Riot Games seems to be developing a League of Legends action RPG in secret, 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 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 arrives 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 Confidential Initiative Emerges
The two contract postings discovered on Riot’s careers page unveil intriguing details about the Shanghai-based studio’s mysterious undertaking. The Game Combat Designer role actively looks for someone with extensive knowledge of action games and ARPGs, with particular emphasis on developing engaging combat experience, responsive controls, and advanced AI systems. This suggests Riot is building something mechanically sophisticated from the ground up, using Unreal Engine as the development platform. The job description shows the team is still in early stages, actively iterating on core systems rather than refining an existing foundation.
Alongside the designer role, Riot is hiring a CG animator with expertise 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 probably help establish a cohesive aesthetic for the action RPG. Whilst temporary positions at this early phase generally indicate projects remain years away from launch, the pairing of these roles suggests Riot has invested significant effort 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 contributes stylised character animation knowledge to project
- Initial research and development indicates years remain before possible launch
- Unreal Engine selected as primary development platform for title
Combat Design and Technical Specifications
What the Vacancies Indicate
The Combat Game Designer job listing offers crucial insight into the project’s mechanical ambitions. Candidates need to show extensive knowledge in action games and ARPGs, with specific focus on crafting satisfying combat feel—a defining characteristic of successful titles in the genre. The role explicitly requires developing and refining on combat systems from scratch using Unreal Engine, indicating Riot intends to develop something fundamentally distinct from League of Legends’ turn-based MOBA mechanics. The focus on AI development indicates the studio is building advanced enemy AI systems, potentially for single-player and co-operative experiences rather than purely competitive gameplay.
The specification details outlined in the listings paint a picture of a methodical, systems-focused production strategy. Candidates are expected to work within a small, early-stage team where personal input hold significant importance. The emphasis on “combat feel” rather than simply mechanical balance indicates Riot places value on player sensation and responsiveness—qualities critical to contemporary action role-playing games. This recruitment approach indicates the Shanghai studio is not rushing to production but rather dedicating resources to testing and refining core gameplay loops before expanding operations further.
- Deep expertise in action and ARPG game mechanics required
- Combat sensation and player feedback prioritised over mechanical balance
- AI systems development suggests potential single-player or co-op focus
- Unreal Engine selected as primary development platform
- Early prototyping stage suggests years until commercial release
Broadening the League of Legends Universe
Riot Games has consistently positioned League of Legends as the centrepiece of an sprawling multimedia franchise, yet the company’s game development goals have conventionally centred on the original MOBA title itself. The announcement of a undisclosed action RPG project in production marks a major pivot in strategy, suggesting Riot intends to diversify its game catalogue across multiple genres rather than relying solely on League’s competitive ecosystem. This approach echoes successful franchises like The Elder Scrolls or Final Fantasy, where a flagship title coexists alongside secondary games that delve into different gaming experiences. By producing an ARPG situated in Runeterra, Riot can leverage the rich lore and established character base whilst appealing to players who prefer solo or cooperative gameplay over multiplayer competition.
The scheduling of these developments is particularly noteworthy given Riot’s wide-ranging franchise expansion strategy. Alongside the action RPG project, the company has poured significant investment in the extended-development League of Legends MMO, bringing on Raymond Bartos from World of Warcraft to speed up development following a substantial restructuring in 2024. This two-pronged strategy suggests Riot is working towards an ambitious vision for Runeterra’s gaming environment. Rather than competing directly with one another, these endeavours appear created to address different audience segments—the MMO targeting persistent-world enthusiasts whilst the ARPG caters to players looking for story-driven, action-focused adventures. Together, they constitute Riot’s boldest expansion 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 vacancy announcements provide compelling evidence of the ARPG’s existence, Riot Games has upheld complete silence regarding an official announcement or release window. The contract positions advertised on the company’s careers page point to the project is still in initial R&D phases, indicating it could be several years away from launch. Industry observers experienced in game development cycles point out that hiring for foundational roles such as Combat Game Designer commonly represents the early phases of production rather than an imminent 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 endeavour reflects Riot’s international development framework and the studio’s proven expertise in crafting engaging gameplay experiences. By placing the ARPG project at this facility rather than consolidating efforts at a unified central hub, Riot illustrates its commitment to distributed development practices that have generated favourable results across its product lineup. The company’s history with League of Legends suggests players can expect a polished, technically proficient offering whenever the ARPG finally releases. However, with the MMO also requiring substantial investment and focus, the ARPG may not materialise until 2027 or beyond, contingent upon development milestones and Riot’s resource allocation decisions.
What Players Should Expect
Should the ARPG reach completion, players can anticipate a solo or multiplayer cooperative action experience situated in the vibrant world of Runeterra, utilising the world’s existing lore and iconic champions. The focus on visual character craftsmanship and combat mechanics suggests Riot aims to deliver intense, mechanically demanding gameplay rather than a conventional dungeon crawler. Fans of story-focused action titles and those looking for a different flavour of League engagement may discover the ARPG particularly appealing, providing an departure from the competitive multiplayer focus that has shaped the franchise from the beginning.
