RiotX Arcane
ART DIRECTOR
RIOT GAMES / RIOT XP
RiotX Arcane is Riot Games' first cross-product, digital/live event hybrid that encompasses 5 games, multiple IPs, esports, exclusive partnerships, and live activations in celebration of the release of the Arcane animated series on Netflix and the company's expansion into broader entertainment.
Teams across Riot Games all activated Arcane-themed content, launched new products, or announced projects and partnerships for a fully synergistic event that engaged the entire Riot Games eco-system, a historical first for the company.
As Senior Art Director of the Riot XP Team, I established the RiotX branding system and oversaw its implementation across the entire Riot Games organization. I supervised all visual and branded executions across print, digital, social, A/V, live events, broadcast, and partnerships.
Announcement Trailer
RiotX Arcane was announced on November 1st, 2021 and revealed the massive cross-product event that would span across 5 games in celebration of the impending release of Arcane on Netflix.
Branding
The RiotX Arcane event consisted of two phases, Progress Days and Undercity Nights, each corresponding to the story arcs of Arcane.
The aesthetics of the event were intertwined with the show’s narrative and themes: Progress Days marked the beginning of the event and was inspired by Piltover, while Undercity Nights coincided with Zaun.
Key Art
Event Key Art featured characters from various games with particular emphasis on Arcane protagonists, Jinx and Vi. During Undercity Nights, the Key Art evolved to include more characters and newly acquired IPs into the mix, referring to the expansion and evolution of Riot Games and its product offerings.
Promotional Assets
All game products utilized RiotX Arcane branded imagery within their social media accounts, in-game screens, websites, and other channels for a holistic experience. Each game property highlighted Arcane-themed content, announced new features and improvements, and launched new game modes.
Riot Games’ corporate channels were leveraged to promote the event, new acquisition announcements, and innovative partnerships, further emphasizing the company’s growing product ecosystem and expansion into new forms of media.
Event Trailers for Progress Day and Undercity Nights showcased the in-game content, rewards, and partnerships of each phase, and teased audiences on what to expect.
World of RiotX Arcane
For the first time in the company’s history, the RiotX Arcane event featured an immersive, narrative-driven digital experience that brought together all of Riot Games’ IPs in one place.
Audiences navigated through an interactive story involving their favorite characters and locales from Arcane, League of Legends, Legends of Runeterra, League of Legends: Wild Rift, Teamfight Tactics, and VALORANT, and were rewarded with exclusive gifts and achievements.
Undercity Nights Live Event
The RiotX Arcane event concluded with an explosive live event in Los Angeles that transported audiences to the raucous streets of Zaun.
The finale event featured gaming tournaments, live music and entertainment, concession stands, an Zaun-themed arcade with traditional and VR games, plush viewing rooms, and live art. Event-goers played their favorite games against Riot Games developers while mingling with the cast and creators of Arcane, influencers, and various creatives from around the world.
Musical acts included Pusha T, Bones UK, Mako, and PVRIS.
Fans from around the world tuned in on Twitch and Youtube.
All photos are property of Riot Games
Outcomes
World of RiotX Arcane: 29M+ global players with 34M+ missions completed
8.6M+ views of promotional videos on Youtube
Contributors
Creative Directors: Dan Maxwell & Spencer Donald
Art Director: Jane Lim
Designers: Martin Berggren & Ariel Hunt
Brand Managers: Mia Putrino, Brandon Miao
Producer: Megan Pulver
Design Partners: Loyal Kaspar, Thinking Box
Event Partner: Redrock Entertainment