jinx-starring clip and season 2's trailers – that Sevika will help Silco's adoptive daughter to unite Zaun and lead a revolution against its elitist contemporary. Of course, the footage spliced together for these videos could be misdirects but, if not Jinx, who else would Sevika lend her services to?

Regardless, Amirah Vann is on hand again to lend her vocal talents to Silco's former lieutenant. Best known for her work in How to Get Away With Murder on US cable network ABC, Vann has also starred in Apple's The Changeling series, The Fugitive on defunct streaming platform Quibi, and one of 2024's new Netflix movies in Shirley.

Ellen Thomas as Ambessa

A Noxian warlord who has eyes on acquiring Hextech for her brutal, expanionist empire nation, Ambessa – like Ekko – is being primed for a much more expansive role in Arcane season 2.

With her daughter and Piltover counciller Mel caught in the crossfire of Jinx's council chamber attack, the war-hungry Ambessa will likely join Caitlyn in leading the charge to locate Jinx. Of course, due to her country's imperialistic ambitions, she'll be looking to bring Piltover under Noxus' blood-red banner, too, which is evident in the footage we've seen prior in next season's arrival. That said, as is the case with Jinx, I don't think she'll be the arch-villain of the piece – and Arcane fans already have a magical theory about who the critically acclaimed show's Big Bad will be.

Ellen Thomas, who voiced LoL's newest champion in season 1's final two episodes, is back as Ambessa in the sequel season. UK viewers might recognize her from British soaps including EastEnders, but Thomas has played roles in a variety of other big-name shows, including Doctor Who.

Brett Tucker as Singed

The antagonistic but incredibly intelligent chemist who created Shimmer, the addictive substance that flooded Zaun's streets under Silco's leadership, Singed's impact on this corner of Runeterra – the world LoL and Arcane are set in – cannot be understated.

Outside of him creating a new, terrifying threat that Zaun and Piltover will have to deal with – a gorgeous Arcane season 2 poster hints that a heroic, fan-favorite character will return as Singed's latest monstrous creation – it's unclear what role Singed will play this time. It'll be interesting to see if we learn more about his back story, too, in light of the revelation that he had a daughter who died before the events of Arcane. Just as he did last season, Brett Tucker (Station 19, Neighbours) will voice Singed.

Lenny Citrano as Smeech

The only confirmed 'newcomer' – he made a very brief, non-speaking role in season 1 episode 8, hence the quotation marks – to this season's cast so far, Smeech is a Yordle Chem Baron who leads the criminal gang known as the Scrap Hackers.

As with Singed, I don't know how integral he'll be to this season's plot. We know he'll find Jinx before the rest of Piltover and Zaun does, though, as he and his goons are seen doing so in the previously mentioned Jinx-starring season 2 clip. Nonetheless, according to Netflix's press image database, Lenny Citrano (Dutch, iCarly) will play Smeech throughout the show's final installment.

Arcane season 2 act 1 cast spoilers

Kevin Alejandro as Jayce

One of Piltover’s eight leaders who was present in Piltover’s council chamber during Jinx’s rocket-fuelled attack. Jayce Talis – Hextech’s co-creator – is confirmed to have survived said missile strike, so he isn’t one of three councillors who died in Arcane season 2’s premiere.

Kevin Alejandro, who’s also known for his work on True Blood, Lucifer, and Fire Country, returns to voice Jayce in season 2.

Toks Olagundoye as Mel

Another member of Piltover’s council who survived alongside her love interest Jayce, Mel Medrada is left to pick up the pieces after Jinx’s attack as her fellow councillors, Jayce notwithstanding, are buried and/or recover from the injuries they sustained in Jinx’s attack. It isn’t long, though, before Mel’s season 2 journey pivots to something entirely different.

As in season 1, Mel is portrayed by Toks Olagundoye, who’ll be a familiar face and/or voice to fans of Star Trek animated show Lower Decks, Frasier’s reboot, Castle, and The Neighbors.

Harry Lloyd as Viktor

Jayce’s scientific partner who was severely injured in Jinx’s attack, Viktor undergoes a physical, mental, and emotional transformation in season 2 – one which not only puts him on a collision course with Jayce, but also grants him the superhuman abilities to finally realize his benevolent dream of aiding Zaun’s oppressed population.

Harry Lloyd, who also starred in Game of Thrones, 2007’s Robin Hood TV show, and Counterpart among others, plays Viktor in Arcane’s final season after doing so in its forebear.

Josh Keaton as Salo

Another of Piltover’s councillors who survived Jinx’s attack, but one who was left paralyzed from the waist down after a large piece of masonry crushed his legs in said strike. Nevertheless, he has a more active role this season than the last, with Salo being used by Ambessa throughout Arcane season 2 act 1.

Best known for voicing Peter Parker/Spider-Man in 2007-08’s The Spectacular Spider-Man animated series, Keaton voices Salo once more in season 2. Viewers may also recognize Keaton from other voice acting work in Invincible on Prime Video, Marvel animated shows What If…? And X-Men 97, and the acclaimed animated movie Suzume.

Mara Junot as Shoola

The final Piltovan council member to survive Jinx’s rocket strike, Shoola only has a bit-part role to play in Arcane season 2. Indeed, she appears in a few scenes in this season’s premiere but, up to episode 6, hasn’t been seen since.

With over 130 voice acting credits to her name, Junot’s dulcet tones have been heard in numerous film, TV, and video game projects since 1999. Outside of Arcane, Junot is most famous for playing characters in Netflix’s Kong: Skull Island series, as well as other productions like The Boss Baby: Back in the Crib, My Dad The Bounty Hunter, and Pokemon: Horizons.

Remy Hii as Tobias Kiramman

Caitlyn’s dad and Cassandra’s widow, Tobias has the one scene (so far, anyway) in season 2 – that being the one where he gives the Kiramman key to his daughter and then angrily asks why Vi is still hanging around.

If Tobias’ voice sounds familiar, it’s because he’s voiced by Hii, who also played Piltover’s former (and corrupt) police captain Marcus in season 1. Previously, Hii was seen in movies like MCU flick Spider-Man: Far From Home and shows including Marco Polo.

Earl Baylon as Loris

One of many new characters introduced in season 2, Loris is the homeless man who befriends Vi in season 2 episode 1. Despite season 2’s official trailer and various teasers suggesting he’d have a bigger role to play, Loris isn’t as involved in the plot as many expected, though he is part of Caitlyn’s hastily assembled strike team who infiltrates Zaun to search for and reprimand Jinx.

Regardless, Baylon’s deep voice will be instantly recognizable to anyone who’s watched Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft, Vinland Saga, The Protector, and The Stranded among others.

Katy Townsend as Maddie

More renowned for her voice acting work in multiple video games, including Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II, Townsend lends her distinct Scottish accent to Maddie Nolan, one of Piltover’s enforcers who has soft spots for Vi and Caitlyn.

Like Loris, Maddie is hired as part of Caitlyn’s strike team. This happens after she, Loris, and fellow enforcer Steb (who’s mute, hence this character not having a voice actor) help to defend Piltover’s councillors and invited guests during Renni’s surprise attack during the memorial service to remember the three council members who died in the season 2 premiere.

Stewart Scudamore as Rictus

Ambessa’s right-hand man who never uttered a word in season 1, Rictus is given a bigger role in Arcane’s sequel season. Indeed, the important story-based role placed on Ambessa’s lieutenant and protector-in-chief (as if she needs it!) means he actually speaks this time around. Well, until episode 6, but that’s a discussion saved for my Arcane season 2 act 2 ending explained article.

But I digress. Rictus is voiced by Scudamore, whose previous credits include Carnival Row and My Lady Jane on Prime Video, plus Catherine the Great on Hulu.

Abigail Marlowe as Renni

The most noteworthy chem-baron outside of Finn (RIP) and Smeech (also RIP), Renni had small but significant roles in both seasons of Arcane. In its first season, she supported Finn’s cause before he was bumped off, and then lost her son after Jayce accidentally killed him in season 1 episode 8. In the season 2 premiere, Renni leads the attack on the Piltover memorial service; the triple-headed chainsaw wielding baroness injuring Jayce before she’s slain by Ambessa (NB: it was Ambessa who pulled the strings of said attack).

Another voice actor known for her videogame acting work, Marlowe has also been seen and heard in kids TV show Sisters, Prime Video’s As We See It, and Community.

Jason Spisak as Silco

A surprise inclusion in season 2 – you know, given his death in season 1’s final episode – Spisak is back to play Silco in Arcane’s final season. I know this is the spoiler-filled section of this guide so, technically, nothing is off-limits, but I’ll let you find out where and why everyone’s favorite Big Bad turns up for yourself.

Another popular voice actor, Spisak can be heard in other acclaimed shows like Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Blade Runner: Black Lotus, plus animated films including Watchmen Chapter 1 and Watchmen Chapter 2.

Kimberly Brooks as Margot

Another of Zaun’s chem-barons, Margot battles Smeech and Chross for control of the undercity’s streets following Silco’s death.

A voice acting workhorse, not to mention a talented one, Brooks can be heard in a whole host of projects including numerous South Park specials, He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, Dragon Age: Absolution, and Batman: Caped Crusader.

Lex Lang as Chross

The fifth and final chem-baron, Chross fights his fellow crime bosses for control of The Lanes early in season 2. It’s also his goons who are killed by Jinx when she rescues Isha.

Another prolific voice actor, Lang has featured in a seemingly infinite number of anime and anime-inspired programs and films. Indeed, his lengthy CV includes roles in Curious George, Naruto, Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War, and Jujutsu Kaisen.

Lucy Lowe as Isha

A key component of season 2’s plot – I can see the argument for her being a mere plot device, though – Isha is a girl who Jinx rescues from some of chem-baron Chross’ goons in episode 2.

The youngest member of Arcane’s voice cast, Lowe did a stellar job of playing Jinx’s mute friend/surrogate sister Isha through what’s effectively a series of sighs, grunts, and shocked noises (NB: that’s not me belittling her performance, by the way – as I said, Lowe imbues Isha with vocal nuances that accentuate the character’s physicality, albeit one in animated form). Before Arcane, Lowe’s biggest voice acting role was in Netflix kids show Not Quite Narwhal, but she’s also had small roles in What If…?, Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures, and American Dad!.

Erica Lindbeck as Elora

Mel’s assistant who helps her Medarda heiress to unearth dirt and other secrets in Mel’s fellow councillors in season 1, Elora aids her employee with trying to get to the bottom of Mel’s mom’s overarching plan in season 2. Unfortunately, the pair dig too deep into Ambessa’s affairs, which leads the Black Rose to them. Long story short: RIP Elora.

With roles in Pacific Rim: The Black, Thundercats Roar, and The Seven Deadly Sins among others, Lindbeck is another proficient voice actor.

Robbie Daymond as Scar

Ekko’s Firelights lieutenant, the Chirean known as Scar is left in charge of the rebellious street gang when Ekko goes missing in season 2 episode 3. He’s among the Zaunites who attend Sevika’s rally in episode 4, too.

Best known for voicing various characters in the Critical Role TV series, Daymond has also featured in numerous other projects, such as Tale of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Jujutsu Kaisen, and Adventure Time: Fionna and Cake.

Bill Lobley as Huck

A timid man who succumbs to a shimmer addiction in season 1, Huck returns in its sequel season’s second episode; the spectacled individual being one of five addicts who attempts to rob Viktor of his staff. Instead, the latter heals Huck of his shimmer-based afflictions, with Huck becoming Viktor’s first disciple.

With voice roles in some of the biggest videogame franchises of all-time, including Fallout, Grand Theft Auto, Bioshock, and Red Dead Redemption, Lobley’s line delivery and inflections will be well known to some viewers.

Salli Saffioti as Amara

Thought to be a corrupt merchant operating out of Piltover, Amara was revealed to be an assassin for the clandestine, ancient magic-based organization known as Black Rose in season 2 episode 3. Indeed, she shows her true colors during a seemingly innocent but tense chat with Ambessa.

As she did in season 1, Saffioti portrays Amara in its follow-up. The US actor has been seen and/or heard in plenty of projects, including ‘90s hit medical drama ER, Monster High, and Enchantimals.

Eve Lindley as Lest

The first Vastaya – the term given to the collective group of Runeterra’s dimorphic races – to appear in Netflix, Riot Games, and Fortiche’s animated take on LoL, Lest is a cat-like humanoid who administers shimmer-based drug therapy to Salo and acts as a spy for Mel.

Known for her roles in Mr. Robot, Outsiders, and After Yang, Lindley voices one of season 2’s many minor characters.

