Riot Games seems 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 taking shape, with both roles flagging familiarity with the League of Legends IP as a desirable qualification. Neither listing officially names 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 arrives as Riot continues expanding 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 Confidential Initiative Emerges
The two contract postings discovered on Riot’s careers page reveal tantalising details about the Shanghai-based studio’s mysterious undertaking. The Game Combat Designer role actively looks for someone with deep expertise of action games and action RPGs, with specific focus on developing engaging combat experience, intuitive mechanics, and responsive artificial intelligence systems. This indicates Riot is developing something mechanically sophisticated from scratch, utilising Unreal Engine as the core technology. The job description shows the team is still in early stages, continuously refining core systems rather than polishing an established base.
Alongside the design position, Riot is hiring a CG animator experienced in stylised character work—a recruitment decision that hints at the artistic trajectory the project may take. Given League of Legends’ unique visual aesthetic, this animator would likely help create a cohesive aesthetic for the action RPG. Whilst temporary positions at this early phase typically signal projects remain some distance from launch, the pairing of these roles suggests Riot has invested significant effort to exploring what an action-focused League experience might entail. The recruitment approach indicates the studio is building a focused though modest, core team to prototype and validate core gameplay concepts.
- Action Game Designer role concentrates on action/ARPG mechanics development
- CG animator brings stylized character animation knowledge to project
- Early-stage R&D indicates years remain before possible launch
- Unreal Engine selected as main development platform for title
Combat Design and Technical Specifications
What the Job Listings Reveal
The Combat Game Designer posting provides valuable perspective into the project’s mechanical ambitions. Candidates need to show extensive knowledge in action 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 mechanics from scratch using Unreal Engine, indicating Riot plans to create something distinctly different from League of Legends’ turn-based MOBA mechanics. The emphasis on AI development indicates the studio is designing advanced enemy AI systems, potentially for single-player and co-operative experiences rather than exclusively competitive gameplay.
The technical requirements presented within the listings paint a picture of a systematic, process-driven development approach. Candidates are required to work within a compact, nascent team where personal input carry substantial weight. The emphasis on “combat feel” rather than merely mechanical balance indicates Riot places value on player sensation and responsiveness—qualities essential to contemporary action role-playing games. This recruitment approach demonstrates the Shanghai studio is avoiding hasty moves toward production but rather investing time in testing and refining fundamental gameplay mechanics before expanding operations further.
- Extensive knowledge in action games and ARPG design mechanics needed
- Combat sensation and player responsiveness given priority over mechanical balance
- AI systems development indicates likely single-player or co-op emphasis
- Unreal Engine chosen as primary development platform
- Early-stage prototyping stage suggests years until market launch
Growing the League of Legends Franchise
Riot Games has consistently positioned League of Legends as the centrepiece of an sprawling multimedia franchise, yet the company’s game development goals have historically centred on the original MOBA title itself. The revelation of a undisclosed action RPG project in development marks a notable change in strategy, suggesting Riot intends to diversify its game catalogue across various genres rather than relying solely on League’s esports infrastructure. This approach mirrors successful franchises like The Elder Scrolls or Final Fantasy, where a main entry coexists alongside supplementary titles that explore different gameplay styles. By creating an ARPG set within Runeterra, Riot can tap into the rich lore and established character base whilst attracting players who prefer solo or cooperative gameplay over multiplayer competition.
The scheduling of these initiatives is particularly noteworthy given Riot’s broader franchise expansion efforts. Alongside the action RPG initiative, the company has poured significant investment in the extended-development League of Legends MMO, recruiting Raymond Bartos from World of Warcraft to accelerate production following a major overhaul in 2024. This two-pronged strategy suggests Riot is working towards an ambitious vision for Runeterra’s interactive landscape. Rather than directly competing with one another, these endeavours appear designed to serve different market segments—the MMO catering to persistent-world enthusiasts whilst the ARPG appeals to players seeking compelling story-based action gameplay. Together, they represent Riot’s most ambitious growth of the League franchise beyond its MOBA origins.
| 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 provide compelling evidence of the ARPG’s existence, Riot Games has preserved absolute silence concerning an public statement or release window. The contract positions posted to the company’s careers page indicate the project continues in foundational development stages, indicating it could be years distant from launch. Industry observers familiar with game development cycles observe that hiring for foundational roles such as Combat Game Designer commonly represents the early phases of production rather than an upcoming release. This measured pace allows Riot to create solid combat mechanics and gameplay systems ahead of growing the team further, a sensible approach given the demanding market of action RPGs.
The Shanghai studio’s contribution in this project reflects Riot’s worldwide development capabilities and the studio’s proven expertise in developing immersive gameplay. By positioning the ARPG project at this facility rather than centralising operations at a sole headquarters, Riot illustrates its commitment to distributed development practices that have generated favourable results across its product lineup. The company’s experience developing League of Legends suggests players can expect a polished, technically proficient offering whenever the ARPG finally releases. However, with the MMO also demanding significant resources and attention, the ARPG may not materialise until 2027 or afterwards, depending on completion targets and Riot’s resource allocation decisions.
What Gamers Should Be Prepared For
Should the ARPG be finished, players can expect a single-player or co-operative action experience set within the rich tapestry of Runeterra, leveraging the world’s existing lore and fan-favourite champions. The spotlight on visual character craftsmanship and combat mechanics suggests Riot aims to deliver intense, mechanically demanding gameplay rather than a standard dungeon crawler. Fans of character-rich action titles and those seeking a different flavour of League engagement may consider the ARPG notably attractive, offering an departure from the competitive multiplayer focus that has characterised the franchise from the beginning.
