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—suggest 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 strongly indicates the title will be set within 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 Confidential Initiative Emerges
The two contract listings found on Riot’s jobs page unveil tantalising details about the Shanghai studio’s secret project. The Combat Game Designer role actively looks for someone with deep expertise of action games and action RPGs, with specific focus on crafting 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 indicates the team is still in initial phases, continuously refining core systems rather than polishing 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’ unique visual aesthetic, this animator would probably help establish a unified visual approach for the action RPG. Whilst contract roles at this early phase typically signal projects remain years away from launch, the pairing of these roles suggests Riot has committed meaningful resources 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 test and refine fundamental gameplay mechanics.
- Combat Game Designer role concentrates on action-RPG systems development
- CG animator contributes stylized character animation expertise to project
- Initial research and development suggests considerable time remains before possible launch
- Unreal Engine selected as primary development platform for title
Combat Mechanics 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 deep expertise in action-based games and ARPGs, with specific focus on creating engaging combat feel—a defining characteristic of acclaimed games in the genre. The role clearly demands 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 advanced enemy AI systems, possibly intended for single-player and co-operative experiences rather than purely competitive gameplay.
The technical requirements outlined in the listings paint a picture of a systematic, process-driven production strategy. Candidates are expected to work within a small, early-stage team where individual contributions carry substantial weight. The focus on “combat feel” rather than merely mechanical balance suggests Riot prioritises user experience and feedback—qualities critical to modern action RPGs. This hiring strategy indicates the Shanghai studio is not rushing to production but rather investing time in prototyping and validating core gameplay loops before scaling the project further.
- Strong proficiency in action and ARPG game mechanics needed
- Combat sensation and player responsiveness emphasised over balance mechanics
- Development of AI systems suggests likely single-player or cooperative focus
- Unreal chosen as main technical development platform
- Early-stage prototyping stage indicates considerable time until commercial release
Expanding the League of Legends Universe
Riot Games has traditionally positioned League of Legends as the cornerstone of an expansive 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 production marks a notable change in strategy, suggesting Riot plans to diversify its gaming portfolio across different gameplay styles rather than depending exclusively on League’s esports infrastructure. This approach mirrors successful franchises like The Elder Scrolls or Final Fantasy, where a flagship title coexists alongside spin-offs that delve into different gaming experiences. By producing an ARPG set within Runeterra, Riot can leverage the deep storytelling and established character base whilst appealing to players who prefer single-player or co-operative experiences over competitive online play.
The timing of these advancements is particularly noteworthy given Riot’s broader franchise expansion efforts. Alongside the action RPG initiative, the company has committed substantial resources in the long-gestating League of Legends MMO, bringing on Raymond Bartos from World of Warcraft to accelerate production following a substantial restructuring in 2024. This two-pronged strategy suggests Riot is chasing an expansive vision for Runeterra’s gaming environment. Rather than directly competing with one another, these initiatives appear designed to serve different audience segments—the MMO targeting persistent-world enthusiasts whilst the ARPG caters to players looking for story-driven, action-focused adventures. Together, they represent 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 |
Schedule and Future Development
Whilst the position listings offer intriguing evidence of the ARPG’s existence, Riot Games has maintained strict silence regarding an formal reveal or release window. The contract positions posted to the company’s careers page suggest the project continues in early-stage research and development, indicating it could be years distant from launch. Industry observers familiar with game development cycles point out that hiring for foundational roles such as Combat Game Designer typically signals the initial stages of production rather than an imminent release. This deliberate approach allows Riot to develop strong combat mechanics and gameplay systems before expanding the team further, a sound method given the competitive landscape of action RPGs.
The Shanghai studio’s participation in this project reflects Riot’s global development infrastructure and the studio’s proven expertise in developing immersive gameplay. By situating the ARPG project at this site rather than centralising operations at a unified central hub, Riot demonstrates its commitment to distributed development practices that have generated favourable results across its range of titles. The company’s track record with League of Legends suggests gamers will receive a polished, mechanically sound experience whenever the ARPG ultimately launches. However, with the MMO also consuming considerable resources and effort, the ARPG may not materialise until 2027 or beyond, contingent upon completion targets and Riot’s resource allocation decisions.
What Participants Should Anticipate
Should the ARPG be finished, players can look forward to a solo or multiplayer cooperative action experience situated in the expansive universe of Runeterra, leveraging the world’s existing lore and iconic champions. The spotlight on visual character craftsmanship and combat mechanics suggests Riot seeks to create intense, mechanically demanding gameplay rather than a standard dungeon crawler. Fans of narrative-driven action titles and those seeking a fresh approach of League engagement may discover the ARPG particularly appealing, offering an alternative to the competitive online multiplayer focus that has characterised the franchise from its launch.
