K/DA returns with 'Firestarter': the League of Legends virtual group's comeback after six years

Six years after their last major release, K/DA is back. The virtual K-pop group created by Riot Games dropped Firestarter, their new song, this Sunday, along with a music video produced by Fortiche, the French animation studio behind Arcane. The release was scheduled for Tuesday, but it was moved up a day after news of the comeback leaked.

The response was immediate: in just nine hours, the video passed 4.3 million views on YouTube. For a group that had been silent since 2020, the number confirms the anticipation never faded.

The voices that return and the ones that don't

In this new era, Miyeon and Soyeon, members of (G)I-DLE, reprise their roles as the voices of Ahri and Akali. Joining them are Sophie Powers and Mimi Webb, who bring new voices to the group. K/DA had previously collaborated with artists like Madison Beer and Jaira Burns, so the mix of familiar names and fresh faces fits the way Riot has handled the project since its debut.

One absence stands out: Seraphine, the character who joined the group in 2020 with the song More and was voiced by Chinese singer Lexie Liu, does not appear this time. The news doesn't clarify whether this is a one-off decision or a permanent change to the lineup.

Production is handled by Kill Dave and Sebastien Najand. Najand has been tied to K/DA's music since the beginning and is considered one of the pillars of the group's sound.

Fortiche delivers a music video full of game references

The relationship between Riot Games and Fortiche goes way back. The studio already animated K/DA's first big hit, Pop/Stars, in 2018, and since then the collaboration has grown into Arcane, the series set in the League of Legends universe. With Firestarter, Fortiche once again shows why its hybrid style —mixing 3D with hand-drawn textures— has become a signature.

The music video is packed with details aimed at players. The choreography incorporates recognizable in-game abilities, like Ahri's charm or her ultimate, without those nods feeling odd to someone who has never played a match. Saturated colors dominate the scene, with pinks and oranges occasionally broken up by single-frame close-ups and sequences inspired by infrared imagery. The result is a video that demands attention, but knows when to slow down so it doesn't overwhelm.

An intense year for Riot's music

K/DA's return doesn't come alone. In the last month, Riot Games has released three new songs from its virtual groups: Heartsteel came back with Live My Life and True Damage dropped Know My Name, which also made history as the first track by a virtual band to play as the official song of the League of Legends World Championship final. Add to that the symphonic version of the Worlds theme with Pentakill.

With Firestarter, K/DA was the last piece missing from the spotlight. The full EP comes out on October 21, and it will be the group's second major release since All Out in 2020.

What did you think of K/DA's comeback? Tell us in the comments if the new track lives up to Pop/Stars or if you expected something different.