Riot Games appears to be developing a League of Legends action RPG behind closed doors, 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—indicate an early-stage project is taking shape, 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 situated in the League universe. The discovery arrives 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 Secret Project Emerges
The two contract postings discovered on Riot’s careers page reveal intriguing details about the Shanghai-based studio’s secret project. The Game Combat Designer role actively looks for someone with extensive knowledge of action games and ARPGs, with particular emphasis on developing compelling combat feel, intuitive mechanics, and responsive artificial intelligence systems. This indicates Riot is developing something technically complex from scratch, utilising Unreal Engine as the development platform. The posting shows the team is still in initial phases, actively iterating on fundamental mechanics rather than polishing an established base.
Alongside the design position, Riot is hiring 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 create a unified visual approach for the action RPG. Whilst temporary positions at this developmental stage generally indicate projects remain some distance 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 hiring strategy indicates the studio is building a dedicated, albeit small, core team to prototype and validate fundamental gameplay mechanics.
- Combat Game Designer role focuses on action-RPG systems development
- CG animator brings stylised character animation expertise to project
- Early-stage R&D indicates considerable time remains before possible launch
- Unreal Engine chosen as primary development platform for title
Combat Mechanics and Technical Requirements
What the Job Listings Reveal
The Combat Game Designer posting offers valuable perspective into the project’s mechanical ambitions. Candidates need to show extensive knowledge in action games and ARPGs, with particular emphasis on crafting satisfying combat feel—a hallmark 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 distinctly different 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 exclusively competitive gameplay.
The specification details presented within the listings paint a picture of a methodical, systems-focused development approach. Candidates are expected to work within a compact, nascent team where personal input carry substantial weight. The focus on “combat feel” rather than simply mechanical balance indicates Riot places value on user experience and feedback—qualities essential to contemporary action role-playing games. This hiring strategy indicates the Shanghai studio is not rushing to production but rather dedicating resources to prototyping and validating fundamental gameplay mechanics before scaling the project further.
- Deep expertise in action games and ARPG design mechanics required
- Combat feel and player feedback prioritised over mechanical balance
- Development of AI systems indicates likely single-player or cooperative focus
- Unreal Engine chosen as main technical development engine
- Early prototyping phase indicates years before market launch
Expanding the League of Legends Franchise
Riot Games has long positioned League of Legends as the cornerstone of an sprawling multimedia franchise, yet the company’s gaming ambitions 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 game catalogue across various genres rather than depending exclusively on League’s competitive ecosystem. This approach mirrors successful franchises like The Elder Scrolls or Final Fantasy, where a main entry coexists alongside spin-offs that venture into different play mechanics. By creating an ARPG situated in Runeterra, Riot can tap into the deep storytelling and established character base whilst appealing to players who prefer single-player or co-operative experiences over multiplayer competition.
The scheduling of these advancements is especially significant given Riot’s broader franchise expansion efforts. 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 expedite the production process following a significant reset in 2024. This dual-track approach suggests Riot is pursuing an ambitious vision for Runeterra’s gaming environment. Rather than competing directly with one another, these endeavours appear designed to serve different market segments—the MMO targeting persistent-world enthusiasts whilst the ARPG appeals to players pursuing narrative-driven action experiences. Together, they constitute 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 official announcement or availability date. The contract positions posted to the company’s careers page point to the project is still in initial R&D phases, implying it could be years distant from launch. Industry observers versed in game development cycles note that hiring for core positions such as Combat Game Designer typically signals the initial stages of production rather than an imminent release. This deliberate approach allows Riot to establish robust combat mechanics and gameplay systems ahead of growing the team further, a practical strategy given the competitive landscape of action RPGs.
The Shanghai studio’s involvement in this endeavour reflects Riot’s global development infrastructure and the studio’s demonstrated proficiency in developing immersive gameplay. By positioning the ARPG project at this site rather than centralising operations at a single headquarters, Riot illustrates its commitment to distributed development practices that have yielded positive results across its portfolio. The company’s experience developing League of Legends suggests players can expect a polished, technically proficient offering whenever the ARPG eventually emerges. However, with the MMO also demanding significant resources and attention, the ARPG could not launch until 2027 or afterwards, based on completion targets and Riot’s internal priorities.
What Participants Should Anticipate
Should the ARPG be finished, players can look forward to a single-player or co-operative action experience placed in the rich tapestry of Runeterra, utilising the universe’s established lore and beloved champions. The emphasis on stylised character work and gameplay feel suggests Riot seeks to create visceral, skill-based gameplay rather than a standard dungeon crawler. Fans of narrative-driven action titles and those looking for a fresh approach of League engagement may consider the ARPG particularly appealing, offering an departure from the competitive online multiplayer focus that has shaped the franchise from the beginning.
