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 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 jobs page reveal intriguing details about the Shanghai studio’s mysterious undertaking. The Game Combat Designer role specifically seeks someone with extensive knowledge of action games and action RPGs, with particular emphasis on developing compelling combat feel, intuitive mechanics, and responsive artificial intelligence systems. This indicates Riot is developing something mechanically sophisticated from scratch, using Unreal Engine as the core technology. The posting indicates the team is still in initial phases, continuously refining fundamental mechanics rather than polishing an established base.
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 developmental stage generally indicate 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 hiring strategy indicates the studio is assembling a dedicated, albeit small, core team to test and refine fundamental gameplay mechanics.
- Action Game Designer role focuses on action/ARPG mechanics development
- CG animator brings stylized character animation knowledge to project
- Early-stage R&D suggests years remain before potential release
- Unreal Engine selected as main development platform for title
Combat Mechanics and Technical Requirements
What Job Postings Show
The Combat Game Designer job listing provides valuable perspective into the project’s mechanical ambitions. Candidates need to show extensive knowledge in action games and ARPGs, with particular emphasis on creating engaging combat feel—a defining characteristic of successful titles in the genre. The role explicitly requires building and iterating on combat mechanics from scratch using Unreal Engine, suggesting Riot plans to create something fundamentally distinct from League of Legends’ turn-based MOBA mechanics. The emphasis on AI development suggests the studio is building sophisticated enemy behaviour systems, potentially for single-player or co-operative experiences rather than purely competitive gameplay.
The specification details outlined in the listings illustrate a systematic, process-driven production strategy. Candidates are required to work within a compact, nascent team where personal input carry substantial weight. The emphasis on “combat feel” rather than simply mechanical balance suggests Riot places value on player sensation and responsiveness—qualities essential to contemporary action role-playing games. This hiring strategy demonstrates the Shanghai studio is avoiding hasty moves toward production but rather investing time in prototyping and validating core gameplay loops before expanding operations further.
- Strong proficiency in action and ARPG game mechanics required
- Combat sensation and player responsiveness emphasised over mechanical balance
- AI systems development points to potential single-player or cooperative focus
- Unreal selected as main development platform
- Early prototyping stage suggests years until market launch
Growing the League of Legends World
Riot Games has traditionally positioned League of Legends as the centrepiece of an sprawling multimedia franchise, yet the company’s gaming ambitions have historically centred on the original MOBA title itself. The announcement of a undisclosed action RPG project in development marks a notable change in strategy, suggesting Riot intends to diversify its gaming portfolio across different gameplay styles rather than depending exclusively on League’s esports infrastructure. This approach reflects successful franchises like The Elder Scrolls or Final Fantasy, where a flagship title coexists alongside secondary games that delve into different gameplay styles. By producing an ARPG based in Runeterra, Riot can leverage the deep storytelling and established character base whilst attracting players who prefer single-player or co-operative experiences over multiplayer competition.
The pacing of these initiatives is especially significant given Riot’s extensive franchise growth plans. Alongside the action RPG project, the company has poured significant investment in the long-gestating League of Legends MMO, hiring Raymond Bartos from World of Warcraft to expedite the production process following a significant reset in 2024. This two-pronged strategy suggests Riot is working towards an ambitious vision for Runeterra’s interactive landscape. Rather than competing directly with one another, these initiatives appear intended to cater to different audience segments—the MMO targeting persistent-world enthusiasts whilst the ARPG caters to players pursuing narrative-driven action experiences. Together, they represent Riot’s boldest 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 |
Project Timeline and Outlook
Whilst the job postings provide compelling evidence of the ARPG’s existence, Riot Games has upheld complete silence about an formal reveal or release window. The contract positions posted to the company’s careers page point to the project remains in foundational development stages, indicating it could be several years away from launch. Industry observers versed in game development cycles note that hiring for core positions such as Combat Game Designer commonly represents the initial stages of production rather than an near-term launch. This measured pace allows Riot to create solid combat mechanics and gameplay systems before expanding the team further, a sensible approach given the competitive landscape of action RPGs.
The Shanghai studio’s participation in this endeavour reflects Riot’s global development infrastructure and the studio’s established track record in creating compelling interactive experiences. By placing the ARPG project at this location rather than centralising operations at a unified central hub, Riot demonstrates its dedication to decentralised development approaches that have generated favourable results across its product lineup. The company’s history with League of Legends suggests gamers will receive a polished, technically proficient offering whenever the ARPG eventually emerges. However, with the MMO also consuming considerable resources and effort, the ARPG might not arrive until 2027 or afterwards, depending on development milestones and the company’s strategic priorities.
What Participants Should Anticipate
Should the ARPG reach completion, players can expect a single-player or co-operative action experience situated in the rich tapestry of Runeterra, leveraging the world’s existing lore and iconic champions. The focus on visual character craftsmanship and combat feel suggests Riot intends to provide intense, mechanically demanding gameplay rather than a standard dungeon crawler. Fans of story-focused action titles and those seeking a different flavour of League engagement may consider the ARPG notably attractive, presenting an contrast with the pvp-focused focus that has characterised the franchise from the beginning.