Arcane season 2 act 2 cast spoilers

JB Blanc as Vander/Warwick

Few people expected Blanc to reprise his role as Vander, aka the ‘Hound of the Underground, following Vander’s demise in season 1’s third chapter. Many of us expected Vander would be back, albeit as the monstrous LoL champion known as Warwick (something that rewrites the “truth” of LoL’s established lore), though, with a gorgeous poster for season 2 and Arcane 2’s first clip all but confirming Warwick’s debut. That said, nobody thought Vander/Warwick would speak this season, nor did we think we’d be treated to any flashback sequences involving Vander, which made Blanc’s return all the more crowd-pleasing.

Anyway, Blanc has previously been heard voicing characters in Kung-Fu Panda: The Paws of Destiny, DreamWorks Dragons, and Naruto among numerous others.

Keston John as Kino Medarda

Mel’s brother who was believed to have died at the Black Rose’s hands in the years before Arcane’s overarching story began, Mel is seemingly reunited with Kino in season 2 episode 5. All, though, isn’t what it seems…

With roles in The Good Place, Avatar: The Way of Water, and Dragons: The Nine Realms, John won’t be an unfamiliar face to some viewers.

Jeannie Tirado as Felicia

First introduced in an episode 5 flashback sequence, Felicia is revealed to not only be Vi and Powder/Jinx’s mom, but also a very close friend of Vander and Silco’s when the latter duo were still on good terms. After falling pregnant with Vi, she becomes a key driver in pushing the pair to pursue their dream of earning Zaun its independence from Piltover.

Harley Quinn viewers will instantly recognize Tirado’s voice, while other audience members may know her from anime movies like Tekken: Bloodline, Ace Attorney, and The Elusive Samurai.

Minnie Driver as unnamed illusionary sorceress

The only unidentifiable character to ‘appear’ in Arcane so far, the individual simply known as ‘Illusionary Sorceress’ has to be Arcane’s primary villain, right? Maybe, but Arcane’s creators wouldn’t confirm this when I asked them if this character would be revealed as the hit show’s main antagonist in Act 3.

Regardless, Driver is a name that lots of viewers will know. From Good Will Hunting and The Witcher: Blood Origin, to Speechless and The Beekeeper, the multi-award-winning actress is sure to have recorded more lines for Arcane’s final few episodes.

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• Arcane season 2's final trailer teases shimmer-powered Noxians, the return of two dead characters, Jinx's redemption arc, and a Piltover-based battle for the ages
• As Arcane season 2 sends Jayce down a very dark path, its showrunners tease 'all will be revealed' about the Hextech co-creator's sudden heel turn
• Arcane season 2 act 2 ending explained: who died, what's wrong with Jayce, when can I watch episode 7, and more of your biggest questions answered

Full spoilers follow for Arcane season 1 and League of Legends' extensive lore.

It's been an excruciatingly long wait for Arcane season 2. Now, almost three years after its forebear was released, the critically acclaimed animated series' second and final chapter will make its official Netflix debut on November 9.

As a massive Arcane fan, I'm equally delighted and relieved about its imminent return, but also melancholy that the end of one of my all-time favorite Netflix shows is in sight. It's going to be a bittersweet moment when that final end credits sequence rolls.

Before that happens, Netflix and Fortiche Production's take on Riot Games' incredibly popular League of Legends (LoL) videogame franchise has plenty of questions to answer. To that end, I've handpicked eight of the biggest Arcane needs to tackle before the final curtain falls on the world's best streaming service. I've included my own theories on how these may be answered, too, so be advised: while I have no insider knowledge about Arcane's next chapter, potential season 2 spoilers follow.

1. Who was killed in Jinx's attack on Piltover's council chamber?

One of the most agonizing things about the wait for Arcane season 2 has been its predecessor's cliffhanger. In the final minutes of season 1's finale, Jinx fires a missile from a Fishbones rocket launcher, powered by a Hextech gemstone (remember, she stole one in season 1 episode 4), at Piltover's council chamber.

At the time, the City of Progress' councilors were meeting to vote on whether to officially recognize Piltover's undercity, aka Zaun, as an independent state. Council members Mel, Cassandra, Bolbok, Hoskel, Salo, Shoola, and Jayce – plus Jayce's scientific partner Viktor – were present when the rocket approached. Just as the missile crashed through one of the chamber's windows, the screen cut to black, so we don't know who did and didn't survive.

In my view, Jayce and Viktor definitely survived. The pair are conspicuous by their absence in Arcane season 2's official trailer and other teasers, but they're too integral to Arcane's overall story to be killed off.

I also suspect either Mel or Cassandra will live to fight another day – if I had to choose, I'd bank on Mel surviving over Cassandra. Before Jinx's rocket makes its presence felt, Mel seems to supernaturally recognize that everyone's in danger before the golden back of her dress lights up. To me, this implies she's got a secret shielding ability that'll protect her and anyone in her vicinity, which just so happens to be Jayce and Viktor. Additionally, a frame glimpsed in episode 3 of Bridging the Rift, a behind-the-scenes YouTube video series detailing Arcane's development, shows Cassandra's daughter Caitlyn and her father looking crestfallen. It isn't a still image from season 1, so it's my suspicion – I haven't watched Arcane season 2's leaked episodes, so I don't know for sure – that this is a scene taking place after Cassandra's funeral.

2. What is the titular 'Arcane'?

There were multiple, albeit vague, references to the titular magic-based occurrence in Arcane's first season, most notably during the Jayce-centric storylines in episodes 2 and 5. This season's teasers have alluded to it, too, with the most obvious namedrop coming in the official trailer when an unrecognizable voice says "the Arcane is waking up".

So, what is the "Arcane"? The word, as we know it, is defined as being something 'understood by few; mysterious; secret', which is a perfect description for... well, whatever the titular thing is. It's got something to do with the magic that exists in Runeterra – i.e. the world that LoL is set in – but we can't infer much else. My guess? It'll not only tie into the incredibly powerful World Runes (more on these later) that shaped Runeterra, but also Jayce and Viktor's research into Hextech, Hexcore, and any other experiments where science and magic are being fused (dangerously, in the eyes of some). As a by-product of their work and LoL's wider lore, it'll likely concern the subliminal boundaries that exist between the material and spirit realms that exist in Riot's fictional universe, too

3. Will Vi and Caitlyn finally get together?

Arcane season 1 did a terrific job of portraying LGBTQ relationships. Its sensitive and authentic handling of such dynamics was hailed, in some circles, for setting a gold standard for LGBTQ-plus presentation in visual media. Tokenistic, Arcane's exploration of sexual identity certainly isn't, and that's primarily down to the tactful way it examined Vi and Caitlyn's ever-evolving romance-laced relationship in episodes 4 through 9.

Based on Arcane season 2's first teaser, plus the new footage in its official trailer, it seems the pair's constantly shifting bond will be tested more heavily this time around. By the time the show ends, fans will be desperate to know if this "oil and water" (as Vi puts it) dynamic will not only survive season 2's events but thrive. It may not be in keeping with Arcane's largely grim tone, but I'd love to see Vi and Caitlyn earn their happy ending, regardless of what happens.

4. Who is the mage that saved Jayce and his mom?

Of all of my questions, this is arguably the least important because, well, answers to the other seven take priority for me. That said, the mystery surrounding this enigmatic magic-wielding individual is intriguing. For one, we've only seen them once before, i.e. during an episode 2 flashback sequence when they saved the lives of Jayce and his mom.

That isn't the last we'll see of this mysterious mage, though. They make a very brief appearance in season 2's official trailer that mirrors a moment from season 1 episode 2. However, while that sequence showed the individual holding Runeterra in the palm of their hand, the clip in this season's second trailer shows them holding a web-like metal-organic orb – one that's identical to the spherical object in question 2's main image, which can be seen in the same teaser.

Clearly, there's more than meets the eye with this sorcerer, so it would be fascinating if season 2 tells us who they are. There are a whole host of mages among LoL's champion roster, so could one of these be used retroactively in Arcane as the wizard who saved Jayce and set him on his path to creating Hextech? It would be an incredibly fun way of bringing another LoL champion into the fold and, potentially, setting them up as the protagonist of a future LoL animated project (more on this in a bit).

5. Who is Arcane's primary villain?

To casual observers, the answer to this is a simple one: Jinx. After all, she attacked Piltover's council in season 1 episode 8. Season 2's trailers and this suspense-filled, Jinx-starring clip also confirm she's going to be public enemy number one heading into the series' final eight episodes. But, I don't think Arcane's deuteragonist – this show is mainly about Vi and Jinx, you know – is going to be one of the best Netflix shows' Big Bad.

If not her, then, who? There are other candidates more suited to being Arcane's chief antagonist. Viktor, who was walking a dark path by season 1's end with his Hexcore studies, may enact his 'glorious revolution' plan from LoL, which could result in Piltover and Zaun allying themselves in a bid to thwart his plans.

Alternatively, Noxus warlord Ambessa might be Arcane's villain-in-chief. The empire she hails from is a brutal and expansionist one that invades other nations. With Hextech being viewed as the biggest scientific leap in generations, why wouldn't Noxus want it for nefarious means? Let's not forget that Ambessa and her Noxian troops are seen fighting Piltover's enforcers in season 2's main trailers, too. If they weren't looking to acquire Hextech and/or bring Piltover under its blood-red banner, why would they attack the city Ambessa claims Noxus is protecting?

If not Jinx, Viktor, or Ambessa, the show's main villain could be someone we've not seen yet. Arcane fans have a magical theory about who its real villain is after season 2's second trailer arrived, and I can't help but think they're right on the money. Feel free to read that linked-to article if you want to ruin the potential surprise for yourself ahead of time.

6. Is Jinx going to survive the events of Arcane?

We don't know, but I'd be stunned if Jinx is killed off in Arcane season 2. She's one of the LoL's most popular champions, so unless Netflix, Riot, and Fortiche want to completely pull the rug out from under us and shockingly bump her off, I believe she'll make it to the end of the series relatively unscathed.

And, let's be honest: if – and it's a big if – Zaun gains its independence by the time Arcane ends, it'll need someone to defend it from outside forces. Who better to do that than Jinx, especially if her season 2 arc is positioned as a redemption story?

7. Who else could die in Arcane season 2?

Based on my limited LoL knowledge (I know some things, but I'm not a superfan), it's safe to assume that characters in Arcane who are also champions in Riot's video game series won't die. If I'm right in my assumption, Vi, Jinx, Caitlyn, Jayce, Viktor, Ekko, Heimerdinger, and Singed will survive. Ambessa, who was recently installed as LoL's newest champion, is also likely to make it out alive.

Of course, this is all guesswork. Arcane has deviated from LoL's source material – a case in point being that Vi and Jinx are siblings in Netflix's TV adaptation, but aren't related in LoL. It's possible, then, that any of the aforementioned characters could die in Arcane, which, as Jinx voice actor Ella Purnell exclusively teased to me in April, would make for an emotionally devastating finale. I'm still pretty confident that Vi, Jinx, Caitlyn, and Ekko won't be among that contingent, however, and you can hold me to that once Arcane is done and dusted.

8. How will Arcane season 2 set up future League of Legends movie and TV adaptations?

This is where things get really interesting. With Arcane season 2 set to be the hit Netflix show's final entry, there are numerous Runeterra-based stories that Netflix, Riot, and Fortiche could tell post-Arcane.

How about covering the extensive and controversial story of Noxus? Or, if Netflix wants to focus on one specific part of the imperialistic nation's history, why not tackle Noxus' iconic and bloody invasion of Ionia? This would put LoL champions including Irelia and General Swain front and center.

If not Noxus, why not adapt LoL's Rune Wars, a cataclysmic event that saw mortals use the titular magical stones and almost destroy Runeterra? Looking further into Runeterra's past, a movie or series covering Icathia's Void-based rebellion against Shurima, or the War of the Three Sisters, would equally make for absorbing television.

Arcane co-creator Christian Linke has already confirmed there are multiple LoL-based productions in development, so any of these could be getting made already. Hopefully, we won't have to wait too long to see which part of LoL lore will be adapted next – macabre as it'll sound, I'd love to see the Rune Wars brought to life. Make it so, Netflix, Riot, and Fortiche.

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• Arcane season 2's gorgeous poster hints at fan-favorite character's return – but they won't be a hero this time around

I'm no stranger to MOBAs (multiplayer online battle arena games) - I've been playing them since January 2013 when my sister dropped a Dota 2 beta key into my inbox.

But no game I've played thus far has me as excited for the future of the genre as Valve's new love letter to MOBAs, Deadlock. This new third-person, team-based competitive shooter plays with mechanics other MOBAs have been too afraid to touch, or simply haven't been able to execute in a fun, balanced way.

It doesn't take many games of Deadlock to see how this innovative title will shape and inspire future MOBAs. Here's why.

Note: Deadlock is currently in Beta. Valve releases new updates and changes regularly, with many visual and quality of life updates going live during the time it took to write this piece (as can be seen from the minimap changes between screenshots).

