4 points that make Arcane dethrone Squid Game from the top of Netflix’s most-watched shows
For what reason is Arcane becoming a global craze, knocking Squid Game off the top to attract hundreds of millions of viewers?
Shortly after its release, Netflix’s animated blockbuster Arcane rose to the top of the global chart of Netflix’s most-watched series, ending Squid Game’s 47 days at No.1. Topics about Arcane continue to trend across social media platforms. On Rotten Tomatoes, Arcane is rated at 100% fresh, confirming that the show’s quality is also verified by professionals. Pitting Arcane against Squid Game, which are the points that make Arcane stand out?
1. The huge and exciting world behind League of Legends, carefully built with no holes
Adapted from the famous game League of Legends, Arcane brings viewers to a vast fantasy world called Runeterra. Here, technology and magic coexist. There are two opposing cities: Piltover – a wealthy, developed city with scientific advances, and the undercity Zaun – a dirty and polluted land, suffering all the waste from Piltover.
The contrast between the two cities rekindles the desire to fight and reestablish the “new balance” order. The political schemes, resentments and intrigues of citizens in the two cities are clearly shown in the first episodes of Arcane. The concept of rich – poor in the world of Runeterra is depicted in detail, logic with barely any plot holes.
This is also thanks to the fact that Arcane is produced directly by Riot Games – the company that made League of Legends. Therefore, they understand the world in the series better than anyone. They can freely expand and set up the space in the game for the show.
As for Squid Game, there are undeniably still many holes in the Korean survival game that the observant audience can’t ignore. Squid Game also takes viewers to a new world where the usual rules no longer apply, but its level of fun and uniqueness is not considered to be on par with Arcane.
2. Well-loved characters for a long time
In the first episodes of Arcane, viewers are introduced to two sisters, Vi and Powder – later known as Jinx. Those who are already familiar with League of Legends are aware of these two characters’ ending. Vi becomes a security guard for the city of Piltover, while Jinx becomes a master criminal. Arcane depicts the story of the two sisters’ teenage years, giving the audience a better understanding of the choices and mistakes that cause them to be separated.
Each character in Arcane has been a longtime fan favorite. In the plot of the show, their roles (whether small or large) shine and connect smoothly. Viewers who have never played Leagues of Legends can still understand and enjoy Arcane because this is the opening story.
Squid Game is also a series with well-built characters who receive much love from the audience. However, in terms of popularity and fan base, Arcane is definitely ahead. Seeing familiar game characters appear in a compelling series can quickly draw fans to Arcane.
3. Well-built content
One of the big problems of Squid Game is the fact that the series is heavily criticized for its ending. Squid Game’s sometimes lengthy pacing is also what makes many viewers turn their back on it. Arcane does not have these problems.
The journey of two sisters Vi and Jinx, as well as other characters, is intricately constructed. There are sweetness, warmth, and moments of extreme pain. Arcane’s content is so good that audiences are requesting that Riot Games… stop making games and instead become a filmmaker. Many people compare League of Legends to… a trailer of Arcane.
The fact that an animated series based on a game has excellent and meaningful content without giving up thrills or fierceness has piqued the interest of the audience in Arcane.
4. Didn’t cause any controversy
Squid Game is a hotly controversial topic in many respects. In particular, the film was constantly cursed by the audience because of the scandals related to plagiarism. As for Arcane, everything in the series is self-created by Riot with excellent quality.
The content of Arcane is not only uncontroversial but also pleasing to the fans. As a result, the film quickly gained the attention and support of hundreds of millions of fans worldwide. According to Bloomberg, Arcane received more than 130 million views in the first few days in China alone, becoming the most searched name on the Tencent movie website. Adding up all of the views from around the world, the number of people watching Arcane will surely be much higher.
6 episodes of Arcane are available on Netflix. The last 3 episodes will be released on November 20.
