Riot Games seems 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—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 clearly suggests the title will be situated in 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 Emerges
The two contract postings discovered on Riot’s careers page unveil intriguing details about the Shanghai-based studio’s mysterious undertaking. The Combat Game Designer role actively looks for someone with deep expertise of action games and ARPGs, with specific focus on crafting compelling combat feel, intuitive mechanics, and advanced AI systems. This suggests Riot is developing something mechanically sophisticated from the ground up, utilising Unreal Engine as the development platform. The job description indicates the team is still in early stages, continuously refining fundamental mechanics rather than refining an established base.
Alongside the designer role, 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’ unique visual aesthetic, this animator would probably help create a unified visual approach for the action RPG. Whilst temporary positions at this early phase generally indicate projects remain some distance from launch, the combination of these two positions suggests Riot has invested significant effort 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 prototype and validate fundamental gameplay mechanics.
- Action Game Designer role concentrates on action-RPG systems development
- CG animator brings stylised character animation knowledge to project
- Early-stage R&D indicates considerable time remains before potential release
- Unreal Engine chosen as primary development platform for title
Combat Mechanics and Technical Specifications
What the Job Listings Reveal
The Combat Game Designer job listing provides valuable perspective into the project’s mechanical ambitions. Candidates must demonstrate deep expertise in action-based 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, suggesting Riot plans to create something fundamentally distinct from League of Legends’ turn-based MOBA mechanics. The focus on AI development indicates the studio is designing sophisticated enemy behaviour systems, possibly intended for single-player and co-operative experiences rather than exclusively competitive gameplay.
The technical requirements outlined in the listings reveal a systematic, process-driven development approach. Candidates are expected to work within a compact, nascent team where individual contributions carry substantial weight. The focus on “combat feel” rather than merely mechanical balance indicates Riot places value on user experience and feedback—qualities critical to contemporary action role-playing games. This hiring strategy indicates the Shanghai studio is not rushing to production but rather dedicating resources to testing and refining core gameplay loops before expanding operations further.
- Deep expertise in action and ARPG game mechanics needed
- Combat sensation and player feedback prioritised over balance mechanics
- Development of AI systems points to likely single-player or co-op focus
- Unreal chosen as main technical development engine
- Early prototyping stage suggests years until commercial release
Expanding the League of Legends Universe
Riot Games has long positioned League of Legends as the centrepiece of an sprawling multimedia franchise, yet the company’s gaming ambitions have conventionally centred on the original MOBA title itself. The announcement of a undisclosed action RPG project in production marks a significant shift in strategy, suggesting Riot plans to diversify its gaming portfolio across various genres rather than depending exclusively on League’s esports infrastructure. This approach echoes established series like The Elder Scrolls or Final Fantasy, where a flagship title coexists alongside spin-offs that explore different gaming experiences. By developing an ARPG set within Runeterra, Riot can tap into the extensive mythology and established character base whilst reaching players who prefer solo or cooperative gameplay over multiplayer competition.
The scheduling of these initiatives is notably important given Riot’s extensive franchise growth plans. Alongside the action role-playing game project, the company has committed substantial resources in the extended-development League of Legends MMO, hiring Raymond Bartos from World of Warcraft to accelerate production following a substantial restructuring in 2024. This dual-track approach suggests Riot is working towards an ambitious vision for Runeterra’s digital ecosystem. Rather than going head-to-head with one another, these endeavours appear designed to serve different audience segments—the MMO catering to persistent-world enthusiasts whilst the ARPG caters to players seeking compelling story-based action gameplay. Together, they represent Riot’s most ambitious growth 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 vacancy announcements offer intriguing evidence of the ARPG’s existence, Riot Games has maintained strict silence concerning an formal reveal or launch timeframe. The contract positions advertised on the company’s careers page indicate the project continues in foundational development stages, suggesting it could be years distant from launch. Industry observers versed in game development cycles observe that hiring for core positions such as Combat Game Designer generally indicates the beginning stages of production rather than an near-term launch. This careful tempo allows Riot to create solid combat mechanics and gameplay systems prior to scaling the team further, a sensible approach given the intense competition of action RPGs.
The Shanghai studio’s participation in this initiative reflects Riot’s worldwide development capabilities and the studio’s demonstrated proficiency in creating compelling interactive experiences. By positioning the ARPG project at this site rather than concentrating resources at a sole headquarters, Riot illustrates its support for distributed team structures that have yielded positive results across its range of titles. The company’s track record with League of Legends suggests players can expect 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 later, contingent upon development milestones and Riot’s resource allocation decisions.
What Participants Should Anticipate
Should the ARPG achieve completion, players can look forward to a solo or multiplayer cooperative action experience placed in the rich tapestry of Runeterra, utilising the world’s existing lore and fan-favourite champions. The spotlight on visual character craftsmanship and gameplay feel suggests Riot seeks to create visceral, skill-based gameplay rather than a standard dungeon crawler. Fans of story-focused action titles and those seeking a different flavour of League engagement may find the ARPG especially compelling, providing an alternative to the competitive multiplayer focus that has defined the franchise since its inception.
