Riot Games seems to be developing a League of Legends action RPG behind closed doors, according to newly discovered job listings posted to the company’s careers page. Two contract positions at Riot’s Shanghai studio—one for a Combat Game Designer and another for a CG animator—suggest an early-stage project is coming together, with both roles highlighting familiarity with the League of Legends IP as a sought-after requirement. Neither listing formally identifies the project, but the emphasis on action gameplay mechanics and Runeterra expertise clearly suggests the title will be situated in the League universe. The discovery comes as Riot keeps broadening the franchise beyond its original MOBA roots, having recently recruited Raymond Bartos, a former World of Warcraft lead producer, to oversee its long-delayed League MMO.
Shanghai Studio’s Secret Project Emerges
The two contract postings discovered on Riot’s jobs page reveal intriguing details about the Shanghai studio’s mysterious undertaking. The Game Combat Designer role specifically seeks someone with deep expertise of action games and ARPGs, with particular emphasis on developing compelling combat feel, intuitive mechanics, and responsive artificial intelligence systems. This indicates Riot is developing something technically complex from scratch, utilising Unreal Engine as the development platform. The posting indicates the team is still in early stages, actively iterating on core systems rather than polishing an existing foundation.
Alongside the designer role, Riot is hiring a CG animator experienced in stylised character work—a hiring choice that hints at the visual direction the project may take. Given League of Legends’ distinctive art style, this animator would likely help create a unified visual approach for the action RPG. Whilst temporary positions at this developmental stage typically signal projects remain years away from launch, the combination of these two positions suggests Riot has invested significant effort to investigating what an action-focused League experience might entail. The hiring strategy indicates the studio is building a dedicated, albeit small, core team to prototype and validate fundamental gameplay mechanics.
- Action Game Designer role concentrates on action/ARPG mechanics development
- CG animator contributes stylised character animation knowledge to project
- Early-stage R&D indicates considerable time remains before potential release
- Unreal Engine chosen as primary development platform for title
Combat Design and Technical Specifications
What the Vacancies Indicate
The Combat Game Designer posting offers valuable perspective into the project’s mechanical ambitions. Candidates need to show deep expertise in action-based games and ARPGs, with particular emphasis on creating engaging combat feel—a hallmark of successful titles in the genre. The role explicitly requires building and iterating on combat systems from scratch using Unreal Engine, suggesting Riot intends to develop something distinctly different from League of Legends’ turn-based MOBA mechanics. The focus on AI development suggests the studio is designing sophisticated enemy behaviour systems, possibly intended for single-player and co-operative experiences rather than exclusively competitive gameplay.
The technical requirements outlined in the listings illustrate a systematic, process-driven production strategy. Candidates are expected to work within a compact, nascent team where personal input carry substantial weight. The focus on “combat feel” rather than simply mechanical balance suggests Riot places value on player sensation and responsiveness—qualities vital for modern action RPGs. This hiring strategy indicates the Shanghai studio is not rushing to production but rather investing time in testing and refining fundamental gameplay mechanics before scaling the project further.
- Deep expertise in action and ARPG game mechanics required
- Combat feel and player responsiveness given priority over balance mechanics
- Development of AI systems points to potential single-player or co-op focus
- Unreal Engine selected as primary technical development platform
- Early prototyping phase suggests considerable time until market launch
Growing the League of Legends Universe
Riot Games has consistently positioned League of Legends as the cornerstone of an expansive multimedia franchise, yet the company’s game development goals have traditionally centred on the original MOBA title itself. The revelation of a undisclosed action RPG project in development marks a significant shift in strategy, suggesting Riot plans to diversify its gaming portfolio across different gameplay styles rather than relying solely on League’s competitive ecosystem. This approach echoes established series like The Elder Scrolls or Final Fantasy, where a flagship title coexists alongside supplementary titles that delve into different play mechanics. By creating an ARPG based in Runeterra, Riot can tap into the rich lore and established character base whilst appealing to players who prefer solo or cooperative gameplay over multiplayer competition.
The pacing of these initiatives is notably important given Riot’s extensive franchise growth plans. Alongside the action RPG initiative, the company has invested heavily in the extended-development League of Legends MMO, recruiting Raymond Bartos from World of Warcraft to accelerate production following a significant reset in 2024. This parallel development path suggests Riot is working towards an ambitious vision for Runeterra’s digital ecosystem. Rather than going head-to-head with one another, these endeavours appear created to address different audience segments—the MMO targeting persistent-world enthusiasts whilst the ARPG serves players pursuing narrative-driven action experiences. Together, they represent Riot’s most ambitious growth of the League franchise past its MOBA foundations.
| Project Type | Current Status |
|---|---|
| League of Legends ARPG | Early-stage R&D at Shanghai studio |
| League of Legends MMO | Active production with new leadership |
| Original League of Legends MOBA | Ongoing development and seasonal updates |
| Runeterra IP Expansion | Multiple projects across different genres |
Project Timeline and Outlook
Whilst the vacancy announcements reveal tantalising evidence of the ARPG’s existence, Riot Games has upheld complete silence regarding an formal reveal or launch timeframe. The contract positions posted to the company’s careers page indicate the project remains in foundational development stages, suggesting it could be years distant from launch. Industry observers familiar with game development cycles observe that hiring for essential positions such as Combat Game Designer commonly represents the initial stages of production rather than an upcoming release. This careful tempo allows Riot to create solid combat mechanics and gameplay systems prior to scaling the team further, a sound method given the competitive landscape of action RPGs.
The Shanghai studio’s contribution in this project reflects Riot’s worldwide development capabilities and the studio’s demonstrated proficiency in creating compelling interactive experiences. By positioning the ARPG project at this facility rather than consolidating efforts at a single headquarters, Riot showcases its support for distributed team structures that have yielded positive results across its range of titles. The company’s experience developing League of Legends suggests players can expect a polished, mechanically sound experience whenever the ARPG finally releases. However, with the MMO also demanding significant resources and attention, the ARPG may not materialise until 2027 or afterwards, contingent upon development milestones and Riot’s internal priorities.
What Gamers Should Be Prepared For
Should the ARPG reach completion, players can anticipate a solo or multiplayer cooperative action experience set within the rich tapestry of Runeterra, drawing upon the world’s existing lore and fan-favourite champions. The focus on character design and gameplay feel suggests Riot seeks to create visceral, skill-based gameplay rather than a conventional dungeon crawler. Fans of narrative-driven action titles and those pursuing a different flavour of League engagement may consider the ARPG especially compelling, presenting an contrast with the competitive online multiplayer focus that has shaped the franchise from its launch.
