{"id":54503,"date":"2024-03-22T16:19:08","date_gmt":"2024-03-22T20:19:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/digital.hec.ca\/?p=54503"},"modified":"2024-03-24T20:25:28","modified_gmt":"2024-03-25T00:25:28","slug":"riot-games-arcanes-marketing-masterpiece","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/digital.hec.ca\/en\/blog\/riot-games-arcanes-marketing-masterpiece\/","title":{"rendered":"Riot Games : Arcane’s marketing masterpiece"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

It’s almost April 2024, which means season 2 of Riot Games’ Arcane series is just over 6 months away! The first Arcane installment was released in 2021 and was a huge success. Thanks to this success, League of Legends and therefore Riot have won over new audiences. Here’s a look back at a marketing campaign that reflects Riot’s famous competitiveness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Arcane
\u00a9Arcane on Netflix<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A leader in the video game industry<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Even if you’re not a video game fan, as long as you’ve had wi-fi even once, the name League of Legends shouldn’t be unfamiliar to you. However, you may not be familiar with the game itself, so here’s a quick reminder. League of Legends is a very complex game, but to sum it up, it’s a multiplayer PC game that pits two teams against each other in 5 versus 5 on a map. The aim is to destroy the opponent’s base before it destroys yours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Its creator, Riot Games was founded in 2006 to create games and experiences that make it better to be a player. In 2009, they launched their debut title, League of Legends, which has gone on to be one of the most-played PC games in the world. In the years since, they are released VALORANT, Teamfight Tactics, Legends of Runeterra, and League of Legends: Wild Rift. Riot\u2019s games within the League of Legends universe have garnered over 600 million players globally in the past decade. To give you an idea, Riot games will generate 1.5 billion in revenues in 2022 ! The company states that its main objective is “to be the most player-centric gaming company in the world”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"League
\u00a9League of Legends,\u00a0the game map<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

An Esport pioneer<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Riot Games, and League of Legends in particular, is so popular not only because of its players, but also because of its international scene. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, the company’s impact goes beyond just game development, it manages global esports leagues, notably the esteemed League of Legends Championship Series. These competitions have elevated gaming to the status of a professional sport, attracting significant investments from well-known team owners and staging high-profile events.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You might think that the sport whose popularity is skyrocketing is soccer, basketball or football, but it’s esport. Indeed, Statista, a data analysis company, reports that around 270 million spectators watched video game competitions last year, with projections of 323 million by 2025. The esports scene, part of a $287 billion gaming industry, is itself valued at $3 billion and forecasts an annual growth rate of 8.31%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"League
\u00a9League of Legends Worlds Championship<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A free-to-play business model with substantial revenues<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The brand has taken a risky gamble by making its free game available for download and only offering revenues from subsidiaries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The brand boldly ventured into the free-to-play model, earning through add-ons. Transitioning to microtransactions League of Legends rakes in $31 per second, summing up to $2.64 million daily. Crucially, unlike many that shift to “pay-to-win games”, League preserves game integrity, offering solely cosmetic purchases..<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Business
\u00a9Business Model Canvas from Riot Games, by businessmodelanalyst<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A captivating universe with strong characters<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With more than 160 playable characters known as champions, each with their own story, League of Legend offers strong characters. The universe is vast and has its own map of the world. What’s more, each region has its own story and its own associated characters. In this way, players can better identify with the characters they are playing and become attached to them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Riot Games, a company that listens to its players<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

For gamers, this sentence may make you smile, because you have the impression that you’re not being listened to when it comes to balancing the game. However, Riot Games is trying to please the majority and is making every effort to listen to players’ opinions, as the release of Arcane proves. Indeed, many players, seeing the quality of the game’s cinematics, have been calling for a League of Legends series to be released for several years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Riot
\u00a9Riot Games<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Arcane, the marketing masterpiece by Riot Games<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Here we are at last, Arcane’s appearance in 2019. In 9 episodes and 3 weeks, the programme has become one of the most watched in the world, ahead of Games of Thrones. Arcane has also become the most watched series on Netflix, rivalling the Korean phenomenon “Squid Game”. And that’s just the beginning!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Produced by Riot Games in collaboration with Fortiche Production, Arcane is a masterpiece. The story and the animation not only appealed to players, but also to those unfamiliar with the game’s universe. So, this has raised awareness of the licence and encouraged people to play the game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Arcane tells the story of Vi and Jinx, two rival sisters from “League of Legends”. In a tale of betrayal and growth, it depicts their divergent evolution in Piltover, the city of light, and Zaun, the city of shadow. The series tackles serious subjects such as poverty, politics and the consequences of human ambition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"VI
\u00a9VI and Jinx of Arcane<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A high-quality sound universe<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Beyond the visual aspect, Arcane’s sound universe is an unqualified success. The series’ theme song is Imagine Dragons’ Enemy. As for the voice actors, big stars such as Hailee Steinfield and Ella Purnell have been called in. Enemy is a piece of music you have probably already heard, and it was number one on the platforms when Arcane was released. Once again, it’s an Arcane-related success story, and one that’s helping to get the word out about Riot and its game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Arcane links League of Legends to elements outside the game that everyone knows. That is Riot’s marketing success !<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Enemy
\u00a9Enemy video clip by Imagine Dragons<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Riot : Marketing leverage through partnerships<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Thanks to its success, the series has opened up some very interesting avenues for the connection between the different worlds of entertainment and for innovative marketing approaches.
In addition to the hype surrounding the show, characters from the series are also making appearances in other video games. Jinx, for example, is appearing in Fortnite, where a complete outfit has been added to the game’s item shop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition, many new players appeared on League of Legends after the series was released.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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