1. Gone are the days of core and support

In the most popular MOBAs, like League of Legends or Dota, there's a very defined role structure. You have your "core" characters, which collect the most resources from the map to upgrade their damage, survivability, and more. "Supports," on the other hand, are meant to make do with what scraps they get; they have the most impact with the least amount of greed.

And yes, there are a few characters in Deadlock that could be considered "supports." Take the green goo man, Viscous, for example; his second ability allows you to save your teammates from certain death by encasing them in an impenetrable cube of goo.

However, I believe the laning stage of Deadlock will change this at a fundamental level moving forward. It's long been a point of contention that a MOBA's "carry" player (the one who gets the most money) doesn't fit team-based games. While four or so other players are moving across the map, making plays, and creating space for their carry to farm, the carry is doing exactly that: farming. They're off in the corner, playing PvE while the rest of their team moves as a unit.

Deadlock flips this idea on its head with an interesting laning stage twist: souls (Deadlock's currency) are shared in proximity around the player who earned the final hit on the minion. This means both the "core" and "support" earn money at roughly the same rate, provided they're near each other when the souls pop up.

Everyone on your team can have enough money to purchase upgrades. There are no "supports" that scrape by, wondering where their next meal is coming from. They're eating right alongside Deadlock's cores.

I expect future multiplayer online battle arenas to follow suit, shedding the firm role hierarchy and allowing the team's net worth to be the ultimate comparison, rather than a single player's.

2. A MOBA shooter? Really?

Yes, Deadlock is most definitely a game of map control. You're attempting to defend your base while attacking the enemy's. However, Valve's new title branches out into the rarely-traversed cross-section of shooters and MOBAs.

Dota 2 or League of Legends are top-down games that rely heavily on strategy, timing, and team coordination. However, this style can get boring at times, particularly during downtime when the team doesn't want to make any moves.

Deadlock, on the other hand, has that same strategy, timing, and coordination boon, but marries it with the thrill of a shooter title. Now it's not all about what items you have, what character you picked, or whether you spent your money on the best gaming mouse you could find; can you click heads better than me? If the answer is no, you might just lose out anyway.

It's Valve, with Dota 2's former lead developer, IceFrog, at the helm, branching out into this realm of experimental genre that makes me particularly excited about the future of the genre.

Deadlock is Valve telling game developers that it's not just ok to try new things, or ideas that historically haven't worked that well, it's necessary. To propel the genre to new heights and have that weekend downtime killer with your friends, MOBAs need to keep evolving, and Deadlock is a trailblazer.

3. More lanes, more players

It's fairly standard for a MOBA to have three "lanes," or paths leading to the enemy's base. However, Deadlock has four.

You may not assume one more lane is that big of a deal, but it's actually a very impactful change when it comes to team dynamics and player count.

Not only do you have an entirely new avenue to divide the enemy team's attention between, but each game has one extra player than traditional titles. That may not sound like much, but when you consider the millions of matches played every day, that one extra person adds up quickly.

Right now, there's an influx of players coming to Deadlock for the novelty. But give it a few years: how long until we see a player count decline, and it takes longer and longer to find a full match?

And when it comes to differences in the actual gameplay, I've noticed you're far more likely to be "ganked" (attacked by more characters) earlier on in Deadlock than you are in other MOBAs. I believe this is due to sharing currency between teammates and the sheer number of options when it comes to attacking. If you don't like the heroes in the green lane, go gank purple, blue, or yellow instead, then come right back to orange.

As for what this means for the future of MOBAs, I think we'll see more titles increase team size (despite higher player demand) and the ability to easily move around the map. No one wants to be stuck in a losing lane for 20 minutes while the enemy gets further and further ahead. Deadlock's increased lane count is a simple but effective solution to this problem.

4. An unwavering skill ceiling

MOBAs aren't known for being beginner-friendly. They're typically very complicated and their ways are rather esoteric. And honestly, Deadlock is the same way.

It's not easy to just jump in and destroy the opponents. It's no Elden Ring DLC in terms of difficulty, but there's a busy user interface (UI), a whole host of game mechanics to learn, the mini-map to figure out, how to communicate with your team effectively...the list goes on.

But this is exactly why MOBA fans are drawn to the genre. We want to improve with each and every match we play, eeking out that extra bit of proficiency we hadn't prior.

Deadlock is unapologetic in this regard. Of course, there's a tutorial, and a lot of information readily available on learning the characters and items. But it doesn't hold your hand. It gives you a kit full of tools and lets you run wild with them.

With the trend of MOBAs dumbing down mechanics and losing some of their identity to become more friendly to new players, it's refreshing to see Deadlock retain that layer of difficulty and wear it with pride.

5. From one lane to another

Most MOBA maps are pretty tough to navigate. You get your role, and your lane, and you stick there until the game inevitably devolves into a series of team fights, ganks, and unsavory chat messages. You'll see ways around this, like the Recall ability in League of Legends, or the Town Portal Scroll item in Dota 2.

Deadlock, on the other hand, has four railways that allow players to quickly advance down the lane up to the point their minions have traveled (meaning if a minion is 50 per cent of the way down the lane, the railway can take you to that position and no further).

This has a massive impact on the laning stage, allowing players to easily and quickly return to base to heal, purchase upgrades, and review the state of the game. They can then take another railway from base to another lane, get a kill with their team, and then use the railways once again to head back to base or closer to their own lane.

I believe we'll see future MOBAs adopt a similar sort of universal transportation system that leaves players feeling less "lost" or disconnected from their teammates.

Deadlock won't be esports' new it-game

As much as I love Deadlock, its ideas, and what it stands for, I simply don't see it taking off in the esports scene.

Valve has been scaling back support for Dota 2's annual tournament, The International, for a few years now. The total prize pool fell from a whopping $40,018,195 in 2021 to just under $2,600,000 this year. Yes, you read that right; $2.6 million, not $26 million.

So if Valve is hoping for Deadlock to become its next esports superstar, I just don't think it'll happen, and here's why: a little game called Overwatch.

Deadlock and Overwatch share some clear similarities. They're both team-based, third-person shooters that have unique characters with ability kits. Deadlock expands on several systems Overwatch does not, like item builds, movement tech, and map control, but I don't think it's different enough to succeed where Overwatch couldn't when it comes to mainstream esports appeal. I do absolutely think it'll gain a cult following of diehard fans, though.

But I don't care if you have the best 4K monitor on the market - a third-person shooter with 12 main characters, a map with four lanes, a busy UI, and countless item builds just won't be easy, or even enjoyable, to follow as a viewer. Dota 2 and League of Legends benefit from their top-down perspective in this sense; as a spectator, you have a birds-eye view of the action and it's fairly easy to fit all 10 characters on the screen at once.

With third-person shooters, the opposite is true. As a viewer, it's cluttered, chaotic, and tough to focus on what truly makes one team triumphant over the other.

But I'm not an esports fanatic. I'm someone who likes playing competitive online games with their friends, and Deadlock comfortably lands itself as a must-try title in that space.

If I see you in my lane, just know, it's nothing personal.

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It finally happened. Nearly three years Arcane's first season drew to a close, the hit Netflix show's second and final chapter has a release date – and, fittingly, it's set to arrive around its forebear's three-year anniversary.

Announced during Netflix Geeked Week 2024's live event, Arcane season 2 will officially debut on Netflix on Saturday, November 9. That's... an unusual day for one of Netflix's most successful animated series to return, but hey, I'm not complaining. I'll be seated, bowl of cereal in hand, to get my Saturday morning cartoon (albeit one of the adult-themed variety) fix as soon as it drops.

But wait, there's more. Netflix, in conjunction with its Arcane partners Riot Games and Fortiche Productions, had even more surprises in store at Geeked Week Live. First, the trio revealed that, just like Arcane season 1, one of the best Netflix shows' sophomore seasons will be released in three parts: Act 1 will debut in November, Act 2 arrives on November 16, and Act 3 will wrap up the show on November 23. There's no word on how many episodes there'll be in each volume, but I suspect it'll be three apiece, which is how many season 1's trio of acts had.

We're not done yet, folks. Showrunners Christian Linke and Alex Yee took to the Geeked Week Live stage to unveil a brand-new clip from season 2, too, which shows Vi – or, as this version of the character is known in Arcane fan circles, Pit Fighter Vi – engaging in some bruising, well, pit-fighting shenanigans. It certainly looks like she's in her emo phase, too, judging by her monochromatic attire and make-up. My guess? Someone awful happens in Season 2 Act 1, which forces Vi to go underground and disguise herself in Act 2. But, as Arcane season 2's official trailer teased earlier in September, she'll have to overcome her self-imposed exile and/or slump to protect Piltover and Zaun as Season 2 progresses.

Lastly on the unveiling front, Netflix and Riot also announced Afterglow. An after-show that'll be hosted by Vi and Jinx voice actors Hailee Steinfeld and Ella Purnell, it'll go behind the scenes on each act of Netflix's adaptation of Riot's League of Legends videogame franchise. More details on when and where Afterglow will be available to watch are coming soon, but don't be surprised if you can check them out on the world's best streaming service after you've seen each volume.

Phew, that was a lot to catch you up on! If it isn't coming across in my writing, though, I am super pumped for Arcane's return. It's felt like a lifetime has passed since we last visited Runeterra and I simply can't wait to go back to watch the epic conclusion to one of the best animated shows in living memory. Can it be November 9 already, please? No? Oh, alright then. Well, while we continue to count down the days to Arcane season 2, read more of my coverage about the series' next chapter below.

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Anyone who's frequented TechRadar since November 2021 will know how much I love Arcane. The highly-rated animated Netflix series is not only visually gorgeous, superbly animated, and full of dramatic and emotional character-driven moments, but it also has one of the best original TV show soundtracks in recent memory.

So, as excited as I've been to watch Arcane season 2 ever since its November 2024 launch date was announced late last year, I've also been eagerly awaiting details on who's written and/or composed the forthcoming season's batch of blood-pumping and emotionally devastating tunes. Well, I – and you, fellow Arcane enthusiast – don't have to wait any longer, because season 2's original soundtrack has been officially unveiled.

Created and produced by Riot Games – Arcane's co-creator and the studio behind hit videogame franchise League of Legends (LoL), which Arcane is based on – and Virgin Music Group, 'Arcane League of Legends: Season 2 Original Soundtrack' contains a diverse line-up of wholly original songs from a global line-up of artists comprising various genres, languages, and cultures.

Indeed, per a Riot press release, over 20 singers, rappers, bands, and musicians – ranging from established acts to relative newcomers – have contributed to season 2's official album. Chief among those who have lent their undisputed talents to one of the best Netflix shows' sophomore season's soundtrack are US alt-rock duo Twenty One Pilots, South Korean boy band Stray Kids, French singer-songwriter Woodkid, Belgian rapper Stromae, and US singer-songwriter d4vd.

Imagine Dragons, who penned 'Enemy', Arcane season 1's title track that's been streamed globally 5.6 billion times since its November 2021 debut, are also part of proceedings. However, the electropop-rock band aren't back with a new track; instead, 'Enemy' has simply been included as the final song on this season's album tracklist, which you can view in full below:

• I Can't Hear It Now – Freya Ridings
• Sucker – Marcus King
• Renegade (We Never Run) – Stefflon Don, Raja Kumari ft. Jarina De Marco
• Hellfire – Fever 333
• To Ashes And Blood – Woodkid
• Paint The Town Blue – Ashnikko
• Remember Me (Intro) – d4vd
• Remember Me – d4vd
• Cocktail Molotov – ZAND
• What Have They Done To Us – Mako, Grey
• Rebel Heart – Djerv
• The Beast – Misha Mansoor
• Spin The Wheel – Mick Wingert
• Ma Meilleure Ennemie – Stromae, Pomme
• Fantastic – King Princess
• The Line – Twenty One Pilots
• Blood Sweat & Tears – Sheryl Lee Ralph
• Come Play – Stray Kids, Young Miko, Tom Morello
• Wasteland – Royal & the Serpent
• Enemy with JID (Opening Title version) from the series Arcane League of Legends) – Imagine Dragons feat. JID

Each of the aforementioned musical numbers has, according to Riot, been "designed to capture the emotional depth of these beloved characters and enhance the storytelling experience". Many of the artists involved are also long-time LoL fans, Arcane fanatics, and/or have previously collaborated with Riot on other ventures, too, so I'm extremely confident that every track has had the requisite love, care, and attention to detail poured into every aspect of it.

The full album reveal comes a week after its first track – Ashnikko's 'Paint The Town Blue' – debuted alongside the second official trailer for Arcane season 2. You can listen to it below, if you haven't heard the full single yet.

For what it's worth, I certainly have. Indeed, I've had 'Paint The Town Blue' on repeat on Spotify since its unveiling and, after listening to Arcane season 1's soundtrack on the music streaming platform for almost three years, I can't wait to do likewise with these new tunes. Arcane season 2's official album is going to be the soundtrack for the rest of my 2024, that's for sure.

