Riot Games seems 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 coming together, with both roles flagging familiarity with the League of Legends IP as a sought-after requirement. Neither listing officially names the project, but the emphasis on action gameplay mechanics and Runeterra expertise clearly suggests the title will be set within the League universe. The discovery comes as Riot keeps broadening 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 Comes to Light
The two contract listings discovered on Riot’s careers page unveil intriguing details about the Shanghai 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, responsive controls, and advanced AI systems. This indicates Riot is developing something technically complex from scratch, using Unreal Engine as the development platform. The job description shows the team is still in initial phases, continuously refining fundamental mechanics rather than refining an established base.
Alongside the designer role, Riot is recruiting a CG animator with expertise in stylised character work—a recruitment decision 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 developmental stage typically signal projects remain some distance from launch, the combination of these two positions suggests Riot has committed meaningful resources to exploring what an action-focused League experience might entail. The hiring strategy indicates the studio is assembling 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 expertise to project
- Initial research and development indicates considerable time remains before potential release
- Unreal Engine chosen as main 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 must demonstrate deep expertise in action-based games and ARPGs, with specific focus 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, indicating Riot plans to create something fundamentally distinct from League of Legends’ turn-based MOBA mechanics. The focus on AI development indicates the studio is building sophisticated enemy behaviour systems, possibly intended for single-player and co-operative experiences rather than exclusively competitive gameplay.
The specification details outlined in the listings paint a picture of a systematic, process-driven development approach. Candidates are expected to work within a compact, nascent team where individual contributions 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 modern action RPGs. This recruitment approach indicates the Shanghai studio is avoiding hasty moves toward production but rather dedicating resources to prototyping and validating fundamental gameplay mechanics before expanding operations further.
- Deep expertise in action and ARPG design mechanics required
- Combat feel and player feedback prioritised over mechanical balance
- Development of AI systems indicates potential single-player or cooperative emphasis
- Unreal selected as primary technical development engine
- Early prototyping stage suggests years before commercial release
Growing the League of Legends World
Riot Games has consistently positioned League of Legends as the centrepiece of an expansive multimedia franchise, yet the company’s game development goals have conventionally centred on the original MOBA title itself. The announcement of a secret action RPG in production marks a significant shift in strategy, suggesting Riot intends to diversify its gaming portfolio across various genres rather than depending exclusively on League’s competitive ecosystem. This approach reflects established series like The Elder Scrolls or Final Fantasy, where a main entry coexists alongside spin-offs that delve into different gaming experiences. By creating an ARPG situated in Runeterra, Riot can tap into the extensive mythology and established character base whilst appealing to players who prefer single-player or co-operative experiences over competitive multiplayer.
The scheduling of these advancements is notably important given Riot’s extensive franchise growth plans. Alongside the action RPG project, the company has invested heavily in the extended-development League of Legends MMO, bringing on Raymond Bartos from World of Warcraft to speed up development following a major overhaul in 2024. This dual-track approach suggests Riot is pursuing an ambitious vision for Runeterra’s interactive landscape. Rather than competing directly with one another, these initiatives appear created to address different audience segments—the MMO targeting persistent-world enthusiasts whilst the ARPG caters to players seeking compelling story-based action gameplay. Together, they represent 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 |
Timeframe and Growth Prospects
Whilst the vacancy announcements reveal tantalising evidence of the ARPG’s existence, Riot Games has upheld complete silence concerning an public statement or release window. The contract positions advertised on the company’s careers page indicate the project remains in foundational development stages, indicating it could be a considerable time from launch. Industry observers familiar with game development cycles note that hiring for core positions such as Combat Game Designer generally indicates the initial stages of production rather than an upcoming release. This careful tempo allows Riot to establish robust combat mechanics and gameplay systems prior to scaling the team further, a sensible approach given the competitive landscape of action RPGs.
The Shanghai studio’s involvement in this project reflects Riot’s worldwide development capabilities and the studio’s demonstrated proficiency in crafting engaging gameplay experiences. By situating the ARPG project at this facility rather than centralising operations at a single headquarters, Riot demonstrates its dedication to decentralised development approaches that have generated favourable results across its product lineup. 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 consuming considerable resources and effort, the ARPG may not materialise until 2027 or later, based on completion targets and Riot’s resource allocation decisions.
What Participants Should Anticipate
Should the ARPG reach completion, players can look forward to a single-player or co-operative action experience placed in the expansive universe of Runeterra, utilising the world’s existing lore and iconic champions. The spotlight on stylised character work and gameplay feel suggests Riot seeks to create intense, mechanically demanding gameplay rather than a straightforward dungeon crawler. Fans of narrative-driven action titles and those seeking a alternative take of League engagement may discover the ARPG particularly appealing, offering an departure from the competitive online multiplayer focus that has defined the franchise since its inception.
