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—indicate an early-stage project is coming together, 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 strongly indicates 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 Comes to Light
The two contract listings discovered on Riot’s careers page unveil 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 particular emphasis on developing compelling combat feel, intuitive mechanics, and responsive artificial intelligence systems. This suggests Riot is building 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 established base.
Alongside the designer role, Riot is recruiting 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’ distinctive art style, this animator would likely help create a cohesive aesthetic for the action RPG. Whilst temporary positions at this developmental stage generally indicate 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 hiring strategy indicates the studio is assembling a dedicated, albeit small, core team to test and refine fundamental gameplay mechanics.
- Combat Game Designer role concentrates on action/ARPG mechanics development
- CG animator contributes stylised character animation knowledge to project
- Initial research and development suggests years remain before possible launch
- Unreal Engine chosen as primary development platform for title
Combat Design 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 games and ARPGs, with particular emphasis on crafting satisfying combat feel—a defining characteristic of acclaimed games 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 emphasis on AI development indicates the studio is designing sophisticated enemy behaviour systems, possibly intended for single-player or co-operative experiences rather than exclusively competitive gameplay.
The technical requirements presented within the listings paint a picture of a systematic, process-driven development approach. 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 places value on user experience and feedback—qualities vital for contemporary action role-playing games. This hiring strategy indicates the Shanghai studio is not rushing to production but rather dedicating resources to prototyping and validating fundamental gameplay mechanics before expanding operations further.
- Extensive knowledge in action games and ARPG design mechanics required
- Combat feel and player feedback emphasised over mechanical balance
- Development of AI systems indicates likely single-player or co-op focus
- Unreal selected as main development engine
- Early-stage prototyping phase suggests years before commercial release
Growing the League of Legends World
Riot Games has traditionally positioned League of Legends as the cornerstone 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 major pivot in strategy, suggesting Riot plans to diversify its gaming portfolio across various genres rather than relying solely on League’s competitive ecosystem. This approach mirrors successful franchises like The Elder Scrolls or Final Fantasy, where a main entry coexists alongside supplementary titles that venture into different gameplay styles. By creating an ARPG based in Runeterra, Riot can leverage the deep storytelling and established character base whilst appealing to players who prefer solo or cooperative gameplay over multiplayer competition.
The pacing of these initiatives is especially significant given Riot’s wide-ranging franchise expansion strategy. Alongside the action RPG project, the company has poured significant investment in the long-gestating League of Legends MMO, bringing on Raymond Bartos from World of Warcraft to speed up development following a major overhaul in 2024. This parallel development path suggests Riot is pursuing an ambitious vision for Runeterra’s interactive landscape. Rather than going head-to-head with one another, these endeavours appear intended to cater to different audience segments—the MMO targeting persistent-world enthusiasts whilst the ARPG appeals to players seeking 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 |
Timeline and Development Outlook
Whilst the job postings provide compelling evidence of the ARPG’s existence, Riot Games has maintained strict silence about an public statement or release window. The contract positions advertised on the company’s careers page point to the project continues in initial R&D phases, indicating it could be several years away from launch. Industry observers experienced 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 imminent release. This measured pace allows Riot to create solid combat mechanics and gameplay systems before expanding the team further, a practical strategy 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 established track record in developing immersive gameplay. By placing the ARPG project at this location rather than concentrating resources at a sole headquarters, Riot demonstrates its commitment to distributed development practices that have generated favourable results across its portfolio. The company’s experience developing League of Legends suggests audiences should anticipate a refined, well-designed experience whenever the ARPG eventually emerges. However, with the MMO also requiring substantial investment and focus, the ARPG may not materialise until 2027 or later, based on project milestones and the company’s strategic priorities.
What Gamers Should Be Prepared For
Should the ARPG achieve completion, players can look forward to a solo or multiplayer cooperative action experience set within the rich tapestry of Runeterra, utilising the universe’s established lore and fan-favourite champions. The emphasis on visual character craftsmanship and combat feel suggests Riot intends to provide intense, mechanically demanding gameplay rather than a standard dungeon crawler. Fans of narrative-driven action titles and those looking for a fresh approach of League engagement may discover the ARPG notably attractive, presenting an departure from the competitive online multiplayer focus that has shaped the franchise from the beginning.
