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—suggest an early-stage project is coming together, with both roles highlighting familiarity with the League of Legends IP as a sought-after requirement. 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 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 tantalising details about the Shanghai-based studio’s secret project. The Game Combat Designer role specifically seeks someone with extensive knowledge of action games and ARPGs, with specific focus on developing engaging combat experience, responsive controls, and advanced AI systems. This indicates Riot is building something mechanically sophisticated from the ground up, utilising Unreal Engine as the core technology. The posting shows the team is still in early stages, actively iterating on fundamental mechanics rather than refining an established base.
Alongside the design position, Riot is recruiting a CG animator with expertise 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 early phase 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 fundamental gameplay mechanics.
- Action Game Designer role focuses on action/ARPG mechanics development
- CG animator contributes stylized character animation knowledge to project
- Initial research and development indicates years remain before possible launch
- Unreal Engine chosen as main development platform for title
Combat Design and Technical Specifications
What the Vacancies Indicate
The Combat Game Designer posting offers 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 clearly demands building and iterating on combat mechanics from scratch using Unreal Engine, suggesting Riot intends to develop something distinctly different from League of Legends’ turn-based MOBA mechanics. The emphasis on AI development suggests the studio is building advanced enemy AI systems, possibly intended for single-player and co-operative experiences rather than purely competitive gameplay.
The specification details presented within the listings reveal a systematic, process-driven development approach. Candidates are expected to work within a small, early-stage team where individual contributions hold significant importance. The emphasis on “combat feel” rather than merely mechanical balance suggests Riot places value on user experience and feedback—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 fundamental gameplay mechanics before scaling the project further.
- Deep expertise in action and ARPG game mechanics needed
- Combat sensation and player feedback emphasised over balance mechanics
- AI systems development points to potential single-player or co-op emphasis
- Unreal chosen as main development engine
- Early prototyping stage indicates considerable time until commercial release
Growing the League of Legends Franchise
Riot Games has consistently positioned League of Legends as the cornerstone of an extensive multimedia franchise, yet the company’s game development goals have conventionally 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 plans to diversify its game catalogue across multiple 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 secondary games that venture into different play mechanics. By developing an ARPG situated in Runeterra, Riot can leverage the deep storytelling and established character base whilst reaching players who prefer single-player or co-operative experiences over multiplayer competition.
The timing of these initiatives is notably important given Riot’s wide-ranging franchise expansion strategy. Alongside the action RPG initiative, the company has poured significant investment in the long-in-development League of Legends MMO, bringing on Raymond Bartos from World of Warcraft to expedite the production process following a major overhaul in 2024. This dual-track approach suggests Riot is pursuing an ambitious vision for Runeterra’s digital ecosystem. Rather than directly competing with one another, these projects appear designed to serve different audience segments—the MMO targeting persistent-world enthusiasts whilst the ARPG appeals to players looking for compelling story-based action gameplay. Together, they constitute 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 |
Timeframe and Growth Prospects
Whilst the position listings reveal tantalising evidence of the ARPG’s existence, Riot Games has maintained strict silence about an official announcement or release window. The contract positions posted to the company’s careers page suggest the project continues in initial R&D phases, implying it could be years distant 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 deliberate approach allows Riot to develop strong combat mechanics and gameplay systems prior to scaling the team further, a sound method given the demanding market of action RPGs.
The Shanghai studio’s contribution in this project reflects Riot’s global development infrastructure and the studio’s established track record in developing immersive gameplay. By situating the ARPG project at this location rather than consolidating efforts at a unified central hub, Riot demonstrates its commitment to distributed development practices that have yielded positive results across its product lineup. The company’s history with League of Legends suggests players can expect a polished, technically proficient offering whenever the ARPG ultimately launches. However, with the MMO also requiring substantial investment and focus, the ARPG might not arrive until 2027 or later, based on completion targets and Riot’s resource allocation decisions.
What Participants Should Anticipate
Should the ARPG reach completion, players can expect a solo or multiplayer cooperative action experience set within the rich tapestry of Runeterra, drawing upon the world’s existing lore and beloved champions. The spotlight on visual character craftsmanship and combat feel suggests Riot seeks to create intense, mechanically demanding gameplay rather than a conventional dungeon crawler. Fans of character-rich action titles and those seeking a different flavour of League engagement may consider the ARPG notably attractive, offering an alternative to the competitive online multiplayer focus that has shaped the franchise from its launch.
