Arcane scoops 2 Emmy nods for Riot Games after breakout first Netflix season

Smash-hit League of Legends series Arcane has been nominated for two Creative Arts Emmy Awards following its record-breaking debut season on Netflix that introduced wider audiences to Jinx, Vi, and the world of Runeterra.

Arcane will lock horns with juggernaut franchises like Marvel, Rick & Morty, and The Simpsons for the top animated gong at the creative awards in September.

The breakout League series will also do battle with Cobra Kai, HBO’s cult hit Barry, What We Do In The Shadows, Love Death + Robots, and Ted Lasso in “Outstanding Sound Editing For A Comedy Or Drama Series.” The latter of its Emmys rivals scored a bumper 20 nominations⁠—a record for the awards show.

Bookies carry Arcane as a favorite for “Outstanding Animated Program.”

Arcane tells the story of sisters Vi and Powder (eventually “Jinx”). Released in three-episode slices on Netflix, the Fortiche animation series explored their separation and the impact it had on twin steampunk cities Piltover and Zaun.

Related: Good news Arcane fans, Season 2 still coming despite Netflix cuts

The nine-episode run dominated online discourse in 2021 and quickly bowled down several Netflix streaming records. The League story received rave reviews from viewers and critics alike and has since become the blueprint for Riot in regards to a cinematic universe. A second season was greenlit in early November.

Riot put forward Arcane’s sixth episode, “When These Walls Come Tumbling Down,” for nomination. Vi and Jinx finally reunited in the heartbreaking Part Two finale.

Earlier this year, Arcane cleaned house at the Annie Awards in a huge haul for League of Legends. The show’s first season claimed “Best Animated Television Production” as well as gongs for animated effects, character animation, character design, directing, production design, storyboarding, and writing.

Ella Purnell, who played an older Jinx, won for voice acting.

Interestingly enough, Purnell and fellow cast members Hailee Steinfeld (Vi), Kevin Alejandro (Jayce), Katie Leung (Caitlyn), Jason Spisak (Silco), Harry Lloyd (Viktor), JB Blanc (Vander), and Reed Shannon (Ekko) were left off the Emmy billing. The show also failed to net more than one technical nomination.

The Fortiche series won for sound editing at the 2021 Golden Reel Awards in March and was crowned best animated TV series at the British Film Editors Awards.