Riot Games appears to be developing a League of Legends action RPG behind closed doors, 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—indicate an early-stage project is taking shape, 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 listings found on Riot’s careers page unveil intriguing details about the Shanghai-based studio’s secret project. The Combat Game Designer role actively looks for someone with extensive knowledge of action games and ARPGs, with specific focus on crafting compelling combat feel, responsive controls, and advanced AI systems. This suggests Riot is building something technically complex from the ground up, using Unreal Engine as the development platform. The job description indicates the team is still in initial phases, continuously refining fundamental mechanics rather than refining an established base.
Alongside the design position, 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’ unique visual aesthetic, this animator would likely help create a cohesive aesthetic for the action RPG. Whilst contract roles at this developmental stage generally indicate projects remain years away from launch, the combination of these two positions suggests Riot has invested significant effort to exploring what an action-focused League experience might entail. The recruitment approach indicates the studio is assembling a focused though modest, core team to prototype and validate fundamental gameplay mechanics.
- Action Game Designer role concentrates on action-RPG systems development
- CG animator contributes stylised character animation expertise to project
- Initial research and development indicates considerable time remains before possible launch
- Unreal Engine selected as primary development platform for title
Combat Design and Technical Requirements
What These Listings Demonstrate
The Combat Game Designer posting provides crucial insight into the project’s mechanical ambitions. Candidates need to show extensive knowledge in action-based games and ARPGs, with specific focus on crafting satisfying combat feel—a defining characteristic of successful titles in the genre. The role clearly demands building and iterating on combat mechanics from scratch using Unreal Engine, indicating Riot intends to develop something distinctly different from League of Legends’ turn-based MOBA mechanics. The emphasis on AI development indicates the studio is building sophisticated enemy behaviour systems, potentially for single-player and co-operative experiences rather than exclusively competitive gameplay.
The specification details outlined in the listings reveal a systematic, process-driven production strategy. Candidates are required to work within a compact, nascent team where personal input hold significant importance. The focus on “combat feel” rather than merely mechanical balance suggests Riot prioritises user experience and feedback—qualities vital for contemporary action role-playing games. This hiring strategy indicates the Shanghai studio is avoiding hasty moves toward production but rather investing time in prototyping and validating core gameplay loops before scaling the project further.
- Extensive knowledge in action and ARPG design mechanics needed
- Combat sensation and player responsiveness emphasised over balance mechanics
- AI systems development points to potential single-player or co-op focus
- Unreal chosen as primary technical development engine
- Early prototyping phase indicates years before commercial release
Growing the League of Legends Franchise
Riot Games has long positioned League of Legends as the foundation of an sprawling 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 major pivot in strategy, suggesting Riot intends to diversify its game catalogue across different gameplay styles rather than depending exclusively on League’s competitive ecosystem. This approach echoes successful franchises like The Elder Scrolls or Final Fantasy, where a main entry coexists alongside spin-offs that venture into different gameplay styles. By producing an ARPG based 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 pacing of these initiatives is notably important given Riot’s wide-ranging franchise expansion strategy. Alongside the action role-playing game 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 digital ecosystem. Rather than competing directly with one another, these endeavours appear designed to serve different player demographics—the MMO targeting persistent-world enthusiasts whilst the ARPG caters to players seeking narrative-driven action experiences. Together, they constitute Riot’s most aggressive expansion of the League franchise outside its MOBA roots.
| 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 maintained strict silence regarding an formal reveal or launch timeframe. The contract positions listed on the company’s careers page point to the project remains in foundational development stages, implying it could be several years away from launch. Industry observers familiar with game development cycles observe that hiring for core positions such as Combat Game Designer commonly represents the beginning stages of production rather than an upcoming release. This deliberate approach allows Riot to develop strong combat mechanics and gameplay systems ahead of growing the team further, a sound method given the demanding market of action RPGs.
The Shanghai studio’s involvement in this initiative reflects Riot’s worldwide development capabilities and the studio’s proven expertise in creating compelling interactive experiences. By situating the ARPG project at this site rather than concentrating resources at a sole headquarters, Riot demonstrates its dedication to decentralised development approaches that have produced successful outcomes across its range of titles. The company’s experience developing League of Legends suggests players can expect a refined, well-designed experience whenever the ARPG finally releases. However, with the MMO also requiring substantial investment and focus, the ARPG might not arrive until 2027 or afterwards, depending on project milestones and Riot’s internal priorities.
What Players Should Expect
Should the ARPG reach completion, players can anticipate a solo or multiplayer cooperative action experience situated in the expansive universe of Runeterra, leveraging the universe’s established lore and fan-favourite champions. The emphasis on visual character craftsmanship and gameplay feel suggests Riot seeks to create intense, mechanically demanding gameplay rather than a conventional dungeon crawler. Fans of narrative-driven action titles and those seeking a different flavour of League engagement may discover the ARPG especially compelling, offering an alternative to the pvp-focused focus that has characterised the franchise from its launch.
