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 desirable qualification. Neither listing officially names 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 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 Confidential Initiative Comes to Light
The two contract postings found on Riot’s careers page reveal tantalising details about the Shanghai studio’s secret project. The Game Combat Designer role specifically seeks someone with deep expertise of action games and action RPGs, with specific focus on developing engaging combat experience, responsive controls, and advanced AI systems. This indicates Riot is developing something mechanically sophisticated from the ground up, using Unreal Engine as the development platform. The job description shows the team is still in initial phases, continuously refining fundamental mechanics rather than polishing an existing foundation.
Alongside the designer role, Riot is hiring a CG animator experienced in stylised character work—a hiring choice that hints at the artistic trajectory the project may take. Given League of Legends’ unique visual aesthetic, this animator would probably help establish a cohesive aesthetic for the action RPG. Whilst temporary positions at this developmental stage generally indicate projects remain years away from launch, the combination of these two positions suggests Riot has invested significant effort to exploring what an action-focused League experience might entail. The recruitment approach indicates the studio is assembling 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 stylised character animation knowledge to project
- Early-stage R&D indicates years remain before potential release
- Unreal Engine selected as primary development platform for title
Combat Design and Technical Specifications
What These Listings Demonstrate
The Combat Game Designer posting provides crucial insight into the project’s mechanical ambitions. Candidates need to show deep expertise in action games and ARPGs, with specific focus on crafting satisfying combat feel—a hallmark of acclaimed games in the genre. The role clearly demands developing and refining on combat mechanics 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 building sophisticated enemy behaviour systems, possibly intended for single-player and co-operative experiences rather than exclusively competitive gameplay.
The specification details outlined in the listings paint a picture of 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 merely mechanical balance indicates Riot prioritises user experience and feedback—qualities vital for modern action RPGs. This recruitment approach demonstrates the Shanghai studio is avoiding hasty moves toward production but rather investing time in testing and refining fundamental gameplay mechanics before scaling the project further.
- Strong proficiency in action and ARPG game mechanics needed
- Combat sensation and player feedback emphasised over mechanical balance
- AI systems development points to likely single-player or cooperative focus
- Unreal chosen as primary development engine
- Early prototyping stage suggests years before commercial release
Broadening the League of Legends World
Riot Games has long positioned League of Legends as the foundation of an extensive 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 major pivot in strategy, suggesting Riot aims to diversify its gaming portfolio across various genres rather than relying solely on League’s competitive ecosystem. This approach reflects established series like The Elder Scrolls or Final Fantasy, where a flagship title coexists alongside secondary games that explore different play mechanics. By producing an ARPG situated in Runeterra, Riot can tap into the deep storytelling and established character base whilst reaching players who prefer solo or cooperative gameplay over competitive online play.
The scheduling of these developments is especially significant given Riot’s broader franchise expansion efforts. Alongside the action role-playing game project, the company has poured significant investment in the extended-development League of Legends MMO, recruiting Raymond Bartos from World of Warcraft to expedite the production process following a major overhaul in 2024. This parallel development path suggests Riot is chasing an expansive vision for Runeterra’s gaming environment. Rather than going head-to-head with one another, these projects appear intended to cater to different market segments—the MMO targeting persistent-world enthusiasts whilst the ARPG caters to players seeking compelling story-based action gameplay. Together, they represent Riot’s most aggressive expansion 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 |
Schedule and Future Development
Whilst the vacancy announcements reveal tantalising evidence of the ARPG’s existence, Riot Games has maintained strict silence regarding an official announcement or launch timeframe. The contract positions advertised on the company’s careers page suggest the project continues in initial R&D phases, suggesting it could be years distant from launch. Industry observers experienced in game development cycles point out that hiring for core positions such as Combat Game Designer typically signals the early phases of production rather than an near-term launch. This deliberate approach allows Riot to develop strong combat mechanics and gameplay systems before expanding the team further, a practical strategy given the intense competition of action RPGs.
The Shanghai studio’s participation in this project reflects Riot’s worldwide development capabilities and the studio’s established track record in creating compelling interactive experiences. By situating the ARPG project at this site rather than consolidating efforts at a single headquarters, Riot illustrates its support for distributed team structures that have yielded positive results across its product lineup. The company’s track record with League of Legends suggests gamers will receive a refined, well-designed experience whenever the ARPG finally releases. However, with the MMO also demanding significant resources and attention, the ARPG could not launch until 2027 or afterwards, depending on completion targets and the company’s strategic priorities.
What Players Should Expect
Should the ARPG reach completion, players can expect a single-player or co-operative action experience placed in the rich tapestry of Runeterra, utilising the universe’s established lore and fan-favourite champions. The focus on stylised character work and combat feel suggests Riot intends to provide visceral, skill-based gameplay rather than a conventional dungeon crawler. Fans of character-rich action titles and those pursuing a fresh approach of League engagement may find the ARPG especially compelling, presenting an alternative to the competitive online multiplayer focus that has defined the franchise from the beginning.
