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—indicate an early-stage project is taking shape, with both roles highlighting 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 clearly suggests the title will be set within the League universe. The discovery arrives 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 Confidential Initiative Emerges
The two contract postings discovered on Riot’s jobs page reveal intriguing details about the Shanghai studio’s secret project. The Combat Game Designer role specifically seeks someone with extensive knowledge of action games and ARPGs, with particular emphasis on crafting compelling combat feel, intuitive mechanics, and advanced AI systems. This suggests Riot is developing something mechanically sophisticated from the ground up, using Unreal Engine as the core technology. The posting indicates the team is still in initial phases, actively iterating on fundamental mechanics rather than refining an established base.
Alongside the design position, Riot is recruiting a CG animator experienced 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 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 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 building a focused though modest, core team to prototype and validate 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 considerable time remains before possible launch
- Unreal Engine selected as main development platform for title
Combat Mechanics and Technical Specifications
What the Job Listings Reveal
The Combat Game Designer posting provides valuable perspective into the project’s mechanical ambitions. Candidates need to show deep expertise in action-based games and ARPGs, with specific focus on creating engaging 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, indicating Riot plans to create something distinctly different from League of Legends’ turn-based MOBA mechanics. The focus on AI development suggests the studio is designing advanced enemy AI systems, potentially for single-player or co-operative experiences rather than purely competitive gameplay.
The specification details outlined in the listings reveal a methodical, systems-focused production strategy. Candidates are required to work within a compact, nascent team where personal input carry substantial weight. The focus on “combat feel” rather than simply mechanical balance suggests Riot prioritises player sensation and responsiveness—qualities critical to contemporary action role-playing games. This hiring strategy indicates the Shanghai studio is avoiding hasty moves toward production but rather investing time in prototyping and validating core gameplay loops before scaling the project further.
- Strong proficiency in action and ARPG game mechanics required
- Combat sensation and player feedback prioritised over balance mechanics
- AI systems development indicates potential single-player or cooperative emphasis
- Unreal chosen as main technical development engine
- Early-stage prototyping stage suggests years before market launch
Growing 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 game development goals have historically centred on the original MOBA title itself. The disclosure of a undisclosed action RPG project in development marks a significant shift in strategy, suggesting Riot intends to diversify its game catalogue across various genres rather than depending exclusively on League’s esports infrastructure. This approach mirrors successful franchises like The Elder Scrolls or Final Fantasy, where a flagship title coexists alongside spin-offs that venture into different gameplay styles. By developing an ARPG based in Runeterra, Riot can leverage the deep storytelling and established character base whilst appealing to players who prefer single-player or co-operative experiences over multiplayer competition.
The pacing 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 long-in-development League of Legends MMO, bringing on Raymond Bartos from World of Warcraft to accelerate production following a substantial restructuring in 2024. This parallel development path suggests Riot is pursuing an ambitious vision for Runeterra’s digital ecosystem. Rather than going head-to-head with one another, these endeavours appear intended to cater to different market segments—the MMO catering to persistent-world enthusiasts whilst the ARPG serves players seeking narrative-driven action experiences. Together, they embody Riot’s most ambitious growth of the League franchise past its MOBA foundations.
| 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 |
Timeline and Development Outlook
Whilst the vacancy announcements provide compelling evidence of the ARPG’s existence, Riot Games has preserved absolute silence about an official announcement or release window. The contract positions posted to the company’s careers page indicate the project continues in early-stage research and development, indicating it could be several years away from launch. Industry observers versed in game development cycles point out that hiring for foundational roles such as Combat Game Designer generally indicates the initial stages of production rather than an upcoming release. This deliberate approach allows Riot to create solid combat mechanics and gameplay systems before expanding the team further, a sensible approach given the demanding market of action RPGs.
The Shanghai studio’s participation in this project reflects Riot’s global development infrastructure and the studio’s demonstrated proficiency in developing immersive gameplay. By situating the ARPG project at this site rather than centralising operations at a single headquarters, Riot illustrates its support for distributed team structures that have yielded positive results across its range of titles. The company’s experience developing League of Legends suggests audiences should anticipate a refined, well-designed experience whenever the ARPG ultimately launches. However, with the MMO also requiring substantial investment and focus, the ARPG could not launch until 2027 or later, depending on development milestones and Riot’s resource allocation decisions.
What Gamers Should Be Prepared For
Should the ARPG achieve completion, players can look forward to a single-player or co-operative action experience placed in the rich tapestry of Runeterra, utilising the universe’s established lore and iconic champions. The spotlight on character design and gameplay feel suggests Riot intends to provide visceral, skill-based gameplay rather than a conventional dungeon crawler. Fans of narrative-driven action titles and those looking for a fresh approach of League engagement may consider the ARPG notably attractive, providing an alternative to the competitive online multiplayer focus that has characterised the franchise from the beginning.
