Arcane, the hit Netflix series set in Riot's League of Legends universe, is getting a home entertainment release (including 4K Blu-ray) later this year.
In a press release, GKIDS, the indie distributor behind The Boy and the Heron's upcoming physical media release, revealed it had picked up the global videogram and digital transactional rights (excluding China) to season one of Arcane, with "a full product array" ranging from digital to premium editions, including a 4K version.
To celebrate the announcement, GKIDS and Riot shared the artwork for the physical release that will hit shelves at some point this year. The image features several familiar faces from the animated series, including League of Legends mainstays Jinx and Vi, whose relationship is central to the show's plot.
"GKIDS is thrilled to be partnering with our friends at Riot to bring the global hit series Arcane to fans worldwide," said GKIDS founder and CEO Eric Beckman. "We are MONSTER fans of the series, and our team is having a blast collaborating with the creatives at Riot and Fortiche to put together an amazing package for the fans. This project was dreamt up on the lawn by the lake at Annecy, so we are extra happy to be able to announce this collaboration at the festival and true home of animation."
The first season of Arcane premiered in November 2021 to widespread critical acclaim. IGN gave the show a rave review, calling it "a masterpiece," with "compelling characters, an endearing story, and fascinating lore and worldbuilding, as well as striking visuals that break new ground for what is possible in TV animation."
Arcane also became the first streaming series to take home an Emmy for Outstanding Animated Program while triumphing in three other categories. It also swept the Annie Awards, which honors excellence in animation, with nine wins, including an award for Best Mature Animated Television Broadcast Production.
Following the end of the first season, Netflix and Riot Games announced that a second season was in production. Arkane Season 2 debuts in November. A teaser for the sophomore run seemingly confirmed a major fan theory about where the show is heading, and some fans are even theorizing that a time jump could be on the cards.
Whatever lies ahead, Arcane fans can rest assured that the series is going to be preserved in a physical format, joining the likes of Netflix's Wednesday, Hulu's Prey, and WandaVision, Loki, and The Mandalorian (which were the first Disney+ shows to secure a disc release but later expanded to include several more titles).
More and more streaming titles are trickling through to the physical media market, but there are still plenty of streaming originals IGN would like to see on disc.
Adele Ankers-Range is a freelance entertainment writer for IGN. You can follow her on X/Twitter here.