As the clock counts down to Arcane season 2's release, fans – myself included – have been running a fine-toothed comb over its numerous trailers and clip-based teasers for clues about its narrative direction. Indeed, in the wake of its latest trailer, Arcane fans have crafted a magical theory about who the hit Netflix show's main villain really is. Elsewhere, a gorgeous poster for Arcane's second and final season suggested a fan-favorite season 1 character would return, but not as a hero this time.

Arcane season 2's release date hasn't been announced yet but, with the Emmy-award winning series confirmed to be part of Netflix Geeked Week 2024, which runs from September 16 to 19, I'm praying one is revealed soon. In the meantime, make sure you pre-save your copy of its original soundtrack.

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Full spoilers follow for Arcane's first season. Potential spoilers follow for Arcane season 2, too.

Arcane season 2 is only two months away from gracing our screens and, after a near-three-year wait for its return, we'll finally get answers to the biggest questions we've had since the season 1 finale.

But, while I'm as desperate as you likely are to find out if any of Piltover's Council members survived Jinx's terrorist attack on their chambers in the series' second and final installment, I'm also eager to see if a new fan theory has any truth to it. You see, Arcane's loyal fanbase – I include myself among their number – have waited a looooong time for the hit Netflix show to return. it's understandable, then, that many of my fellow devotees have come up with all sorts of weird, wacky, and wonderful theories since season 1 ended in November 2021.

The arrival of Arcane season 2's official trailer, however, has only heightened the intrigue around one particular hypothesis surrounding the animated League of Legends (LoL) show's actual main villain. Indeed, given her assault on Piltover's dignitaries in season 1 episode 9, the footage that was part of Arcane season 2's first teaser, and a bundle of first-look clips over the past 10 months, it would be safe to assume that Jinx is the central antagonist.

But what, I ask, if she isn't? What if there's not only someone else pulling the strings behind the scenes, but what if they're also a character we haven't seen before? I suspect you're equal parts intrigued over who this individual could be, and frustrated over me delaying the reveal of their identity. So, I won't waste any more of your time: fans think that the mastermind of events before and during Arcane's two seasons is someone named LeBlanc.

Who is LeBlanc? And what role could they play in Arcane season 2?

I can see your puzzled look through the screen, dear reader. Let me elaborate: in LoL lore, LeBlanc, who also goes by such jovial aliases like The Deceiver, Mordekasier, and Matron of the Black Rose, is a mysterious but powerful sorceress who's manipulated people and events since the expansionist nation of Noxus was founded. Thanks to her dark magic abilities, she's able to shapeshift, can appear in multiple places at once, and can control people from the shadows.

Okay, so why do Arcane fans think that LeBlanc is the big bad of one of the best Netflix shows? On the surface, it seems like a bit of a stretch, especially when there are other obvious candidates. There's compelling evidence, though, to suggest LeBlanc is eventually going to be unmasked as the award-winning series' villain-in-chief.

Let's start with her ties to Noxus. Arcane and LoL diehards won't need me to tell them that LeBlanc's association with Noxus means she could be Ambessa's puppet master. Remember, Ambessa is not only a Noxian warlord, but also Piltover council member Mel's mother. If Mel died during Jinx's attack, a grief-stricken Ambessa will be far more vulnerable to the machinations of a powerful sorceress who wants to further sow division between the progressive, idealistic city of Piltover and its poorer, undercity cousin known as Zaun, which is where Jinx is originally from.

Next, there's Hextech, the potent, magic-infused technology created by Viktor and Jayce in the critically-acclaimed show's debut season. Why wouldn't a formidable dark magic wielder be interested in this newfound technology, especially given its dynamic qualities and potential to supercharge whoever commands it? 

We've already seen its effects on creating powerful new weapons, fast-paced methods of transport, and augmenting people's bodies in season 1. In the hands of a truly malicious individual, then, it could be used by said person for nefarious means. And, considering Arcane co-creator Christian Linke has already teased the possibility that "any foreign nation", Noxus included, "would find [Hextech] very interesting" (see the X/Twitter post below), I suspect Ambessa and LeBlanc will want to get their hands on it.

Then there's the possibility that LeBlanc can be seen in season 2's latest trailer. Seen amid the quick shots that flash up around the 1:54 mark, an inky, jet-black character who looks like a lot like Silco (Jinx's deceased surrogate dad), can be briefly glimpsed. The identity of this character isn't confirmed, but I and many others (as you'll see in this Arcane Reddit thread) believe it could be LeBlanc disguising herself as an even more terrifying vision of Silco.

Why do we think that? For one, this individual's all-black look ties into the 'Black Rose' aspect of one of LeBlanc's alter-egos. Look more closely, however, and the yellow, tear-like marks that sit beneath this character's glowing eyes are identical to the black markings that appear underneath LeBlanc's eyes (see the image further up this page for proof of that). Oh, and let's not overlook that, on LeBlanc's official LoL character profile page, the show's title is even referenced in a line that includes the word "arcane" in it. Oh, and the same page also mentions LeBlanc's involvement in LoL's infamous Rune Wars, which Linke also refers to in the tweet above.

Admittedly, those final two pieces of evidence are tentative links at best, but there's enough here to indicate that LeBlanc could play a role in Arcane before season 2 brings the curtain down on Netflix's most successful animated TV project. Here's hoping many of us weren't completely off-track when Arcane returns sometime in November.

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The official trailer for Arcane season 2 is finally here, and it's every bit as epic, explosive, and thrilling as I hoped it would be.

Released today (September 5) and set to the original song 'Paint The Town Blue' by Ashnikko, the highly-rated and award-winning Netflix show's latest teaser is far more action-oriented and fast-paced than the first teaser was. Indeed, the arrival of Arcane season 2's first trailer in June certainly set the stall out for a bleaker and chaotic final season, but this one goes much harder from drama and action perspectives than its forebear.

The latter point is to be expected, really, considering all-out war is about to erupt between the idyllic, progressive, and aristocratic city of Piltover and its poorer, more rundown cousin known as Zaun. That was always a given after Jinx's attack on Piltover's Council Chamber, which many of the realm's dignitaries had assembled in prior to said strike. But, with Jinx – who's now viewed as a revolutionary by Zaun's citizens – seemingly installed as the undercity's protector-in-chief, Zaun will be taking the fight to Piltover as much as the latter's leaders will be seeking revenge on the City of Iron and Glass.

There's plenty more to pore over in one of the best Netflix shows' latest teasers – and I'm not exaggerating when I say there's a lot to unpack from its two-minute-long video. For starters, we get brief glimpses at Vi's showdowns with her estranged sister Jinx and another League of Legends (LoL) champion in the monstrous Warwick, whose origin story appears to have been retconned to tie it to one of season 1's deceased heroic characters. We're also treated to new looks at established team-ups between Vi and Ekko, and Jinx and Sevika. Other returning characters, including Singed, Ambessa, and Heimerdinger, are dotted throughout the teaser, too, which suggests they'll have prominent roles to play in Arcane's sophomore season.

If that wasn't enough, season 2's official trailer also hints at the arrival of new characters – some of whom were seen in one of season 2's very first teasers, plus others who we haven't met yet – and a much deeper dive into LoL lore that might set up future LoL TV and movie adaptations. Arcane co-creator Christian Linke has also confirmed that more of Riot Games' beloved videogame franchise's heroes and world, which is called Runeterra, will be retold in other mediums. It's possible, then, that events that transpire in season 2 will act as jumping off points for stories that are being developed by Riot in partnership with Netflix and Fortiche Production. The latter directed and produced Arcane's animation, under the direction of the founders Pascal Charrue and Arnaud Delord.

As pumped up as I am to watch Arcane's second and final season on the world's best streaming service – it's one of 14 shows I can't wait for in late 2024 – its latest trailer didn't provide answers to one big mystery surrounding the show's return: its release date. 

Prior to the official trailer's reveal, I expressed hope that it would finally reveal season 2 would make its Netflix debut. Unfortunately, my prayers went unanswered, so now I'm fully expecting a launch date announcement to be revealed at Netflix Geeked Week 2024's live event, which takes place on September 19 and will reveal more details about Arcane season 2. Don't let me down again, Netflix and Riot, or I'll cry like Jinx voice actor Ella Purnell did while she recorded lines for season 2's final episode.

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Update #2: The new teaser is out now – and you can watch it in my other article about Arcane season 2's official trailer launch.

Update #1: And here's a brief tease of what to expect from Arcane season 2's official trailer, which suggests Jinx will be viewed as Zaun's savior/protector-in-chief:

Original story follows.

It's been almost three years since Arcane's first season graced our screens, and I don't know about you, but I feel like I've aged substantially between the hit animated show's first and second outings. Insert that "It's been 84 years..." Titanic meme here, everyone.

But, with Arcane season 2 finally set to make its Netflix debut sometime in November, the streaming titan is slowly starting to ramp up its marketing campaign for the Emmy-award-winning TV series' return.

Now, I thought we'd learn more details about it at Netflix Geeked Week 2024, which runs from September 16 to 20, but it turns out I was wrong, because Netflix, alongside its Arcane partners Riot Games and Fortiche Productions, will release season 2's official trailer very soon. How soon? Well – at the time of publication – a little under 48 hours.

As the above X/Twitter post confirms, Arcane 2's official trailer will have its grand reveal on Thursday, September 5. Not only that, you'll also be able to join your fellow Arcane and/or League of Legends (LoL) fans and stream it live on YouTube then, too.

West Coast US devotees, however, will need to set a very early alarm call to do that, as the trailer will be unveiled at 5am PT on Thursday – but I'm sure you can wake up for a few minutes, watch its brand-new footage, and then go back to sleep, right?

As for everyone else, it'll drop at a more manageable time. Those living on the US East Coast can catch it at 8am ET, while UK viewers can check it out on their lunch break at 1pm BST. Australian audiences, meanwhile, can catch it before they head to bed at 10pm AEST. Based on a separate tweet (see below), it sounds like the trailer will be set to the first of season 2's original songs – Paint the Town Blue, which will be performed by US rapper/songwriter Ashnikko.

One of the best Netflix shows' latest teasers will arrive less than three months after its first trailer confirmed that Arcane will go out with a bang. That's because, much to fans' disappointment, Arcane season 2 is its final installment. Still, as co-creator Christian Linke revealed alongside the first teaser's arrival, this isn't the end of the road for Riot, Fortiche, and Netflix's TV adaptation of the LoL franchise. The trio will make more animated projects post-Arcane, with Linke suggesting that multiple shows and movies are in development. Maybe we'll learn about one or two of those at Geeked Week 2024.

While you wait for the next trailer to land, there's more footage of Arcane's sophomore season to pore over. Indeed, why not watch this suspense-filled clip of Jinx getting her ass handed to her? Or wrap your eyes around this Ekko and Heimerdinger-starring infiltration mission? You're welcome.

Please, Netflix, tell us when Arcane season 2 is coming out

Thrilled as I'll be to see new footage from Arcane season 2, I'm equally excited to learn when it'll actually launch on one of the world's best streaming services. It's been 10 months since Netflix confirmed that the series would return this November and, while it's easily one of the 14 shows I'm most excited to see in late 2024, an actual release date needs to accompany the next trailer's arrival to satisfy me. Please, Netflix, don't make me wait until Geeked Week 2024 for a grand reveal. Do so and I'll cry, much like Jinx voice actor Ella Purnell did when recording lines for the show's final episode.

That said, I'm surprised that season 2's launch date hasn't leaked ahead of time. In early August, a massive Netflix data breach led to full episodes of Arcane season 2, Heartstopper season 3, and more leaking online. I resisted the urge to watch any of them – I'd rather stream them in UHD than watch grainy, watermarked episodes – and I think more people wouldn't have been tempted if they knew when the show was going to air.

Now, I'm not defending the leaks at all – the individuals responsible for posting those episodes online deserve all of the punishment that'll surely come their way. However, I can't help but think that, even though we know that Arcane returns in November, some fans might have held off on watching the bootlegged copies if they knew season 2 (either in its entirety or its first part) was coming on, say, November 1. Anyway, I'm praying that Netflix inserts an official release date at the end of the trailer later this week. I've waited long enough for it, after all.

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Full spoilers immediately follow for Arcane season 1.

Netflix has released a new official clip from Arcane season 2, and it teases a potentially fascinating alliance between Jinx and Sevika.

The latest teaser, which you can watch below, sees Jinx running running for her life as she seemingly attempts to evade capture from, well, everybody. Indeed, the clip shows her carrying a package of some sort, and my initial thought is that she's trying to dispose of the rocket launcher she used to attack Piltover's council chamber in the season 1 finale. That callous act means that not only Piltover's law enforcers are after her, but Zaun's bounty hunters are likely to be, too, as they try to earn a quick payday for bringing her in.

