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 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 set within the League universe. The discovery arrives 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 Comes to Light
The two contract postings discovered on Riot’s careers page reveal tantalising details about the Shanghai-based studio’s mysterious undertaking. The Game Combat Designer role actively looks for someone with extensive knowledge of action games and ARPGs, with specific focus on crafting engaging combat experience, responsive controls, and advanced AI systems. This suggests Riot is developing something mechanically sophisticated from scratch, utilising Unreal Engine as the core technology. The posting shows the team is still in initial phases, continuously refining fundamental mechanics rather than refining an existing foundation.
Alongside the designer role, 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 likely help establish a cohesive aesthetic for the action RPG. Whilst temporary positions at this developmental stage typically signal projects remain years away from launch, the pairing of these roles suggests Riot has committed meaningful resources to investigating what an action-focused League experience might entail. The recruitment approach indicates the studio is building a dedicated, albeit small, core team to test and refine core gameplay concepts.
- Combat Game Designer role concentrates on action/ARPG mechanics development
- CG animator contributes stylised character animation expertise to project
- Early-stage R&D suggests considerable time remains before potential release
- Unreal Engine chosen as primary development platform for title
Combat Design and Technical Specifications
What These Listings Demonstrate
The Combat Game Designer job listing offers valuable perspective into the project’s mechanical ambitions. Candidates must demonstrate deep expertise in action-based games and ARPGs, with specific focus 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 intends to develop something distinctly different from League of Legends’ turn-based MOBA mechanics. The focus on AI development suggests the studio is building sophisticated enemy behaviour systems, possibly intended for single-player and co-operative experiences rather than purely competitive gameplay.
The technical requirements outlined in the listings reveal a systematic, process-driven production strategy. Candidates are expected to work within a compact, nascent team where personal input hold significant importance. The emphasis on “combat feel” rather than merely mechanical balance suggests Riot places value on user experience and feedback—qualities critical to contemporary action role-playing games. This hiring strategy demonstrates the Shanghai studio is not rushing to production but rather investing time in prototyping and validating fundamental gameplay mechanics before scaling the project further.
- Extensive knowledge in action games and ARPG game mechanics needed
- Combat feel and player feedback emphasised over mechanical balance
- AI systems development points to potential single-player or co-op focus
- Unreal chosen as main technical development platform
- Early prototyping phase suggests considerable time before market launch
Expanding the League of Legends World
Riot Games has consistently positioned League of Legends as the centrepiece of an extensive 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 development marks a significant shift in strategy, suggesting Riot intends to diversify its gaming portfolio across multiple genres rather than depending exclusively on League’s esports infrastructure. This approach mirrors established series like The Elder Scrolls or Final Fantasy, where a main entry coexists alongside supplementary titles that venture into different gaming experiences. By developing an ARPG situated in Runeterra, Riot can leverage the extensive mythology and established character base whilst reaching players who prefer single-player or co-operative experiences over competitive online play.
The timing of these initiatives is notably important given Riot’s extensive franchise growth plans. Alongside the action role-playing game project, the company has invested heavily in the long-in-development League of Legends MMO, recruiting Raymond Bartos from World of Warcraft to expedite the production process following a substantial restructuring in 2024. This parallel development path suggests Riot is working towards an ambitious vision for Runeterra’s digital ecosystem. Rather than directly competing with one another, these endeavours appear designed to serve different market segments—the MMO targeting persistent-world enthusiasts whilst the ARPG appeals to players pursuing story-driven, action-focused adventures. Together, they constitute 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 maintained strict silence concerning an official announcement or launch timeframe. The contract positions posted to the company’s careers page suggest the project is still in initial R&D phases, suggesting it could be a considerable time from launch. Industry observers versed in game development cycles observe that hiring for essential positions such as Combat Game Designer generally indicates the beginning stages of production rather than an upcoming release. This careful tempo allows Riot to develop strong combat mechanics and gameplay systems ahead of growing the team further, a sound method given the demanding market of action RPGs.
The Shanghai studio’s involvement in this project reflects Riot’s worldwide development capabilities and the studio’s proven expertise in crafting engaging gameplay experiences. By positioning the ARPG project at this facility rather than centralising operations at a single headquarters, Riot illustrates its dedication to decentralised development approaches that have produced successful outcomes across its range of titles. The company’s experience developing League of Legends suggests players can expect a polished, mechanically sound experience whenever the ARPG finally releases. However, with the MMO also demanding significant resources and attention, the ARPG could not launch until 2027 or later, contingent upon completion targets and the company’s strategic priorities.
What Gamers Should Be Prepared For
Should the ARPG be finished, players can look forward to a solo or multiplayer cooperative action experience set within the vibrant world of Runeterra, leveraging the world’s existing lore and beloved champions. The focus on visual character craftsmanship and gameplay feel suggests Riot seeks to create intense, mechanically demanding gameplay rather than a conventional dungeon crawler. Fans of character-rich action titles and those looking for a alternative take of League engagement may consider the ARPG especially compelling, providing an alternative to the pvp-focused focus that has shaped the franchise from the beginning.
