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 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 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 listings discovered on Riot’s jobs page unveil intriguing details about the Shanghai studio’s mysterious undertaking. The Combat Game Designer role specifically seeks someone with extensive knowledge of action games and action RPGs, with particular emphasis on developing engaging combat experience, intuitive mechanics, and responsive artificial intelligence systems. This suggests Riot is developing something technically complex from scratch, using Unreal Engine as the core technology. The job description shows the team is still in initial phases, continuously refining fundamental mechanics rather than polishing an established base.
Alongside the designer role, Riot is recruiting a CG animator experienced in stylised character work—a recruitment decision that hints at the artistic trajectory the project may take. Given League of Legends’ unique visual aesthetic, this animator would likely help establish a unified visual approach for the action RPG. Whilst temporary positions at this early phase generally indicate projects remain some distance 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 building a focused though modest, core team to prototype and validate core gameplay concepts.
- Action Game Designer role focuses on action/ARPG mechanics development
- CG animator brings stylized character animation knowledge to project
- Early-stage R&D suggests considerable time remains before potential release
- Unreal Engine chosen as primary development platform for title
Combat Mechanics and Technical Requirements
What Job Postings Show
The Combat Game Designer posting offers crucial insight 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 defining characteristic of acclaimed games in the genre. The role explicitly requires building and iterating on combat mechanics from scratch using Unreal Engine, suggesting Riot intends to develop something fundamentally distinct from League of Legends’ turn-based MOBA mechanics. The focus on AI development suggests the studio is designing advanced enemy AI systems, possibly intended for single-player and co-operative experiences rather than exclusively competitive gameplay.
The specification details outlined in the listings reveal a systematic, process-driven development approach. Candidates are required to work within a small, early-stage team where individual contributions carry substantial weight. The focus on “combat feel” rather than simply mechanical balance indicates Riot prioritises player sensation and responsiveness—qualities essential to modern action RPGs. This hiring strategy indicates the Shanghai studio is avoiding hasty moves toward production but rather investing time in prototyping and validating fundamental gameplay mechanics before scaling the project further.
- Strong proficiency in action and ARPG game mechanics required
- Combat sensation and player responsiveness prioritised over mechanical balance
- Development of AI systems indicates likely single-player or co-op focus
- Unreal chosen as primary technical development platform
- Early-stage prototyping phase indicates considerable time before market launch
Expanding the League of Legends World
Riot Games has traditionally positioned League of Legends as the cornerstone 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 multiple genres rather than relying solely on League’s competitive ecosystem. This approach echoes successful franchises like The Elder Scrolls or Final Fantasy, where a flagship title coexists alongside secondary games that delve into different gaming experiences. By producing an ARPG set within Runeterra, Riot can leverage the extensive mythology and established character base whilst attracting players who prefer single-player or co-operative experiences over multiplayer competition.
The timing of these initiatives is notably important given Riot’s wide-ranging franchise expansion strategy. Alongside the action RPG initiative, the company has committed substantial resources in the long-in-development League of Legends MMO, bringing on Raymond Bartos from World of Warcraft to speed up development following a significant reset in 2024. This two-pronged strategy suggests Riot is chasing an expansive vision for Runeterra’s interactive landscape. Rather than going head-to-head with one another, these projects appear created to address different player demographics—the MMO serving persistent-world enthusiasts whilst the ARPG appeals to players looking for narrative-driven action experiences. Together, they embody Riot’s most aggressive 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 offer intriguing evidence of the ARPG’s existence, Riot Games has upheld complete silence concerning an formal reveal or release window. The contract positions listed on the company’s careers page point to the project is still in initial R&D phases, implying it could be several years away from launch. Industry observers experienced in game development cycles point out 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 practical strategy given the demanding market of action RPGs.
The Shanghai studio’s participation in this endeavour reflects Riot’s worldwide development capabilities and the studio’s proven expertise in crafting engaging gameplay experiences. By situating the ARPG project at this facility rather than concentrating resources at a unified central hub, Riot demonstrates its dedication to decentralised development approaches that have yielded positive results across its portfolio. The company’s history with League of Legends suggests gamers will receive a polished, mechanically sound experience whenever the ARPG ultimately launches. However, with the MMO also demanding significant resources and attention, the ARPG might not arrive until 2027 or beyond, depending on development milestones and Riot’s internal priorities.
What Gamers Should Be Prepared For
Should the ARPG be finished, players can look forward to a single-player or co-operative action experience placed in the expansive universe of Runeterra, utilising the universe’s established lore and iconic champions. The spotlight on visual character craftsmanship and gameplay feel suggests Riot aims to deliver intense, mechanically demanding gameplay rather than a straightforward dungeon crawler. Fans of character-rich action titles and those pursuing a different flavour of League engagement may discover the ARPG particularly appealing, offering an alternative to the pvp-focused focus that has characterised the franchise from the beginning.