Anyway, she's quickly set upon by the Scrap Hackers, a new Zaun-based criminal faction led by the Yordle known as Smeech who'll make their debut in one of the best Netflix shows' second season. After a tense back-and-forth between Jinx and the body-augmented crime outfit, Jinx appears to be rescued by Sevika before the clip ends.

What makes Jinx and Sevika's reunion such an interesting proposition is that the latter doesn't know that Jinx killed Silco, aka the criminal kingpin they worked for. By the end of Arcane's first season, Sevika isn't aware that Jinx took Silco's life after he tried to murder her sister Vi. For now, then, Jinx and Sevika remain allies, but for how long remains to be seen.

As I alluded to earlier, this is only the latest season 2 clip that Netflix has released to whet our appetite for the animated League of Legends (LoL) show's return. In late July, another clip showed Heimerdinger and Ekko infiltrating a Hexcore lab in Piltover, while an all-too-brief piece of footage in June teased new heroes, another possible time jump, and Vi's new costume. Back in January, the first Arcane season 2 clip also suggested that we'll see a fan-favorite LoL villain make their debut in Netflix's TV adaptation of Riot Games' beloved video game franchise.

An official distraction from the huge Netflix data breach?

Call me a cynic, but the timing of this latest clip's release seems a bit too coincidental. How so? Because, if you weren't aware, Netflix has, at the time of writing, spent the past five days battling a massive leak after one of its post-production partners suffered a major data breach. That's led to full but unfinished episodes of Arcane season 2, Heartstopper season 3, and many other shows being posted online. Other projects, including numerous new Netflix movies that'll arrive before 2024 ends, have also been impacted by the security hack.

Outside of telling the press that it's "aggressively taking action" to pull the leaks from the internet, the PR team for one of the world's best streaming services hasn't commented further. A couple of movie and TV show creators have commented, however, including Arcane co-showrunner Christian Linke, who took to X/Twitter (see below) to post a gif summing up his reaction to the leak.

Considering that this new clip was released just 48 hours after the first reports emerged about Arcane season 2 episodes leaking online, I can't help but feel that this is a ploy on Netflix's part. Sure, I'd like to give it and Riot the benefit of the doubt, and believe that this clip was always set to be unveiled on Saturday (August 10). However, the timing is a bit too serendipitous for my liking. I'll take an officially released clip over an unfinished episode leak every day of the week, but I can't be the only one who's viewing this as a mere distraction tactic from Netflix and company to try and prevent people from searching for said leaked episodes.

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Full spoilers follow for Arcane season 1. Speculation on season 2's plot also follows.

Arcane season 2's release date is edging closer – and Netflix and Riot Games clearly know that fans of the hit animated series (myself included) are desperate for its arrival.

Sadly, at the time of writing, we're still just over three months away – Arcane's second season lands sometime in November – from the critically acclaimed series returning to our screens. Rather than force us to continually watch Arcane season 2's official trailer on a loop, though, Netflix and Riot have released a new clip from the forthcoming season – and while the bulk of the sophomore season's promotional campaign has previewed a bleak follow-up to Arcane's first chapter so far, its latest teaser proves it won't be a wholly soul-crushing affair.

Yep, that's definitely a more light-hearted teaser to further fuel the hype for Arcane's return. The brief clip doesn't provide any additional context as to what'll happen in season 2, but it's nonetheless pleasing to see Ekko and Heimerdinger revive their partnership from one of the best Netflix shows' first installment. The pair were last seen in the season 1 finale, with the ousted Piltover scientist and the leader of the Fireflies agreeing to team up to try to improve living conditions for the repressed citizens of the undercity known as Zaun.

Reading between the lines, it seems they'll attempt to do so by stealing some of Heimerdinger's research into Hextech. For those who need a refresher, that's the magic-based technology that's used to fuel Piltover, increase a weapon's effectiveness, and even physically augment individuals, and which allows for fast-travel across Runeterra, among other uses. In order to nab said research, they need to infiltrate a laboratory owned by... well, Heimerdinger himself. Remember, in episode 6, he was removed from Piltover's council for trying to destroy the dangerous technological innovation known as Hexcore – a machine that can supposedly heal a person's ailments using the aforementioned Hextech. Barred from accessing one of his own places of work, Heimerdinger (with Ekko in tow) has to go undercover on a mission that would challenge Batman, James Bond, or Mission: Impossible's Ethan Hunt.

'Can the next series just be a spin-off about them?'

With the above clip confirming the fan-favorite pairing will not only feature in season 2, but also provide some light comic relief amid its melodrama-laced primary plot, fans have called for Ekko and Heimerdinger to get their own spin-off series.

Indeed, following the latest teaser's release, the show's subreddit contains numerous comments from fans calling on Netflix, Riot, and Arcane's animation studio Fortiche to make a buddy-cop spin-off starring the duo. "I would really watch it," WhitneyStorm opined, while Rytek115 went all caps to shout "I NEED IT!". OddDuckling also chimed in to say "I'm going to need a whole series of shorts following the many exploits of these two, please and thank you" before RealityMaiden jokingly added "Finally, the real romance of season 2!".

Unfortunately, it's highly unlikely that the duo will be the main characters of a spin-off show. Following the release of season 2's first trailer, Arcane co-showrunner Christian Linke revealed the hit series would end with its second and final chapter. Linke went on to say that Netflix, Riot, and Fortiche would continue to make shows set in Runeterra, the world that Arcane – and League of Legends (LoL), the video game series it's based on – but those unannounced projects would shine a light on other LoL champions. Unless Ekko and Heimerdinger make cameos in those new shows (or movies, I hope), then, I'd be shocked if we see them together again once the credits roll on Arcane season 2.

While we wait for the award-winning program's return, there's plenty more for you to catch up on about its second installment. First, find out why Jinx voice actor Ella Purnell "cried" while completing voice work for Arcane's emotionally devastating second season. Then, see how Arcane season 2's first teaser sets up a possible time jump, and how the sequel season's first clip teases a fan-favorite villain's debut.

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If you're a big League of Legends or Valorant fan, then these lowest-ever prices on gift cards for both games are well worth paying attention to. When you make your purchase of any of these discounted gift cards you get a code that can be redeemed for Riot Points or Valorant Points and then spent on items of your choice in either game.

Starting with the big one, you can pick up a $100 Riot Games gift card for just $80 (was $100) at Amazon. That's a massive $20 off and the lowest-ever price for this amount. It's a great deal and perfect if you want to stock up on champion skins in League of Legends or weapon skins in Valorant. I'm mighty tempted to grab one for my account so that I'm fully prepared for the next time the lovely Equilibrium fan knife shows up in my Valorant shop.

You can also pick up a $50 gift card for just $40 (was $50) at Amazon. This is on top of the $25 gift card for just $20 (was $25) at Amazon, which is perfect if you only want to add a little to your account. Finally, there's also the $10 gift card, which is the most affordable of the lot. It's on sale for just $8 (was $10) at Amazon and is a great option if you're shopping for a gift.

All of these listings say 'League of Legends' but don't worry, I know from first-hand experience that these gift cards will also work for Valorant. This fact is also confirmed by the official Riot Games website. That said, there are still some Valorant branded versions of every one that you can find below alongside more information on each of these deals.

Today's best Riot Points deals

These are some of the best deals that I've seen over Amazon Prime Day and definitely some of the strongest Amazon Prime Day gaming deals if you're a League of Legends or Valorant player.

If you're looking for some offers related to console gaming now that the console version of Valorant is on the way, be sure to visit our dedicated guides to the best Amazon Prime Day Xbox Series X deals and Amazon Prime Day PS5 deals for updates on all the most compelling offers as they come in.

More Amazon Prime Day deals in the US

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Major spoilers follow for Arcane season 1.

The first trailer for Arcane season 2 has finally been revealed – and it confirms that the hugely popular Netflix show will end once it's released in full this November.

Debuted during an Arcane presentation at Annecy Animation Festival 2024, the hit animated series' story will wrap after its second and final installment later this year. Based on its explosively dramatic and incredibly foreboding teaser, it looks like the League of Legends (LoL) show will go out with an almighty bang, too.

Curiously, this isn't the first we've heard of Arcane's end. In September 2022, fans became convinced that season 2 would mark the end of Vi and Jinx's story following comments made by Riot co-founder Brandon Beck. Sure enough, those who read a little too much into what Beck said have been proved right. A doff of the cap to you, if you were among that contingent.

Arcane might be ending, but this doesn't mean that Netflix, Riot Games (Arcane and LoL's creator), and animation studio Fortiche are ending their creative partnership. Indeed, speaking during a LoL Dev Update today (June 11), Arcane's co-showrunner Christian Linke confirmed that there'll be more projects set in LoL's world of Runeterra in the future.

"Arcane is just the beginning of our larger storytelling journey and partnership with the wonderful animation studio that is Fortiche," Linke said. "From the very beginning, since we started working on this project, we had a very specific ending in mind, which means the story of Arcane wraps up with this second season. But, Arcane is just the first of many stories that we want to tell in Runeterra."

In a follow-up video posted on Arcane's various social media channels, including X/Twitter (see above), Linke provided more insight into the decision to bring its story to a close, before teasing what else is in the works at Riot and Fortiche.

"Vi and Jinx's arcs have grown so far beyond our original dreams for them," he said, "So we wanted to give the same treatment to more [LoL] champions. We're currently working on our next projects across television and film, and we're hopeful we can share more by the end of the year. We're still really early in the stages of that process, and these things do take a lot of time, but we'd like to share updates with you whenever we can."

Arcane's official trailer arrives a mere four days (at the time of publication) after its first one teased new heroes, another possible time skip, and Vi's new costume. That sizzle heel followed hot on the heels of Arcane season 2's gorgeous first poster that also hinted at a fan-favorite character's return, albeit not as a hero this time around.

As for what its latest trailer is hinting at, a war is brewing between the rich, progressive city of Piltover and the poor, underbelly district known as Zaun. Indeed, with Jinx installed as Piltover public enemy number one following her terrorist attack on its council, everyone – including Vi's new bestie Caitlyn – is out for blood. With Vi seemingly set to reluctantly accept Caitlyn's offer to join the hunt for Jinx (Vi's sister, remember) as one of Piltover's new Wardens, it appears as if her allegiance to her blood relative and friend/potential love interest will be tested much of season 2's episode count. Well, until that likely brutal showdown between Jinx and Vi – as teased in season 2's first proper trailer – is instigated, anyway.

Said trailer notwithstanding, there's very little else we know about the plot of Arcane's final season. In a press release, Netflix only provided the briefest of story synopses, which reads: "In this final chapter, Jinx’s attack on the Council sets the stage for a dire escalation of the conflict between Piltover and Zaun". However one of the best Netflix shows ends, we know its finale will be emotionally devastating – Jinx voice actor Ella Purnell saying "I cried" when I asked her for some clues about season 2's plot back in April. Have plenty of tissues at the ready, everyone.

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Try to manage your emotions, Arcane fans, but we just received another exciting look at the critically-acclaimed Netflix show's second season.

After debuting as part of a new Next on Netflix Animation montage video, Arcane season 2's latest batch of footage – all 12 seconds of it, which were later posted on the animated series' social media accounts – teases a lot for what little was revealed. Indeed, fans – myself included – are already desperately trying to determine what we can from the meager offering we've been given.

Thankfully, some of the hit Netflix show's newest footage doesn't require too much brainpower to determine what's been shown. Indeed, parts of the teaser show that Vi will be back with her Hextech gauntlets in tow, and that she'll reunite with budding ally (or should that be burgeoning romantic partner?) Caitlyn following Arcane's emotionally stunning season 1 finale. There's also a very brief glimpse of Jinx, Vi's estranged sister/the show's primary antagonist, igniting a flare in the YouTube video but, contrary to what some fans have said, that clip isn't part of one of the best Netflix shows' sophomore outing. It's actually from season 1 episode 6, which – spoilers – sees Vi and Jinx reunite for the first time since episode 3's life-altering events.

Anyway, the brand-new footage also reveals that Vi – albeit reluctantly, based on her demeanor/body language – will become part of the Piltover Enforcers, aka the prosperous, technologically-advanced city's police force. She'll be joined by Caitlyn, who was already part of said group in season 1, as well as three new Wardens (more on one of them in a moment). Considering Vi is a citizen of Zaun – the working class undercity that Piltover was built over – I don't think Zaun's populace, Jinx, or Ekko (the latter being one of Vi's childhood friends) will take too kindly to her seemingly turncoat behavior.

Fascinating as all of that is, there's one particularly pertinent question on Arcane fans' minds regarding season 2's new teaser clip – and it's got nothing to do with Vi, Jinx, Caitlyn, or Ekko.

Is that Ren, Marcus' daughter in Arcane season 2's new clip?

