Riot Games appears 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 taking shape, with both roles highlighting 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 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 Comes to Light
The two contract postings found on Riot’s jobs page reveal intriguing 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 specific focus on crafting compelling combat feel, responsive controls, and responsive artificial intelligence systems. This suggests Riot is developing something mechanically sophisticated from the ground up, using Unreal Engine as the development platform. The job description indicates the team is still in initial phases, continuously refining fundamental mechanics rather than refining an established base.
Alongside the designer role, Riot is recruiting a CG animator with expertise 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 unified visual approach for the action RPG. Whilst contract roles at this early phase typically signal projects remain some distance from launch, the combination of these two positions suggests Riot has committed meaningful resources to investigating what an action-focused League experience might entail. The recruitment approach indicates the studio is assembling a dedicated, albeit small, core team to prototype and validate fundamental gameplay mechanics.
- Combat Game Designer role focuses on action/ARPG mechanics development
- CG animator contributes stylized character animation knowledge to project
- Initial research and development suggests years remain before potential release
- Unreal Engine selected as primary development platform for title
Combat Mechanics and Technical Specifications
What These Listings Demonstrate
The Combat Game Designer posting offers 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 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 building sophisticated enemy behaviour systems, possibly intended for single-player and co-operative experiences rather than purely competitive gameplay.
The specification details presented within the listings illustrate a methodical, systems-focused production strategy. Candidates are required 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 prioritises player sensation and responsiveness—qualities essential to contemporary action role-playing games. This hiring strategy indicates the Shanghai studio is not rushing to production but rather investing time in testing and refining core gameplay loops before expanding operations further.
- Deep expertise in action games and ARPG game mechanics required
- Combat sensation and player responsiveness given priority over balance mechanics
- Development of AI systems points to likely single-player or cooperative emphasis
- Unreal Engine selected as primary technical development platform
- Early prototyping stage suggests considerable time until market launch
Growing the League of Legends Universe
Riot Games has traditionally 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 secret action RPG in development marks a major pivot in strategy, suggesting Riot plans to diversify its game catalogue across various genres rather than relying solely on League’s esports infrastructure. This approach echoes successful franchises like The Elder Scrolls or Final Fantasy, where a main entry coexists alongside supplementary titles that explore different play mechanics. By developing an ARPG situated in Runeterra, Riot can capitalise on the extensive mythology and established character base whilst appealing to players who prefer single-player or co-operative experiences over competitive multiplayer.
The pacing of these developments 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, recruiting Raymond Bartos from World of Warcraft to accelerate production following a major overhaul in 2024. This two-pronged strategy suggests Riot is pursuing an ambitious vision for Runeterra’s gaming environment. Rather than going head-to-head with one another, these projects appear created to address different audience segments—the MMO catering to persistent-world enthusiasts whilst the ARPG serves players pursuing compelling story-based action gameplay. Together, they constitute 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 position listings reveal tantalising evidence of the ARPG’s existence, Riot Games has maintained strict silence regarding an public statement or release window. The contract positions listed on the company’s careers page suggest the project continues in initial R&D phases, implying it could be years distant from launch. Industry observers familiar with 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 practical strategy given the intense competition of action RPGs.
The Shanghai studio’s contribution in this endeavour reflects Riot’s global development infrastructure and the studio’s demonstrated proficiency in developing immersive gameplay. By positioning the ARPG project at this location rather than consolidating efforts at a unified central hub, Riot illustrates its dedication to decentralised development approaches that have generated favourable results across its range of titles. The company’s experience developing League of Legends suggests audiences should anticipate a polished, mechanically sound experience whenever the ARPG ultimately launches. However, with the MMO also demanding significant resources and attention, the ARPG could not launch until 2027 or beyond, based on development milestones and Riot’s resource allocation decisions.
What Gamers Should Be Prepared For
Should the ARPG reach completion, players can look forward to a solo or multiplayer cooperative action experience situated in the vibrant world of Runeterra, utilising the world’s existing lore and beloved champions. The spotlight on character design and combat mechanics suggests Riot intends to provide 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 notably attractive, presenting an departure from the competitive multiplayer focus that has characterised the franchise from its launch.
