Vi looking intensely at the camera in front of an orange background in Arcane's intro
By
Dhruv Sharma
Published Feb 22, 2026, 9:15 PM EST
Dhruv is a Lead Writer in Screen Rant's New TV division. He has been consistently contributing to the website for over two years and has written thousands of articles covering streaming trends, movie/TV analysis, and pop culture breakdowns.
Before Screen Rant, he was a Senior Writer for The Cinemaholic, covering everything from anime to television, from reality TV to movies.
After high school, he was on his way to become a Civil Engineer. However, he soon realized that writing was his true calling. As a result, he took a leap and never looked back.
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Video game adaptations are rarely as good as their source material, but one Netflix steampunk series almost achieves the impossible by outshining its original game.
For a long time, on-screen adaptations of video games were not taken too seriously, leading them to being subpar shadows of their source material. Fortunately, this trend has significantly changed in recent years, especially on the small screen. Video game adaptations like The Last of Us and Fallout have proven that not all shows derived from hit games have to be disappointing.
One 2-season steampunk show on Netflix is an even better example of how small-screen game adaptations are evolving and, at times, even proving to be better than their source.
Netflix’s Arcane Is A Rare Game Adaptation That Beats Its Source Material
Netflix's Arcane seems to rewrite the lore behind several original game characters to make them feel more 3-dimensional. For instance, Jayce went from being a static, arrogant character in the game to becoming a vulnerable and politically naive idealist who believes he is serving the greater good. Similarly, Viktor primarily falls into the "mad scientist" archetype in the game, but becomes one of the most tragic characters in the Netflix sci-fi show.
Even when it comes to the overarching world-building in the Netflix game adaptation, it ensures its world feels lived-in and relatable by connecting Piltover and Zaun through a hard-hitting class struggle.
Unlike most game adaptations, Arcane also manages to strike the right balance between pleasing the ones familiar with the games and drawing in viewers who know nothing about the franchise. Apart from this, Arcane also does not shy away from adding new characters, like Silco, to the mix.
This gives it a more unifying and compelling villain for the Piltover/Zaun region, adding a layer of political drama to the overarching story.
Why Netflix Has Still Not Renewed Arcane For Season 3
Jinx looking over her shoulder and grinning in Arcane
Arcane has not been canceled on Netflix. Ending it after two seasons was a creative choice made by its creators, Christian Linke and Alex Yee. Considering the show's worldwide success on Netflix, its creators could have bloated its story and leveraged its growing popularity. However, in the long run, that would have likely diminished its overall storytelling quality.
Subscribe for smart takes on Arcane and game adaptations
Get the newsletter for deep, thoughtful coverage of game-to-screen adaptations like Netflix's Arcane — analysis of character rewrites, worldbuilding, and what makes some shows surpass their source material. Subscribe for more informed perspectives. Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.The Netflix steampunk adaptation's season 2 ends on a fairly satisfying note with almost every primary character getting a well-rounded closure. Owing to this, Arcane does not need another season, which explains why it has not been renewed.
Fortunately, the Netflix series has high rewatch value and can be revisited by viewers who enjoyed watching it the first time.
Arcane
TV-14
Animation
Drama
Action
Fantasy
9/10
244
9.3/10
Release Date
2021 - 2024
Network
Netflix
Cast
Hailee Steinfeld, Ella Purnell, Kevin Alejandro, Jason Spisak, Toks Olagundoye, Harry Lloyd, Katie Leung, JB Blanc, Shelby Young, Reed Shannon, Amirah Vann, Mia Sinclair Jenness, Yuri Lowenthal, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Roger Craig Smith, Miles Brown, MIYAVI, Fred Tatasciore, Erica Lindbeck, Krizia Bajos, Bill Lobley, Brett Tucker, Kimberly Brooks, Faustino Duran
Showrunner
Christian Linke
Directors
Barth Maunoury, Marietta Ren, Christelle Abgrall
Writers
Amanda Overton, Nick Luddington, Mollie Bickley St. John, Ben St. John, Giovanna Sarquis, Henry G.M. Jones
Franchise(s)
League of Legends
Main Genre
Animation
Executive Producer(s)
Christian Linke, Brandon Beck, Thomas Vu, Marc Merrill, Jane Chung, Brian Wright, Melinda Wunsch Dilger, Arnaud Delord, Alex Yee, Pascal Charrue
Seasons
2
Streaming Service(s)
Netflix
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Subscribe for smart takes on Arcane and game adaptations
Get the newsletter for deep, thoughtful coverage of game-to-screen adaptations like Netflix's Arcane — analysis of character rewrites, worldbuilding, and what makes some shows surpass their source material. Subscribe for more informed perspectives. Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime. Trending Now
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