One quick glance at the internet later, Arcane viewers – and League of Legends (LoL) fans, on which Arcane is based – are convinced that one of Caitlyn and Vi's fellow Wardens (the one standing on the far left of the group's lineup) is none other than Ren, the daughter of the deceased Enforcer known as Marcus. He was the corrupt Head of Piltover's police force who died in a firelight bomb explosion (one set off by Jinx) in season 1 episode 7. 

If this is a grown-up Ren, it's a reveal that presents not one, but two big questions: has Ren followed in her father's footsteps to enact revenge on Jinx for murdering Ren's dad? And, considering Ren was only a child when Marcus died, will Arcane season 2, just like its forebear, feature a time jump? 

Personally, I don't think this is Ren. It's possible that it's her mom instead, which would be more fitting if Arcane season 2 opens in the immediate aftermath of the season 1 finale. A time skip would mean we'd get an aged up Caitlyn and Vi, too – not by much, admittedly, but they certainly wouldn't still look as young as they do in season 1 if its successor moved years into the future. 

Netflix, Riot Games (LoL and Arcane's creator), and Fortiche (Arcane's animation studio) are keeping their story plot cards very close to their chest, so we won't get answers to the above until the series' second season debuts on the world's best streaming service. What we do know, however, is that Arcane season 2 will be released sometime in November 2024 and, as voice actor Ella Purnell exclusively told me, season 2 will be an entry that'll "emotionally devastate" fans.

As for other speculation-inducing teases, a recent Arcane season 2 poster indicated a fan-favorite character would return, but not as a hero. Earlier this year, the first Arcane season 2 clip suggested a new LoL villain would debut in the popular show's second installment, too.

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Major spoilers follow for Arcane season one.

We're officially five months away from Arcane season two, and a new piece of tease-worthy artwork has got fans talking ahead of the hit Netflix show's return.

Released yesterday (June 2), the poster strikes a particularly ominous tone and suggests that Arcane's sophomore season will be even darker than its predecessor – and, let's be honest, season one wasn't exactly sunshine and rainbows. Before I completely get off-track, though, here's the promo art in question:

As you'll see, the image shows a wide-eyed, horrified Vi being comforted by the warm (or should that be cold?) embrace of her villainous sister Jinx. Curiously, the poster is a near-identical replica from season one, which showed Vi holding her younger sister close in a bid to console her. Kudos for the creative symmetry, Netflix.

But, alas, I'm getting off-track again. Arcane season two's latest poster confirms that Netflix – alongside Riot Games, whose League of Legends (LoL) franchise is the inspiration for Arcane, and production studio Fortiche – is slowly ramping up its promotional campaign for season two. Indeed, key members of one of the best Netflix shows' creative team will be at Annecy Film Festival (on June 12) for a panel that explores its development. I wouldn't be surprised if we get an official teaser and/or confirmed launch date as part of that presentation.

Whether we do or not, we should prepare ourselves for another emotional installment of the critically-acclaimed animated series. Speaking exclusively to TechRadar in April, Ella Purnell – who voices Jinx – said she cried when recording lines for Arcane's "emotionally devastating" next season. Have plenty of tissues to hand, everyone.

A monster calls

Arcane season two's new poster is more than a fleeting reminder of just how gorgeous its art style is. Indeed, within minutes of the artwork making its way online, fans began offering their thoughts on what it might be teasing before the show is back on our screens.

Currently, the prevailing theory – one that, having had a similar train of thought, I certainly agree with – is that it's hinting at the return of a fan-favorite character, albeit someone who won't be a hero this time around.

The individual in question? Vander, the protector-in-chief of the underground city of Zaun, and the adoptive father of Vi and Jinx. Early in season one, Vander sacrificed himself to save Vi during a brutal showdown at Silco's Shimmer factory. At the time, the severely injured Vander injected himself with Shimmer – a substance that turns people into super-strong, feral, beast-like individuals – before grabbing Vi, leaping out of a collapsing building, and dying from said fall.

Or so we thought. In the season one finale, it was revealed that Singed – the cruel scientist who created Shimmer – found Vander's body, which he transported back to his lab and begun experimenting on. Eventually, fans began to make a connection between Vander's potential revival and that of another LoL champion – a monstrous entity known as Warwick – with many theorizing that Singed would turn Vander into Warwick and unleash him on Zaun and Piltover (the prosperous, elitist city that was built above Zaun) to strike fear into their inhabitants.

Arcane season two's first clip further teased the arrival of this fan-favorite LoL villain, and the series' latest artwork only throws further fuel on that fire. Why else would Vi, who thought Vander was dead, be so terrified by what she's seen that she seeks comfort from her estranged and lawbreaking sister? The tagline accompanying said poster – "nothing ever stays dead" – is another big hint at Vander's resurrection, albeit as one of season two's new antagonists.

Hopefully, it won't be too long before Netflix and Riot confirm Vander/Warwick's appearance. In the meantime, find out why fans are also concerned that Arcane season two might be the end of Vi and Jinx's story.

Arcane season two will premiere exclusively on the world's best streaming service sometime in November.

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Riot's upcoming free-to-play fighting game has finally had its official title revealed; it'll be known as 2XKO.

Formerly known simply as Project L, the upcoming game had its proper name revealed in a brief, minute-long trailer posted to its official YouTube channel. The trailer also gave us a first in-game look at champion Illaoi, who was previously revealed through screenshots and concept art.

In a follow-up video, 2XKO executive producer Tom Cannon catches fans up on the state of the project and confirms the team is aiming for a 2025 release window. Furthermore, he stresses that there will be much more news on the project throughout this year, which may include "at-home playtesting." You can even register your interest for said play tests over at the game's official website.

Cannon further confirms that a 2XKO demo will be playable at EVO Japan happening in April, and hints that there will likely be more to follow. While it was still known as Project L, it was also playable at last year's EVO event in Las Vegas, so there's every chance it'll appear at this year's tournament, too.

Fan response to the reveal has been rather mixed, though. While most agree that 2XKO looks incredibly fun and stylish, many are caught up in the somewhat awkward naming convention.

"Final name is a bit awkward though. Feels more like a subtitle?" says one user on Twitter / X. Others are stating they feel it's a worse name than Project L. We have to wonder if Riot will reconsider the name if there's enough feedback pushing against it. As it stands, though, 2XKO seems like it's pretty set in stone.

2XKO will launch sometime in 2025 and will be free-to-play on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and PC.

Prepare for 2XKO by checking out our guide to the best fighting games, as well as our list detailing some of the best fight sticks you can play them with.

Riot Games is making around 530 staff redundant in a big shake-up that's going to see the company refocus, axing their Riot Forge publishing arm and changing development to Legends of Runeterra.

In an open letter to all staff that was published on the Riot Games website, CEO Dylan Jadeja - who stepped into the role in September 2023 - explained the layoffs, outlined the measures the company would be taking to support the employees made redundant, and also how these cuts will affect the company moving forwards. 

"Today, I’m sharing a decision we hoped we would never have to make at Riot. We’re changing some of the bets we’ve made and shifting how we work across the company to create focus and move us toward a more sustainable future," says the letter. "This decision means we’re eliminating about 530 roles globally, which represents around 11% of our workforce, with the biggest impact to teams outside of core development. This also sadly means we’ll be saying goodbye to many talented colleagues and friends across all areas of Riot." 

Jadeja does say that as CEO he's "accountable for the changes we’re making and where we’re headed in the future." Before laying out how that works, he put the blame on the company's diversification, saying: "We’ve made a number of big bets across the company with the goal of making it better to be a player. We jumped headfirst into creating new experiences and broadening our portfolio, and grew quickly as we became a multi-game, multi-experience company — expanding our global footprint, changing our operating model, bringing in new talent to match our ambitions, and ultimately doubling the size of Riot in just a few years."

Jadeja claims the company no longer has a sharp enough focus and has too many projects underway, leaving the company with "unsustainable" costs after significant investments that "didn't pay off in the way we [Riot Games] expected them to." 

Employees that are terminated will get six months of severance pay in addition to extra cash bonuses, including one based on their 2023 performance bonus and additional stipends around healthcare and internal Riot schemes. There are a few other benefits listed in the open letter, which you can read on the website. 

As part of these changes, Riot Games will also be shuttering its publishing arm Riot Forge, first announced in December 2019, after the upcoming release of The Bandle Tale: A League of Legends Story. In the letter, Jadeja writes: "We aren’t closing the door entirely on single-player experiences or working with other developers if the right project comes along, but we would want it to look pretty different in the future." 

The spinoff digital card game Legends of Runeterra will also be changing direction. Jadeja claims that Runeterra's development was being funded by other Riot titles, but that this is "not a viable option" any longer. The team will be reduced in size and development will shift focus to the Path of Champions PvE mode. 

In the post, Jadeja said that Riot was still committed to "League PC, VALORANT, TFT, Wild Rift, and to exploration in R&D." 

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Riot Games has revealed its next League of Legends champion and he's a brooding artist with a unique skill set.

During the annual League of Legends Worlds tournament held this weekend (November 19), the developer shared the first look at the MOBA's latest champion - Hwei, the Visionary (via Polygon).

Hwei is described as a young Ionian artist who uses his skills with a brush to execute numerous abilities, essentially making him a mage. 

The sad-looking painter isn't your usual champion with the typical QWER button moves and passive abilities. What's unique about Hwei is that on top of his ultimate R ability and passive, his Q, W, and E buttons open up different spell books, each containing three spells meaning he has 10 spells at his disposal. 

Hwei's kit looks a little overwhelming due to his complicated stack of abilities. His output focuses on damaging enemies by marking them for a few seconds and hitting them again with results in an explosion underneath them and dealing magic damage to those in range.

For the Q, W, and E lineup, each spellbook contains respective QWE skills, all with their own specialty. For instance, his Q is damage-based, while his W is generally more supportive, and his E - aka "Torment" - grants vision to allies and disrupts enemies.

The mage's ultimate ability is called "Spiraling Despair" and allows the player to launch magic, overwhelming any enemy it touches, while also dealing damage per second. Enemies will also be inflicted with stacks of Despair over time, applying a stacking slow effect. When completed, the spell shatters and deals a final burst of magic damage.

The full breakdown of Hwei's kit can be found on the official website. There's no release date for Hwei just yet, but we can expect him, along with new seasonal changes, to arrive with patch 13.24 sometime in early 2024.

For more, check out our Black Friday gaming deals guide for some of the best discounts on all things gaming, along with our Black Friday video game deals for some great offers. 

The League of Legends World Championship Finals, one of the largest esports events in the world, is set to be held at the O2 Arena next year in London, England.

The competition is the final stage of a full season of League of Legends esports and sees teams of finalists competing for the huge Summoner’s Cup trophy and an absolutely enormous prize pot. 

The news comes after the 2023 Mid-Season Invitational tournament, a smaller League of Legends competition, was held in the city at the Copper Box Arena - one of the venues built for the London 2012 Summer Olympics.

Although London has previously been home to other League of Legends World Championship events, this will be the first time the Final has been held in the city. Not only is this great news for local fans of League of Legends esports, but it also helps cement the UK as one the most important esports hubs in Europe.

“We’re thrilled to bring the World Final to the UK for the first time,” Naz Aletaha, the Global Head of League of Legends esports at Riot Games said in a statement. “Worlds is a global celebration of the best of League of Legends, and London’s rich history and modern metropolis is a perfect backdrop for the biggest stage in our sport.”

Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, also spoke positively about the tournament's impact: “It will bring together esports fans from across the globe and also showcase our capital’s cutting edge gaming industry. I will continue to do all I can to support esports development and growth in London, as we build a better London for everyone.”

The tournament takes place over a month with the Final itself on November 2, 2024 - tickets will go on sale next year (although the exact sale date is yet to be announced). Other dates, in addition to the hosting cities and venues for additional stages of the competition, are set to be announced “soon” via official social media channels.

Pick up some of the gear used by League of Legends pros for less with these top Black Friday gaming deals and Black Friday gaming chair deals.

The charming single-player story adventure from Tequila Works, Song of Nunu: A League of Legends story, has been scheduled to launch on Nintendo Switch,
and PC on November 1, 2023. In this enchanting adventure, you will go on a journey of a lifetime with Nunu and Willump, a duo that makes up one of the League of Legends champions, across the frozen landscapes of Frelijord, which is the perfect setting for its winter release. 

In addition to receiving a release date for later this year, Song of Nunu is also available to pre-order right now. Although digital copies are available, a physical collector’s edition is also available for purchase through the official Riot Games merchandise store, which includes a Willump plush and a Song of Nunu art book alongside various other merchandise perfect for a League of Legends fan. A digital art book will be gifted to those who pre-order from a digital storefront. 

In our preview, we described Song of Nunu as a “heartstring-tugging tale that leverages its League of Legends lore against an inventive suite of puzzles and some satisfying action platforming” so while the adventure does stray from a typical League of Legends experience, it’s a fantastic way for new players to understand the lore of the series through an alternative means. 

