The Game Awards 2024 is shaping up to be a memorable night, especially for fans of the hit Netflix series Arcane. Just a week after nominations were revealed, the awards show announced its first wave of performers, and they’re all connected to the League of Legends-inspired animated series. This marks the second year Arcane has been musically featured, following the 2021 performance of “Enemy” and “What Could Have Been” by Imagine Dragons, JID, and Sting.
This year’s celebration marks the 10th anniversary of The Game Awards, which debuted in 2014 after separating from Spike TV. Host and creator Geoff Keighley has consistently strived to elevate the event to the “Oscars for video games,” showcasing the year’s best achievements and offering glimpses into the future of gaming. Coincidentally, Arcane, a collaboration between French animation studio Fortiche and Riot Games, recently concluded its second and final season. The critically acclaimed series has garnered praise for its animation, voice acting, and compelling narrative, even winning a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program and the inaugural Game Award for Best Adaptation in 2022.
As announced on the official The Game Awards Twitter/X account, Twenty One Pilots, d4vd, and Royal & the Serpent will perform songs from the Arcane soundtrack on December 12th. The lineup includes Twenty One Pilots’ “The Line” (featured in Episode 8, “Killing is a Cycle”), d4vd’s “Remember Me” (Episode 6, “The Message Hidden Within The Pattern”), and Royal & the Serpent’s “Wasteland” (Episode 9, “The Dirt Under Your Nails”). Each song was created specifically for the show and plays a significant role in the narrative, often accompanying key montages.
These artists bring considerable recognition within their respective genres. Royal & the Serpent has collaborated with notable names like Demi Lovato, Gayle, and Lindsey Sterling, a frequent Game Awards performer. D4vd, a rising 19-year-old indie rock artist, recently contributed the song “Feel It” to Prime Video’s Invincible. And of course, the Grammy-winning duo Twenty One Pilots boasts numerous hits, including “Ride,” “Stressed Out,” and “Heathens,” which was featured in the 2016 film Suicide Squad.
Arcane concluded its run with two seasons, choosing to focus on exploring other characters and locations within the vast League of Legends universe through future film and television projects. While the ending provided closure to many storylines, the surprising twist leaves room for potential continuation, albeit a potentially expensive one given the show’s reported budget.
Despite concluding its run, Arcane Season 2 is nominated for Best Adaptation at this year’s Game Awards. It faces stiff competition, including Prime Video’s Fallout, but remains a strong contender. The complete list of nominees for Best Adaptation includes:
- Arcane (Season 2)
- Fallout (Season 1)
- Knuckles (Season 1)
- Like a Dragon: Yakuza (Season 1)
- Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft (Season 1)
The Game Awards will livestream on YouTube and Twitch on December 12th at 7:30pm ET. Public voting is open on the official website (https://thegameawards.com/). All episodes of Arcane are available to stream on Netflix (https://www.netflix.com/title/81435684).
