Riot Games appears to be developing a League of Legends action RPG in secret, based on 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 desirable qualification. Neither listing formally identifies the project, but the emphasis on action gameplay mechanics and Runeterra expertise strongly indicates the title will be situated in the League universe. The discovery comes as Riot continues expanding the franchise outside of 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-based studio’s mysterious undertaking. The Combat Game Designer role actively looks for someone with deep expertise of action games and ARPGs, with particular emphasis on crafting engaging combat experience, intuitive mechanics, and advanced AI systems. This indicates Riot is building something mechanically sophisticated from the ground up, utilising Unreal Engine as the core technology. The posting shows the team is still in initial phases, continuously refining core systems rather than refining an established base.
Alongside the designer role, Riot is hiring a CG animator with expertise in stylised character work—a hiring choice that hints at the artistic trajectory the project may take. Given League of Legends’ unique visual aesthetic, this animator would probably help establish a cohesive aesthetic for the action RPG. Whilst contract roles at this early phase typically signal projects remain some distance from launch, the pairing of these roles suggests Riot has committed meaningful resources to exploring what an action-focused League experience might entail. The hiring strategy indicates the studio is building a focused though modest, core team to prototype and validate fundamental gameplay mechanics.
- Action Game Designer role focuses on action-RPG systems development
- CG animator brings stylised character animation knowledge to project
- Initial research and development suggests considerable time remains before possible launch
- Unreal Engine selected as primary development platform for title
Combat Design and Technical Requirements
What the Vacancies Indicate
The Combat Game Designer job listing offers crucial insight into the project’s mechanical ambitions. Candidates must demonstrate extensive knowledge in action-based games and ARPGs, with specific focus on crafting satisfying combat feel—a hallmark of successful titles in the genre. The role explicitly requires developing and refining on combat mechanics from scratch using Unreal Engine, suggesting Riot intends to develop something distinctly different from League of Legends’ turn-based MOBA mechanics. The emphasis on AI development suggests the studio is building advanced enemy AI systems, potentially for single-player or co-operative experiences rather than purely competitive gameplay.
The technical requirements presented within the listings illustrate a systematic, process-driven production strategy. Candidates are required to work within a compact, nascent team where individual contributions hold significant importance. The emphasis on “combat feel” rather than simply mechanical balance indicates Riot places value on user experience and feedback—qualities critical to modern action RPGs. This recruitment approach demonstrates the Shanghai studio is not rushing to production but rather dedicating resources to prototyping and validating fundamental gameplay mechanics before expanding operations further.
- Extensive knowledge in action and ARPG game mechanics required
- Combat feel and player feedback emphasised over mechanical balance
- AI systems development suggests likely single-player or co-op emphasis
- Unreal Engine selected as main development platform
- Early-stage prototyping phase suggests years before commercial release
Growing the League of Legends Universe
Riot Games has consistently positioned League of Legends as the cornerstone of an extensive multimedia franchise, yet the company’s game development goals have historically centred on the original MOBA title itself. The disclosure of a undisclosed action RPG project in production marks a notable change in strategy, suggesting Riot intends to diversify its game catalogue across various genres rather than relying solely on League’s competitive ecosystem. This approach mirrors established series like The Elder Scrolls or Final Fantasy, where a main entry coexists alongside secondary games that delve into different play mechanics. By creating an ARPG situated in Runeterra, Riot can leverage the deep storytelling and established character base whilst attracting players who prefer single-player or co-operative experiences over competitive online play.
The timing of these advancements is especially significant given Riot’s extensive franchise growth plans. Alongside the action role-playing game project, the company has invested heavily in the extended-development League of Legends MMO, recruiting Raymond Bartos from World of Warcraft to expedite the production process following a major overhaul in 2024. This parallel development path suggests Riot is pursuing an ambitious vision for Runeterra’s interactive landscape. Rather than going head-to-head with one another, these endeavours appear intended to cater to different audience segments—the MMO serving persistent-world enthusiasts whilst the ARPG serves players looking for narrative-driven action experiences. Together, they constitute Riot’s most aggressive expansion 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 |
Timeline and Development Outlook
Whilst the job postings offer intriguing evidence of the ARPG’s existence, Riot Games has upheld complete silence about an public statement or release window. The contract positions advertised on the company’s careers page point to the project is still in initial R&D phases, implying it could be several years away from launch. Industry observers familiar with game development cycles observe that hiring for essential positions such as Combat Game Designer typically signals the initial stages of production rather than an near-term launch. This careful tempo allows Riot to develop strong combat mechanics and gameplay systems prior to scaling the team further, a practical strategy given the competitive landscape of action RPGs.
The Shanghai studio’s participation in this endeavour reflects Riot’s international development framework and the studio’s proven expertise in developing immersive gameplay. By positioning the ARPG project at this site rather than concentrating resources at a unified central hub, Riot demonstrates its commitment to distributed development practices that have generated favourable results across its product lineup. The company’s track record with 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 could not launch until 2027 or later, based on project milestones and Riot’s resource allocation decisions.
What Players Should Expect
Should the ARPG be finished, players can expect a single-player or co-operative action experience set within the expansive universe of Runeterra, drawing upon the world’s existing lore and fan-favourite champions. The emphasis on character design and combat mechanics suggests Riot intends to provide intense, mechanically demanding gameplay rather than a straightforward dungeon crawler. Fans of story-focused action titles and those pursuing a alternative take of League engagement may discover the ARPG particularly appealing, providing an contrast with the pvp-focused focus that has defined the franchise from the beginning.
