Riot Games, the developer behind the massively popular video game League of Legends, is now partnering with Marvel Entertainment to create League of Legends comics. This partnership is quite rare for Riot Games, as over nine years of storytelling has never been a high priority for the multiplayer game. Some of the game's lore has existed on the League of Legend's website but this new partnership will see the actual creation of physical comics that are considered canon within the game's universe.
The first League of Legends comics release will be titled 'Ashe: Warmother' and will explore the history behind Riot's mascot for the game. Although Marvel will be publishing the comics, Riot will maintain creative control over the IP and in how they display the characters. Riot hopes that this push with Marvel will help the game and characters become more mainstream and draw in new players.
Video Game Lore Comics
The League of Legends Comics Will be Published by Marvel
Trend Themes
1. Gaming Comics - Video game developers partnering with comic book publishers to create comics that expand the lore of their games.
2. Transmedia Storytelling - Developing stories and narratives for a video game universe that are told across multiple media formats beyond just the game itself.
3. Brand Crossovers - Collaborations between two distinct brands in different industries to create unique and engaging content for their audiences.
Industry Implications
1. Gaming - There are opportunities for video game developers to expand their IP and engage with their audience through storytelling in other mediums, such as comics.
2. Comic Books - Partnering with video game developers to create comics based on their games is an opportunity for comic book publishers to engage with new audiences and expand their IP.
3. Entertainment - Brand crossovers between two distinct forms of entertainment, such as video games and comics, can create unique and engaging content that resonates with fans of both industries.