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 taking shape, 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 set within the League universe. The discovery comes as Riot continues expanding 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 Comes to Light
The two contract postings discovered on Riot’s careers page unveil tantalising details about the Shanghai studio’s mysterious undertaking. The Combat Game Designer role actively looks for someone with deep expertise of action games and action RPGs, with particular emphasis on developing compelling combat feel, intuitive mechanics, and advanced AI systems. This suggests Riot is building something technically complex from scratch, using Unreal Engine as the development platform. The posting indicates the team is still in initial phases, actively iterating on core systems rather than polishing an existing foundation.
Alongside the designer role, Riot is recruiting a CG animator with expertise in stylised character work—a hiring choice that hints at the artistic trajectory the project may take. Given League of Legends’ distinctive art style, this animator would probably help create a cohesive aesthetic for the action RPG. Whilst contract roles at this developmental stage generally indicate projects remain some distance from launch, the pairing of these roles 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 core gameplay concepts.
- Combat Game Designer role focuses on action-RPG systems development
- CG animator contributes stylised character animation expertise to project
- Initial research and development suggests years remain before possible launch
- Unreal Engine chosen as main development platform for title
Combat Design and Technical Specifications
What the Job Listings Reveal
The Combat Game Designer posting provides valuable perspective into the project’s mechanical ambitions. Candidates must demonstrate extensive knowledge 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 building and iterating on combat systems from scratch using Unreal Engine, indicating Riot intends to develop something fundamentally distinct from League of Legends’ turn-based MOBA mechanics. The focus on AI development indicates the studio is designing advanced enemy AI systems, possibly intended for single-player and co-operative experiences rather than purely competitive gameplay.
The technical requirements presented within the listings paint a picture of a methodical, systems-focused production strategy. Candidates are required to work within a small, early-stage team where personal input hold significant importance. The emphasis on “combat feel” rather than simply mechanical balance indicates Riot places value on player sensation and responsiveness—qualities essential to modern action RPGs. This hiring strategy demonstrates the Shanghai studio is not rushing to production but rather investing time in testing and refining fundamental gameplay mechanics before scaling the project further.
- Extensive knowledge in action and ARPG game mechanics needed
- Combat sensation and player responsiveness emphasised over balance mechanics
- Development of AI systems indicates potential single-player or cooperative focus
- Unreal Engine chosen as main development platform
- Early-stage prototyping stage indicates years until market launch
Broadening the League of Legends World
Riot Games has traditionally positioned League of Legends as the centrepiece of an expansive multimedia franchise, yet the company’s gaming ambitions have traditionally centred on the original MOBA title itself. The disclosure of a secret action RPG in production marks a notable change in strategy, suggesting Riot aims to diversify its gaming portfolio across various genres rather than depending exclusively on League’s competitive ecosystem. This approach echoes established series like The Elder Scrolls or Final Fantasy, where a main entry coexists alongside secondary games that explore different play mechanics. By developing an ARPG situated in Runeterra, Riot can capitalise on the rich lore and established character base whilst appealing to players who prefer solo or cooperative gameplay over competitive multiplayer.
The scheduling of these initiatives is especially significant given Riot’s wide-ranging franchise expansion strategy. Alongside the action RPG project, the company has poured significant investment in the long-gestating League of Legends MMO, recruiting Raymond Bartos from World of Warcraft to speed up development following a significant reset in 2024. This parallel development path suggests Riot is pursuing an ambitious vision for Runeterra’s gaming environment. Rather than directly competing with one another, these endeavours appear designed to serve different audience segments—the MMO serving 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 |
Timeframe and Growth Prospects
Whilst the job postings reveal tantalising evidence of the ARPG’s existence, Riot Games has preserved absolute silence regarding an public statement or release window. The contract positions advertised on the company’s careers page indicate the project remains in initial R&D phases, implying it could be a considerable time from launch. Industry observers versed in game development cycles note that hiring for core positions such as Combat Game Designer generally indicates the beginning stages of production rather than an imminent release. This careful tempo allows Riot to establish robust combat mechanics and gameplay systems ahead of growing the team further, a sound method given the competitive landscape of action RPGs.
The Shanghai studio’s participation in this endeavour reflects Riot’s international development framework and the studio’s established track record in creating compelling interactive experiences. By positioning the ARPG project at this site rather than consolidating efforts at a sole headquarters, Riot showcases its commitment to distributed development practices that have yielded positive results across its range of titles. The company’s experience developing League of Legends suggests audiences should anticipate a polished, technically proficient offering whenever the ARPG finally releases. However, with the MMO also requiring substantial investment and focus, the ARPG may not materialise until 2027 or later, based on development milestones and Riot’s resource allocation decisions.
What Players Should Expect
Should the ARPG achieve 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 beloved champions. The emphasis on character design and combat feel suggests Riot intends to provide intense, mechanically demanding gameplay rather than a conventional dungeon crawler. Fans of narrative-driven action titles and those seeking a fresh approach of League engagement may consider the ARPG especially compelling, offering an departure from the competitive multiplayer focus that has defined the franchise from the beginning.
