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—suggest an early-stage project is coming together, with both roles flagging familiarity with the League of Legends IP as a desirable qualification. Neither listing formally identifies 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 Comes to Light
The two contract listings found on Riot’s careers page unveil tantalising details about the Shanghai-based studio’s mysterious undertaking. The Game Combat Designer role specifically seeks someone with deep expertise of action games and action RPGs, with specific focus on crafting engaging combat experience, intuitive mechanics, and responsive artificial intelligence systems. This suggests Riot is building something mechanically sophisticated from scratch, utilising Unreal Engine as the development platform. The job description shows the team is still in early stages, actively iterating on fundamental mechanics rather than polishing an existing foundation.
Alongside the designer role, Riot is hiring a CG animator experienced in stylised character work—a hiring choice that hints at the artistic trajectory the project may take. Given League of Legends’ unique visual aesthetic, this animator would likely help establish a cohesive aesthetic for the action RPG. Whilst contract roles at this early phase generally indicate projects remain some distance from launch, the pairing of these roles suggests Riot has committed meaningful resources to investigating what an action-focused League experience might entail. The hiring strategy indicates the studio is assembling a focused though modest, core team to test and refine fundamental gameplay mechanics.
- Action Game Designer role concentrates on action-RPG systems development
- CG animator brings stylised character animation expertise to project
- Initial research and development suggests years remain before potential release
- Unreal Engine selected as main development platform for title
Combat Mechanics and Technical Specifications
What These Listings Demonstrate
The Combat Game Designer job listing provides crucial insight into the project’s mechanical ambitions. Candidates need to show deep expertise in action games and ARPGs, with particular emphasis on crafting satisfying combat feel—a defining characteristic of successful titles in the genre. The role explicitly requires developing and refining on combat mechanics 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 or co-operative experiences rather than purely competitive gameplay.
The technical requirements presented within the listings illustrate a systematic, process-driven development approach. Candidates are required to work within a compact, nascent team where personal input carry substantial weight. The focus on “combat feel” rather than merely mechanical balance indicates Riot places value on user experience and feedback—qualities essential to contemporary action role-playing games. This recruitment approach demonstrates the Shanghai studio is avoiding hasty moves toward production but rather dedicating resources to prototyping and validating fundamental gameplay mechanics before scaling the project further.
- Strong proficiency in action games and ARPG design mechanics needed
- Combat feel and player feedback prioritised over mechanical balance
- AI systems development suggests potential single-player or co-op emphasis
- Unreal Engine chosen as main technical development platform
- Early-stage prototyping phase suggests years before market launch
Growing the League of Legends World
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 announcement of a secret action RPG in production marks a major pivot in strategy, suggesting Riot plans to diversify its game catalogue across multiple genres rather than relying solely on League’s competitive ecosystem. This approach mirrors successful franchises like The Elder Scrolls or Final Fantasy, where a main entry coexists alongside secondary games that delve into different play mechanics. By creating an ARPG based in Runeterra, Riot can tap into the extensive mythology and established character base whilst attracting players who prefer single-player or co-operative experiences over competitive multiplayer.
The scheduling of these initiatives is notably important given Riot’s extensive franchise growth plans. Alongside the action RPG initiative, the company has invested heavily in the long-in-development League of Legends MMO, hiring Raymond Bartos from World of Warcraft to accelerate production following a major overhaul in 2024. This two-pronged strategy suggests Riot is working towards an ambitious vision for Runeterra’s interactive landscape. Rather than going head-to-head with one another, these endeavours appear created to address different player demographics—the MMO serving persistent-world enthusiasts whilst the ARPG caters to players looking for narrative-driven action experiences. Together, they constitute 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 |
Schedule and Future Development
Whilst the job postings provide compelling evidence of the ARPG’s existence, Riot Games has upheld complete silence regarding an public statement or release window. The contract positions advertised on the company’s careers page suggest the project remains in initial R&D phases, suggesting it could be several years away from launch. Industry observers experienced in game development cycles point out that hiring for essential positions such as Combat Game Designer typically signals the beginning stages of production rather than an near-term launch. This deliberate approach allows Riot to create solid combat mechanics and gameplay systems prior to scaling the team further, a practical strategy given the demanding market of action RPGs.
The Shanghai studio’s contribution in this initiative reflects Riot’s global development infrastructure and the studio’s established track record in developing immersive gameplay. By positioning the ARPG project at this facility rather than centralising operations at a unified central hub, Riot demonstrates its commitment to distributed development practices that have produced successful outcomes across its product lineup. The company’s track record with League of Legends suggests gamers will receive a refined, well-designed experience whenever the ARPG eventually emerges. However, with the MMO also consuming considerable resources and effort, the ARPG may not materialise until 2027 or later, contingent upon completion targets and the company’s strategic priorities.
What Gamers Should Be Prepared For
Should the ARPG achieve completion, players can anticipate a single-player or co-operative action experience placed in the rich tapestry of Runeterra, utilising the world’s existing lore and iconic champions. The focus on character design and combat feel suggests Riot intends to provide visceral, skill-based gameplay rather than a straightforward dungeon crawler. Fans of character-rich action titles and those pursuing a alternative take of League engagement may discover the ARPG notably attractive, providing an contrast with the pvp-focused focus that has characterised the franchise from its launch.
