League of Legends: Arcane Season 2 is about to premiere. Thanks to an invitation from Riot Games, GamerSky got an exclusive first look at the first episode at Riot’s Los Angeles campus. Alongside other media outlets, we interviewed Arcane producer Christian Linke to ask him some pressing questions on fans’ and viewers’ minds. Now that the embargo has lifted, let’s take a look!
Note: The following content may contain spoilers. Please proceed with caution.
Q: Does the team intend to convey the “aesthetic of violence” in the animation?
Christian Linke (hereafter Linke): Anime is often seen as something for kids, but that’s no longer the case in today’s world. We wanted to make animation more accessible to a broader age range, making it more open.
Q: What kind of storyline can players look forward to in Season 2?
Linke: We’ll be exploring how Piltover and Zaun coexist, and we’ll see Caitlyn searching for her own path and purpose.
Q: The first season focused on Jinx’s story, with Piltover playing more of a background role. Will Season 2 continue Jinx and Vi’s storyline?
Linke: Season 1 was told from Jinx’s perspective, but for Season 2, we’ll explore Vi’s perspective. While we’ll revisit some parts of the previous story, we won’t be limited to a single protagonist. We might freely choose a different character’s viewpoint to tell the story.
Q: How would you evaluate Linkin Park’s contribution to Arcane’s soundtrack?
Linke: We wanted a musical peak to match the climax of the storyline, so we brought in a professional band to deliver a high-quality soundtrack. Mike added his unique touches to it, but I can’t speak for him on what exactly. Hopefully, fans can find their own interpretations within the music.
Q: How did the team decide which game characters to include in Arcane?
Linke: Since the script was built around a sister theme, we chose Jinx and Vi as our central characters. For the dual-city focus, we needed Piltover to have a ‘brotherhood,’ which brought in Jayce and Viktor. We needed Hextech, so Heimerdinger came into the picture, and for Piltover’s law enforcement, we added Caitlyn. Our choices weren’t based on any strict goals—just selecting heroes that fit naturally into the story.
Q: Season 1 was full of conflict and tension. What will be the central theme of Season 2?
Linke: (laughs) Was there even conflict in Season 1? Every character will be dealing with redemption in Season 2. After the ending of Season 1, they’re left with guilt or darker feelings, and each of them will need to find their path to redemption.
Q: Season 1 received significant viewer feedback. Will Season 2 make any adjustments based on this feedback?
Linke: We considered as much viewer feedback as possible, but some things are hard to change. For instance, we just couldn’t turn Silco into a good guy, unfortunately.
Q: Could you share stories of other regions within the Arcane world, such as Noxus?
Linke: We’re excited about including more in Arcane, but we have to keep the plot focused and not introduce too many elements. World-building on a panoramic level is challenging, so we centered the story through Piltover and Zaun’s perspectives.
Q: Lastly, is there anything you’d like to say to the fans and players?
Linke: Growing up in Germany, I received a lot of musical education, so I hope viewers will appreciate some of the surprises in the soundtrack for Season 2. I also hope Season 2 will help Arcane become even more global, allowing more people to truly enjoy it. Please feel free to give feedback and suggestions on how we can improve.
Season 2, Episode 1 is packed with story. Piltover, reeling from devastating events, faces reconstruction, while upper-level disagreements threaten to divide it. Caitlyn, now motherless, must find her way. These events lead Vi to join the Enforcers, aiming to track down Jinx—will the sisters break ties completely? And as the Undercity takes the first strike, could even harsher plans be in store? Without giving too much away, the intense, intertwined plot and stunningly fitting soundtrack bring us right back into Arcane’s world. Season 2 is worth the wait!