Alongside the announcement of Song of Nunu’s release date and pre-order availability, Riot Forge also announced an upcoming crafting RPG from Lazy Bear Works titled Bandle Tale: A League of Legends story which plans to transport players to the Bandle City. In this game, you’ll be challenged to rescue and reunite Bandle City’s inhabitants while completing quests, but we’re still waiting on more specific details regarding a release date for Bandle Tale.

If you want more story-driven titles to jump into, it’s worth checking out our list of the best story games. However, if you’re specifically looking for more Riot-adjacent projects in the works to add to your radar, you might want to turn your attention to everything we know about Riot’s Project L.

League of Legends fans can celebrate their love for the extremely popular MMO title with this brand-new themed gaming monitor from LG.

The limited-edition UltraGear OLED gaming monitor features League of Legends-themed designs and icons on both the external chassis and the interface. It also boasts a 27-inch screen, an incredibly high 240Hz refresh rate, and a speedy response rate of 0.03 milliseconds Gray-to-Gray (GTG). It also has a QHD (2560 x 1440) resolution OLED display, as well as supports HDR10, and covers 98.5% of the DCI-P3 color gamut.

According to LG, the monitor was developed with feedback from the community, which is clearly apparent from the high-end specs that are tailor-made for professional gamers (the fast refresh rate and low response times are especially useful for fast-paced competitive games). Also interesting to note is that the high color gamut also means that it doubles as a solid monitor for creative projects.

You can only purchase this gaming monitor from LG’s official online stores in the following countries starting today, 11 September: the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Spain, Sweden, Italy, Saudi Arabia, and South Korea. Those who preorder the monitor from the online store will receive three skin codes of popular League of Legends champions.

League of Legends is a hot IP 

It’s pretty common for there to be tie-in products with a popular video game, as profits are nearly guaranteed as long as said product isn’t a low-quality mess. However, it’s apparent that LG really has taken into account the needs of the League of Legends community, considering how tricked out the specs are - and this certainly makes sense since the community is well-known for being very local.

This isn’t the first high-profile partnership with League of Legends studio Riot Games either. Just recently, Coca-Cola gave the MMO its own flavor called Coca-Cola Ultimate. The product itself comes with several in-game bonuses including XP bonuses, as well as in-game emotes, and extra missions. However, the flavor is a true mystery, as it apparently "unlocks the taste of +XP for players" with no other description.

There’s also the upcoming League of Legends fighting game Project L, which was playable at EVO 2023 in August, marking the first time the fighting game was playable by the public. There were only four characters available for the demo — Ahri, Ekko, Darius, and Yasuo — with two more champions, Jinx and Illaoi, also confirmed for the title.

And who can forget the highly successful prequel anime on Netflix, Arcane, that builds on the lore and characters in a fresh new way?

Of course, its popularity also makes it a huge target for bad actors. Back in January 2023, hackers who targeted Riot Games announced that they were auctioning off source code for the MMO, demanding $10 million in ransom. However, Riot Games publicly announced it would not be paying.

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2XKO, formally known as Riot’s Project L, has been causing a stir since its initial announcement in 2021, and following the most recent name reveal we can finally start piecing together information about the release. We have collected a reasonable amount of information over the last few years which has let us begin to construct an idea of what we can expect from the game, especially now we know it'll launch next year. 

There is a mass of upcoming games worth keeping an eye on, which we would add 2XKO to, even with how vague the release window of 2025 seems right now. Still, we’re keeping a close eye since it could very well become one of the best fighting games when it does eventually see the light. Regardless of how limited information is right now, we’ve compiled all there is to know about the game and its content. Here’s everything we know so far.

2XKO - cut to the chase 

•  What is it? A free-to-play 2D League of Legends fighting game 
•  When can I play it? 2025
•  What can I play it on? PlayStation 5, Xbox Series S and X, and PC
•  Who makes it? Riot Games 

2XKO trailers

Even though we don’t have a lot of information about a 2XKO release date, we have received a few trailers and dev diaries for the game, so we can start to pick apart in-game content to construct an idea of what to expect when it does launch. The Project L - RiotX Arcane: Epilogue was the first official ‘trailer’ we received for the game, offering a little insight into what the game is, and a few characters we can expect to play as.

The combat we see is fairly basic, to begin with, but as we start to delve into the Right Foundation section, we see the tag mechanic in play for the first time alongside a breakdown of a few characters' movesets and inputs. We expect more information regarding the roster and their accompanying attacks to come out in due course as more general information comes out. The full video can be seen below:

Following this Epilogue, we’ve received several dev diaries to shed light on a few mechanics we can expect to see in-game. Duo Play was the second mechanic we received a spotlight on, providing us with the first look at how teams of two will face off against or alongside each other. Within the diary, we see these teams in action, alongside the fluidity of combat and the character selection screen. The full video can be seen below: 

Alongside the duo gaming insight, we also got a Devs Play Duos match which essentially covers the same features we saw in the Dev Diary but is a more honest representation of how the game will feel when we eventually get to play. The full, almost five-minute match can be seen below: 

2XKO story and setting

Whether there will be an overarching story mode to 2XKO is currently unknown. From what we have seen within Dev Diaries and the Epilogue trailer, it looks like it leans more toward a traditional arcade-like pick-up-and-play fighting game, but that’s not to say a story mode following each champion might not be implemented or in development.

Given how much we still have left to learn, we wouldn’t be surprised if a cinematic trailer introducing this mode comes later down the line, or given the game is free-to-play, a paid DLC to expand the story and add new champions to the roster. There’s a huge amount of potential for what 2XKO holds beyond what we know, it’s just a case of waiting for it to be announced. 

As for the setting, we’ve seen a handful of stages for each match from early development, including underneath an overpass and a sandy terrain. The full extent of stages and settings is yet to be revealed, alongside the full roster of champions you’ll be able to play as, but we’re pretty certain that numerous backdrops will be available on launch. 

2XKO gameplay

2XKO promises a 2D fighter experience, where you’ll be able to take control of a handful of League of Legends champions in a battle to K.O. your opponent first. As a three-button fighter, you’ll be able to string together a series of combos including special attacks without having to deal with any additional inputs as you’d need from a game like Tekken 8 or Street Fighter 6, making it slightly easier for those who aren’t confident in their combat. 

However, even if you’re going into the game with no prior fighting game experience, fights and movesets for the champions have been created to make the game as accessible as possible for players of all skill levels. Paired with its free-to-play approach, there’s a chance that 2XKO could become one of the best free games once launched, especially with how accessible it is for new fighter players. 

As we’ve seen in various Dev Diaries, and within the gameplay basics trailer as seen above, the tag-team mechanics will provide the best opportunity for you to get a feel of each champion, especially for those just starting out. Although defensive and offensive mechanics are balanced to make matches more accessible, the movesets of each champion mean you will still have to be on your a-game to pull off some of the technical combos in place.

Players who invest their time in mastering combos will be rewarded with special moves and new moves to bring out in matches, so even though the game utilizes a pick-up-and-play style, allowing players to have fun the second they join a game, there is motivation for practice and perfection. 

We’ve only seen a handful of playable champions on the 2XKO roster so far, but we expect this to change as more information regarding the game gets released. Within the Dev Diaries and the videos we have seen of matches, the same few champions have been used, so we know for sure that Ahri, Darius, Ekko, Illaoi, Jinx, and Katarina will be playable. Even though we’ve still got a lot to learn about which moves and special abilities each champion will bring to the table, the closer we get to a potential window, the more character spotlights we expect to see. 

2XKO news

Project L has officially been renamed 2XKO
Formally known as Riot's Project L, the official title for the 2v2 League of Legends fighting game has been revealed. Now titled 2XKO, referencing the 2v2 combat the game intends to offer, we finally know what the game is called rather than its project title, alongside the possibility of a 2025 release. 

Project L is playable as part of Worlds 2023 in Korea
For attendees of LoL Worlds 2023 in Korea, Riot's Project L is available to play. This is the second opportunity players have had to play the title, the previous being over 90 days prior at EVO 2023, but hopefully, that suggests the title is in a state where more players will be able to get ahold of it soon enough. 

Project L "How to Play" video published for EVO 2023
Following the announcement of a playable demo of Project L being at EVO 2023, a "How to Play Project L" video has been uploaded, showing the button layouts on both a controller and a fight stick, alongside how to attack and pull off certain combos for different champions. Although it's a relatively brief look at in-game combat, it still touches on the basics for those entirely new to the genre.

Project L demo available to play at EVO 2023
Two years after its initial announcement, a playable demo of Riot’s Project L is available to play at EVO 2023. Offering a limited roster of characters, it’s one of the first opportunities players have had to get ahold of the game and play, and while we still don’t have any information regarding a release date, a playable demo could mean we are slightly closer to getting at least a release window. 

Riot’s Project L announced as the first Riot-branded 2D fighting game
Riot has announced one of their in-development projects, ‘Project L’, a 2D fighting game with a roster of League of Legends champions. Although our knowledge of what exactly the game offers is pretty limited, and we are yet to receive a release window or any information on platforms, it’s still a long-awaited, highly anticipated addition to Riot’s library.  

With 2XKO on track to launch next year, it's a great chance to look at the best fight sticks to get your setup prepared. And if you're looking for other games to play with your pals before the release of 2XKO, check out the best MMOs and the best co-op games.

League of Legends fighting game Project L still doesn't have a release date or proper title attached to it, but it won't be long before you have a chance to play it for yourself.

That's because Riot Games' Project L, which is on our radar as a potential entry to our best fighting games list, will be playable at EVO 2023. The world's largest fighting game tournament event  takes place from August 3 - 6, and Project L's appearance there marks the first time the free-to-play 2v2 tag fighter has been open to the public. 

The demo will be limited to just four characters: Ahri, Ekko, Darius and an as-of-yet unannounced fourth champion. So it seems that other champions confirmed for Project L, including Jinx and Illaoi, aren't quite ready for prime time just yet.

The EVO 2023 announcement follows the release of a new Project L dev diary video, in which executive producer Tom Cannon confirms that co-op play is coming to the 2v2 tag fighter. That means two players can control one character each on a team, tagging in the other player when available.

"Duo Play works a bit like tag team wrestling," explains game director Shaun Rivera, "one player controls the champ on stage, and the other waits off-screen for their teammate to find the right moment to tag them in."

Rivera goes on to confirm that Project L "will support 1v1, 2v2, and even 2v1 matchups," adding that solo players can rest assured in that they'll still be able to control both champions on their team.

Up until now, Project L has only received annual updates on the game's development progress. Now, though, having a demo available at Evo 2023 suggests the rate at which Riot Games updates excited players could start to pick up. It'd certainly be great to see the stylish fighter find a spot at EVO 2024's main stage.

For more fighting game goodness, check out our Red Bull Kumite 2023 coverage, which includes conversations with pro players and who they think Street Fighter 6's strongest characters are, and why Capcom is cracking down on Hit Box-like controllers.

Riot Games is launching a special summer event across all of its Runeterra titles. 

Entitled Soul Fighters, the summer event will last for six weeks and take place across League of Legends, Teamfight Tactics, League of Legends: Wild Rift, and Legends of Runeterra. Starting July 20, the event takes inspiration from the best fighting games like Mortal Kombat 1 and Street Fighter 6 and promises a slew of new content including new game modes, skins, and gameplay features. 

Set in an alternate universe, the event follows the "Tournament of Souls", where beloved characters from the Runeterra universe will duke it out in a context organized by the mysterious God's Eye. According to the press release, competitors will "battle it out until there is only one standing." 

Andrei van Roon, head of League Studio elaborated on what to expect. “Arena, Soul Brawl, and Tag Duel will let players experience League of Legends, Teamfight Tactics, and Wild Rift, respectively, in new ways that we think bring something really fresh to the table. We can't wait to see what players think once they get their hands on them."

In addition to the slew of cosmetics and skins, the upcoming game modes look particularly promising. A new Arena mode is set to be added to League of Legends as part of the summer event and promises tight battles between four teams of two players across four different battlefields. League is also getting a new metagame where players can take on the role of Samira, a competitor in the Tournament of Souls, and gain reputation by playing games of League. Play enough games, and you'll be able to face new opponents and unlock new abilities for Samira in a "style-rating-focused combo battler". 

Teamfight Tactics will also be getting its own bespoke narrative experience, based in the Tournament of Souls universe, while Wild Rift will be introducing a Tag Duel mode which will allow players to switch champions on the fly. Legends of Runeterra doesn't seem slated to get any new modes, but will be getting a range of cosmetics as well as a brand-new event pass.  

The Runeterra universe is an increasingly ambitious project, encompassing some of the best strategy games out there. However, if you want to get stuck into Riot's flagship title, then we've got a League of Legends beginner's guide just for you.

