Should Riot Games Stop Making Other Games Related to Runeterra?

Riot Games and Riot Forge have released a bunch of games in the past few years, with their titles receiving a lot of popularity due to their relation with the Runeterra universe. Almost all of their titles are games related to Runeterra or their characters, with the exception of Valorant which only shares a name with a region in the world but has received a lot of popularity. This begs the question on whether or not Riot Games should start making games outside of the League of Legends universe.

Riot Forge Games

Riot Forge is a video game publishing company, directly under Riot Games and aims to distribute the Runeterra Universe to minor video game developers, giving them a world to build their game around that’s filled with an already established storyline and a myriad of characters available for use. Here are some other games related to Runeterra that the company is planning to release in the near future.

1. Song of Nunu

As the name suggests, Song of Nunu focuses on the story of Nunu and Willump, two adventurers who travel the Freljord to solve puzzles and fight against enemies together. The game is an open-world adventure game, that is a genre receiving a lot of popularity among the gaming community in the past year. Video game companies have been capitalizing on the hype and it seems, Riot Forge isn’t one to back down.

This is the first big game that Riot Forge is planning to release ever since it’s establishment under Riot Games and many fans of the series are looking forward to seeing if they are able to create a title that’s fun to play without it feeling like a generic game. Of course, we still need to take a look at how it actually plays since we’ve only received a few teasers and trailers that showcases its general gameplay.

2. CONV/RGENCE

CONV/RGENCE is another League of Legends game featuring Ekko’s adventure in the Undercity of Zaun. The game is a 2D platformer with a unique mechanic that makes use of Ekko’s timewarping ability as the central gameplay feature. The game isn’t as hype as Song of Nunu in terms of hugeness of release, but it is still something that fans look forward to as something to to satiate them from the Arcane Hype.

The game isn’t as big as other titles but many players will probably play this game for the story. Since it tries to sell itself as a continuation of Ekko and Zaun’s story, fans of this character will definitely want to buy this game to see their favorite hero in action. The most unique part of this game is the art style and combat system that it gives players something new to look forward to despite belonging to one of the oldest game genres.

Future Titles From Riot Games & Riot Forge

We can expect the company to continue this trend, but we’ve already received some news where the company has partnered with other game developers, investing in games that are not related to the League of Legends universe. While Riot Games and Riot Forge won’t totally break away from the theme of using the world of Runeterra as the primary driving force of their games, it’s good to know that they’re not totally sticking to it either.

Games related to Runeterra seem to be the immediate priority, so for the next two to three years, we may see more games “A League of Legends Story” titles like The Ruined King and Hextech Mayhem. Players who are expecting something new from Riot Games should lower their expectations. We also don’t think that the company will start mass producing a lot of games because they need to set the pacing as to not overshadow their other games.

Is Exclusively Creating Games Related to Runeterra Hurting Riot Games?

No. On the contrary, this theme is benefitting them because rather than expecting a game that the general public may or may not like, Riot Games is appealing to an already established fanbase so they create a market before the game even releases. This means that no matter what they release, if they place it under the umbrella of the Runeterra franchise, it is guaranteed to reach a certain level of success.

Of course, this is only true for the first few titles of the game. Eventually, players will get tired of this pattern and the interest will die down to only the most loyal of fans. However, if Riot Games can make games that are engaging, it won’t matter if that game is part of Runeterra or not. Players are attracted to good games and if the general review is great, players will naturally flock towards that title through word of mouth.

What Games Related To Runeterra Should We Look Forward To?

There are so many stories in the League of Legends universe that you can create so many games related to the Runeterra storyline. However, there are so many titles that would work and probably open up to the possibility of Riot Forge or Riot Games creating an AAA title. Aside from the upcoming League of Legends MMORPG, here are some fun ideas that would really fit the theme of making games like these.

1. The Ionian Liberation

The Noxian Invasion of Ionia is one of the biggest events in the League of Legends history, with major characters being introduced and a massive scale battle allowing them to create multiple action-packed narratives that is perfect for a game. Playing as well-known characters in the game who played a big part in the liberation of Ionia will give the game a great feel that players won’t get enough of when it comes out.

If we were to design this game, we’d love the option to play as multiple characters, depending on the faction being played. Large scale battles like the Warriors Series will make it even more engaging and fun to play. Since we don’t always get to play our favorite champions in an open world, it’d be fun to see them interact with a large cast of side characters that would create a beautiful retelling of the story.

2. Kai’sa’s Adventure Through the Void

Kai’sa‘s story of how she managed to survive inside the void as a human girl would make for an interesting horror adventure game, a genre that’s highly popular amongst content creators. The game would be filled with gore and action, since the game uses the monster-infested void as a setting. The biggest problem that this title might experience is the lack of NPCs because Kai’sa won’t be able to interact with other people.

On the other hand, if the game continues towards the time she gets out of the Void. The story would be even more interesting because she gets to meet with out characters in the story. These games related to Runeterra would all feature the interaction with various characters, just like how they are portrayed in the cinematics. Kai’sa has experienced enough struggles in her life to create for a story-rich game.

3. Poppy’s Search For the True Successor

If Riot Games wants a light-hearted adventure game that still utilizes a vast world, Poppy’s search for the true successor of the hammer would make a great story. It would make for an interesting combat system, seeing a yordle make use of a hammer that’s twice her size and the fact that she’s a yordle would make for some interesting interactions. Of course, the game would mostly be narrative-based since it involves the origins and destiny of the hammer.

Needless to say, this story would be a self-enlightenment journey, where Poppy would eventually realize that the true successor of the hammer is herself. While she’s been going on an adventure to find different people, she’ll eventually realize that the hammer has already chosen her as the rightful heir. Among all of the other games related to Runeterra, this one would definitely have the most satisfying ending,

The Effect of New Games to League of Legends

The main reason why Riot Games and Riot Forge probably keeps releasing games related to Runeterra is that they don’t want League of Legends being overshadowed. By keeping the gaming genre related to League of Legends, they allow players to retain their connection with the company’s flagship game. In fact, non-League of Legends players get exposed to the world of Runeterra, making them more interested to play League. Similar to the way Legends of Runeterra introduces more lore to the mainline title.

Releasing many different titles that have separate identities from the mainline game won’t really kill off League of Legends’ popularity, but it also doesn’t benefit them totally. In this case, releasing new games related to Runeterra allows them to release new content while advertising their existing games to new players. Something that many different video game companies have been doing with their mainline franchise games.