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HLabs binges latest Netflix series Arcane, whilst reflecting on Red Bull E-Sports partnership
"I love adult cartoons; Beautiful illustrations, amazing storytelling and compelling characters. What's not to love?!" Han, CEO of HLabs.
The recent release of Arcane on Netflix has reignited global interest in Riot Games’ universe, bringing to life the intricate worlds of League of Legends and introducing new audiences to its lore. This highly anticipated, animated series has not only expanded the game’s reach but also inspired fresh excitement around the titles that Riot Games is known for.
To celebrate this launch, we’re revisiting two of HLabs’ standout projects with Red Bull Esports, crafted to engage dedicated Valorant and League of Legends communities through creative, interactive experiences. Let's dive in to gaming inspired storytelling!
Social media templates created for Valorant as part of Red Bull Esports campaign.
What is Arcane: League of Legends?
The worlds of Valorant, League of Legends, and the new Arcane series on Netflix are all part of Riot Games' ambitious vision to create immersive, interconnected universes that resonate with gamers and fans worldwide.
While League of Legends established Riot Games as a leader in strategic multiplayer gaming, Valorant brought a fresh, tactical FPS experience to their lineup, expanding their reach into new gaming communities.
With Arcane, Riot Games takes storytelling to new heights, weaving rich narratives and complex characters from the League of Legends universe into a visually captivating animated series. Together, these projects reflect Riot's commitment to world-building and cross-platform engagement, inviting players and viewers into a seamless blend of gameplay, lore, and artistry.
Red Bull E-Sports have celebrated the return of Arcane to our screens by promoting 'Watch Parties', developing interactive online games and even creating special packaging. I love the fact they've taken their own illustration style and even added the Red Bull wings and drinks to the Arcane characters. Here's the original Riot Games artwork they pulled inspiration from:
How did HLabs get involved?
With Valorant’s entry into the esports arena with Campus Clutch back in 2021, HLabs partnered with Red Bull Esports to create an immersive microsite that both seasoned players and newcomers could enjoy.
The microsite was designed to draw audiences into Valorant’s fast-paced, tactical gameplay, guiding users through team compositions, match highlights, and exclusive tips. Using vivid visuals, interactive elements, character carousels our team crafted a digital experience that reflected the excitement and strategic depth of Valorant, elevating the experience for Red Bull Esports fans. The success of this project demonstrated how a branded microsite can deepen fan engagement and offer a platform for shared learning.
What makes Arcane's artwork different?
Riot Games' distinctive visual style blends vibrant fantasy elements with a modern, painterly aesthetic that ensures clarity and immersion across its franchises.
Each project, from video games to animated series, emphasizes bold colors, exaggerated details, and a combination of 2D and 3D techniques, resulting in visually dynamic worlds that appeal to gamers and viewers alike.
The collaboration with studios like Fortiche for Arcane also showcases a unique mix of traditional and digital artistry, giving Riot's stories a handcrafted, cinematic feel.
- Painterly, hand-crafted look with a mix of 2D and 3D techniques
- Bold colors and dynamic lighting for a rich visual impact
- Clarity-focused design to enhance readability in fast-paced settings
- Exaggerated details and silhouettes for character distinction
- Collaboration with animation studios for cinematic storytelling
Even the music videos and albumn art has been branded with this compelling and grungy style.
What is League of Legends?
Alongside our Valorant work, HLabs also developed an introductory guide to League of Legends for Red Bull Esports. Designed for newcomers and players alike, this guide simplified complex mechanics and gameplay strategies in a way that was both accessible and visually engaging. With intuitive navigation and detailed visuals, the guide demystified League’s characters, abilities, and roles, helping users find a personal starting point in the game. As Arcane continues to attract new audiences to League of Legends, resources like this guide offer an essential bridge for those looking to explore the game’s universe further.
From the Valorant microsite to the League of Legends guide, HLabs’ work with Red Bull Esports showcases how interactive content can captivate audiences and offer deeper connections to the games they love. As Riot Games expands its storytelling through Arcane, we’re excited to see how these projects continue to resonate within the gaming community and inspire new players.
What’s a Rich Text element?
The rich text element allows you to create and format headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, images, and video all in one place instead of having to add and format them individually. Just double-click and easily create content.
Static and dynamic content editing
A rich text element can be used with static or dynamic content. For static content, just drop it into any page and begin editing. For dynamic content, add a rich text field to any collection and then connect a rich text element to that field in the settings panel. Voila!
How to customize formatting for each rich text
Headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, figures, images, and figure captions can all be styled after a class is added to the rich text element using the "When inside of" nested selector system.
Other gaming projects?
HLabs has raised awareness for other industry leaders over the last 4 years including Fortnite, Fandom & gaming influencer agency NewGen by creating interactive maps, interactive videos, and pitch deck designs to win new business.
As shown in this article it's clear that we are definitely fans! From creating our own AI generated Pokemon cards, we've also tested many more AI tools (Midjourney, Firefly, AI Arta) to generate character illustrations. We've also created our own interactive comic books for Red Bull & Hilton Grand Vacations.
As No-code specialists we've also looked to bring gamification techniques into social channel filters for Instagram & TikTok with this recent F1 partnership. Have a play and let us see how you get on!
HLabs’ journey into the world of gaming culture with Red Bull Esports and Riot Games was just the beginning. By revisiting our Valorant and League of Legends projects, we’re reminded of how powerful storytelling and visually immersive experiences can forge deeper connections with our audiences. From beginner guide microsites to interactive videos, each project has been an exploration of immersive design with vibrant artistry, whilst staying aligned with Riots' vision.
HLabs continues to celebrate and shape the evolving landscape of gaming culture, inviting fans to experience these worlds in fresh, dynamic ways, and is looking for the next exciting brief to get it's hands on!
HLabs would love to help! Our passionate illustration team, enthusiastic animators and experienced designers are ready to take on your gaming briefs to raise engagement and interactivity across your storytelling. It all starts with a call!
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