Coca-Cola, in collaboration with Riot Games, has launched a new flavor inspired by the popular MOBA League of Legends. The drink launches today, June 7, worldwide in select stores throughout, starting with the US and Canada. It will be available until July 18. 

Officially known as Coca-Cola Ultimate, it's the first time in the long-running soda's history to officially partner up with an established gaming brand with the cross-promotion. It includes XP bonuses, as well as in-game emotes, and extra missions. Most interesting of all, though, is what's actually inside the can as the new flavor "unlocks the taste of +XP for players" according to the press statement. No description has been offered as to what this actually tastes like so your guess is as good as mine. 

Starting from today you'll be able to unlock unique in-game emotes by completing a series of in-game missions, and the first one is now live. There are a total of three to unlock including the Ultimate Teamplay emote, Ultimate Gains emote, and Ultimate Tempo emote. If you're someone who plays a lot of League of Legends and wants a new drink to slam while grinding through sessions then this could be for you; it's certainly a unique way to set yourself apart from other players. 

While this is far from the first time that video games have appeared front and center on a soft drink can, few promotions have come with their own dedicated flavor. In recent years Apex Legends has had a successful partnership with Monster Energy netting you in-game items for each ring pull code collected, but this is next level. If leveling up in Diablo 4 has taught me anything, it's that it tastes like XP tastes like desperation and suffering but your mileage may vary. 

The best free games in 2025 provide a crucial resource for those who love the pastime but don't enjoy spending large amounts of money after every new release.

Thankfully, there are tons of superb games that you can play for free. Many of these entries also grace our lists of best FPS games, the best RPGs, or the best multiplayer PC games. It just proves that if you're careful, you don't have to spend money to have fun.

However, it is important to understand that while these games are all free-to-play, some may include microtransactions or in-game purchases for optional content. This won't affect the fun, but it is worth knowing before you dive in.

So, if you're looking for something new to enjoy by yourself or with friends without cashing out any money, then check out this list, where we have gathered all the best free games that are worth playing.

Best free games 2025

Skate is back, and in Early Access for all players on a wide range of platforms. This time it's free to play, offering gamers the chance to jump in and try out the new open world skating game with very few strings attached. Skate is very different to its predecessors, with a slightly more cartoonish aesthetic, and a focus on live service elements. Still, the core is absolutely nailing the Skate feeling so far, with the actual skating feeling fun, and challenging to master alongside friends.

Skate will receive plenty of future updates, adding in new tricks, events and cosmetic items. It's still early days, but I'm really enjoying the world of Skate, and can't wait to see what the full release ends up feeling like. For now, Skate is a great free game to jump into with pals, with just the right mix of old and new, and a seriously good soundtrack to cap things off.

Overwatch 2 has really course corrected since its difficult launch. The main question that Blizzard had to answer was whether Overwatch 2 was necessary, whether one of the most influential games of all time really needed a sequel. Currently, it's in the process of answering that question, and all signs point to yes being the resounding answer echoed back by the players. A shot in the arm came from Marvel Rivals, which notably took up all of the air in the hero-shooter space late in 2024. Overwatch 2 has since returned fire, with the best run of seasons yet.

As players grow tired with other ongoing live service games, it appears that Overwatch 2 is the place they always return to. It's a flawless online experience, with a huge variety of characters that still feel distinct and original. The recent addition of Perks has really freshened things up, and the ranked meta is noticeably less toxic than in the lobbies of Overwatch 2's direct competitor. Better yet, it's free to play, and fairly welcoming to new players. Give this one a try, even if you've fallen off of Overwatch in the past.

Valorant is a surprisingly approachable tactical FPS, at least when compared to its competitors. By offering over 25 Agents to choose from, the game does a great job at encouraging experimentation, and at rewarding a variety of play styles. Whether you want to rack up kills, protect your teammates, or seek out opponents to mark them on the map, there's an option for you.

For a game with such a heavy competitive-focus, Valorant is also a great entry point for those looking to try out a more e-sports friendly game. It's free too, and you'll unlock a handful of Agents from the get-go. Unlock more just by playing to get a wider selection, each with their own abilities and skills. If you're into shooting games, the thrilling 5v5 matches of Valorant are sure to keep you busy for a while.

Destiny 2 now features a frankly dizzying amount of content. Thanks to years and years of updates from Bungie, including 2024's excellent The Final Shape, players have been coming back again and again to continue the story. It's a real achievement when you consider just how much has been added on top of the base game, with the base experience even being free-to-play these days.

As an FPS, Destiny 2 is absolutely fantastic, providing a modernized version of what Bungie accomplished with the Halo series. Destiny 2 is a very different beast to the studio's early work, however, paving the way for games as a service and the rise of always-evolving online experiences. Destiny 2 is one of the ones to really get this new model right, using post-launch updates to further an ongoing story, and give players new reasons to play.

Marvel Rivals has seen huge success since launching at the tail end of 2024. With 39 Heroes to choose from, each with distinct abilities and play-styles, there's plenty to keep you busy as you get to grips with the flow of the game. Essentially, this is a more action-packed Overwatch, with added character variety, largely in the form of melee brawlers. As you push the payload and hold objectives, you'll need to work with your team, filling your role and adapting to the other team's composition.

If that all sounds a bit much for you, worry not! Marvel Rivals is a very easy game to enjoy as a more casual gamer. Characters like Punisher are perfect for beginners, with a third-person shooting style of play. If you're not feeling one Hero, however, you can simply jump to another, and there's plenty of depth with each one for those looking for a more competitive edge.

Brawlhalla is a hidden gem, one that can be picked up for free on a whole host of platforms. Nowadays, there's a huge roster of characters to choose from, including tie-ins like SpongeBob, Darth Maul and even WWE resellers like Xavier Woods and John Cena. With these characters come themed stages to battle around, and an awesome soundtrack to keep things bumping.

There's real care put into each and every fighter in Brawlhalla, and several different play-styles to master. Unlike other platform fighters, Brawlhalla offers a silky smooth online experience, meaning you can easily jump in with up to eight players online. There's casual, ranked and private matches to choose from, and loads of options to cater your experience.

Counter-Strike 2 takes the iconic FPS and gives it a much needed spruce up. In the process, CS:GO has been shuttered, but there's still plenty to love here. If you're a newbie, it's well worth trying out CS2, given how it's been subtly modernized to be more in line with its competitors. It is an inherently difficult game to learn, however, so be aware that it may take a little while for the game to click fully.

The great thing about CS2 is that it's free to play, meaning you can try it out and see for yourself whether it's for you. Ultimately, this is a very pure FPS experience, where skilled players will excel.

Warzone is still trucking along, managing to stay competitive with its major rivals Fortnite and Apex Legends (more on those later). In terms of gunplay, it's the best in the business, integrating excellent sound design, and a wide range of weaponry to choose from. While it's gone through a few different versions over the years, the main thing keeping the game fresh these days is the introduction of new modes and maps. There's also annual major updates to bring it in-line with the Call of Duty game coming out that year, the latest being Black Ops 6.

Whether you want the slow and methodical pace of the full Battle Royale mode, or something snappier in Rebirth Island, there's plenty for players to enjoy here. Unlike other Call of Duty games, it's also free to play, making it easy to try out for yourself. There are micro transactions galore, however, so be aware that there's a lot of pressure to spend your real money once you load into the game.

Rocket League presents a combination of arcade-style soccer and vehicular chaos in a bright, frantic battle to be the best team. Putting you in a 1v1, 2v2, or 3v3 battles, you will need to learn how to master the simple controls and use each environment to your advantage to score goals before the timer runs out.

With regularly changing seasons, Rocket League offers in-game cosmetic items for your vehicle to unlock as you progress, alongside several game modes to work toward. For a casual player, there are plenty of opportunities to play matches either with your friends or online, but if you're looking for more competition, ranked game modes let you put your skills to the test.

Path of Exile is a fantastic action RPG set in a dark fantasy world. Within this title, you'll be challenged with playing as one of seven classes that you will need to master in order to fight your way through ancient Gods and evil forces.

As you battle your way through the game, you'll unlock new skills and collect randomly generated items to assist your journey through various dungeons, caves, and outdoor areas. Up to six players can play together, too, making it one of the best co-op games if you're looking for a multiplayer experience without breaking the bank.

For players looking for a tense battle royale, Fortnite ticks every box. Esteemed as one of the best shooters, you'll battle online against up to 100 players with a variety of weapons and gear at your disposal. As the storm closes in, you'll need to protect yourself from the environment while chipping away at your competitors in order to come out on top.

Constant updates also keep the in-game content exciting, and new weapons, locations, and events are hosted to keep you engaged. Whether you want to play solo or experience the title with a squad of up to four players, Fortnite is worth picking up if you haven't already.

Apex Legends offers a tense, team-based experience if you want a more tactical shooter. Offering a variety of heroes to select from, all boasting different skills to utilize when facing your enemies, you'll need to navigate different maps and work efficiently as a team to get the most kills before the end of a round.

There are also various game modes that you can enjoy. Whether you love the chaotic violence of Battle Royale or just want an arena to show off your skills, there's Team Deathmatch, Control, and Gun Run.

Apex Legends is constantly being upgraded with quality-of-life improvements as well as various new heroes and expansions to the lore, so it's a great free-to-play game to jump into at any time.

In this charming, brightly-colored platformer, you can up to 60 players go head-to-head in a variety of obstacle courses in a frantic competition to win the crown. Throwing in a mix of team-based mini-games, fast-paced puzzles, and a lot of platforming luck, Fall Guys is a slice of friendly competition worth playing if you need a pick-me-up you don't have to pay for.

There are a variety of game modes and events to take part in, alongside a standard 'show' which you can face either alone or in a squad of up to four players, meaning there's always fresh content to enjoy with your fellow beans.

The Finals is a new multiplayer FPS games which sees groups of three enter a virtual arena which is changeable. The end goal is to make it through escalating tournaments right to the very end, with lasting fame as your prize.

The fast-paced action in The Finals, as well as various builds and destructible environments, make it an excitingly unique experience. It also encourages building gameplans and coordination amongst your playgroup, meaning you can put a unique spin on the action.

If you're looking to jump on a new FPS with your mates and don't want to commit any cash to the cause yet, then this is a fantastic option.

Honkai: Star Rail is a gacha space fantasy RPG, with a huge variety of eclectic characters to collect, and tense, turn-based combat. There's a huge world for you to explore, and elements of dungeon-crawling keep you and your in-game companions on your toes. You'll need to make sure the characters you've chosen to accompany your journey are as strong as possible to prevent your team from getting knocked down by the enemies you're bound to meet along the way.

If you're looking for one of the best RPGs to sink your time into which typically strays from the tense competition of free games like Fortnite and Valorant, Honkai: Star Rail might be worth trying out.

If you're hunting for an exciting mobile game, Marvel Snap is the perfect addition to any card game lovers' library. This strategic card collector offers you a deck inspired by Marvel characters with different powers and abilities you'll need to harness to outsmart your opponent to come out on top. It takes minutes to learn, yet there are hours of fun embedded in its vibrant animations and exciting mechanics.

Each match lasts three minutes, so the game is incredibly pick up and play when it suits you. In addition, success is rewarded through new cards to help bulk out your roster with the best characters in the MCU. Marvel Snap is also available on PC if you wanted a slightly larger screen to play on.

League of Legends takes the cake as one of the best team-based games, putting two teams of five against each other in a desperate attempt to protect their side of the map. Although the premise is pretty simple, the excitement comes through its cast of over 150 unique champions with different playstyles and abilities which help you become the most powerful team on the field.

Because of how many champions there are to choose from, you'll be able to find a character to suit how you like to play, and in-game events alongside alternative game modes will keep things fresh no matter how many hours you pour into it. The bustling community of League of Legends players means there's always a team waiting for you, too.

The Sims 4 is one of the best social simulation games, and since October 2022, it's entirely free to play. Use your creativity to bring characters to life, build houses, develop relationships, and watch your virtual family thrive. Although the entire game is single-player, you'll quickly find yourself slipping into Willow Creek or Oasis Springs for hours on end.

Of course, if you're looking to take your experience one step further with expansion packs and DLC you'll need to start paying, but the base game still has hundreds of hours worth of content to keep you and your Sims family entertained.

Best free games 2025: FAQ

How we made our best free games list

Our list of the best free games is designed to show the variety of free games across all platforms, and how there are multiple games you can enjoy without having to buy any additional content.

Our team of experts at TechRadar Gaming has spent hundreds of hours testing the best free games so we know which ones to recommend, whether that's going head-to-head for the crown in Fall Guys, or pouring thousands of hours into Fortnite. We've ensured both experts and new players have been diving into different genres as well to see how the user experience is for players with all sorts of backgrounds.

Because of this, we've tried to include everything from tactical shooters to social simulators in our list of the best. In addition, we've included titles that can either be enjoyed solo or with a couple of friends for those game nights where you can't decide on what to play.

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