On Jan. 21, the LEC announced Montpellier will be the host city for the Season Finals, adding fuel to the already fired-up League of Legends fanbase in France. Along with the details surrounding the “biggest event in the Riot Esports EMEA calendar,” a nod to Arcane and its production team was made, sparking hopes the League animation series would somehow be featured in the event.
Two years after its debut, Arcane’s success still resonates in the League community and beyond, with fans from all over the world eagerly awaiting any information about the future of the series.
Montpellier is also where part of the Arcane production team Fortiche Production is based, and according to LEC commissioner Artem Bykov, it would be “silly” for the LEC not to collaborate “in one way or another” with Fortiche.
“To be frank, there is no kind of big agenda or reason that connects Fortiche being in Montpellier and us going there,” Bykov told Dot Esports. While nothing concrete can be shared at the moment, the LEC commissioner confirmed they’re exploring the option of collaborating with Fortiche—though nothing is set in stone yet.
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After attending the first creative brainstorming around the LEC Roadshow, Bykov recognized the bar the LEC set with the 2022 Summer Finals in Malmö is “very high.” Nonetheless, the LEC will hope to surpass it with this year’s event.
As part of the global brand campaign that brought Arcane into the world in 2021, Riot held events across the globe. From Paris to Dubai, London, Singapore, and Los Angeles, Arcane-themed stores and sites were created for fans to explore Piltover and Zaun. Pop-up museums of Hextech artifacts and props from the show appeared across Europe at the time of the series release, as well as watch parties in movie theaters and photo booths with cosplayers.
Similar events could potentially be held around the upcoming LEC finals, possibly at the LEC EXPO, a fan area full of team booths and League merch which was also seen in Malmö last year.
While nothing is locked in yet, LEC fans can expect a “new amazing show” in Montpellier. But that’s not what the LEC commissioner is most excited about. “I know from experience how passionate French esports and gaming fans are. So I’m really looking forward to seeing how they will energize the arena and show their passion for the game,” he said.
If the LEC succeeds in bridging the gap between the two worlds—the League animated show and the game’s competitive scene—it would be a feat that would attract more than just esports fans
