Riot Games seems to be developing a League of Legends action RPG in secret, based on 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 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 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 discovered on Riot’s jobs page reveal tantalising details about the Shanghai studio’s secret project. The Combat Game Designer role specifically seeks someone with deep expertise of action games and ARPGs, with particular emphasis on developing engaging combat experience, intuitive mechanics, and advanced AI systems. This suggests Riot is building something mechanically sophisticated from the ground up, using Unreal Engine as the development platform. The posting indicates the team is still in early stages, actively iterating on fundamental mechanics rather than polishing an existing foundation.
Alongside the designer role, Riot is hiring a CG animator with expertise in stylised character work—a recruitment decision that hints at the visual direction the project may take. Given League of Legends’ distinctive art style, this animator would probably 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 investigating what an action-focused League experience might entail. The recruitment approach indicates the studio is building a focused though modest, core team to prototype and validate fundamental gameplay mechanics.
- Combat Game Designer role concentrates on action-RPG systems development
- CG animator brings stylized character animation expertise to project
- Initial research and development indicates years remain before possible launch
- Unreal Engine selected as main development platform for title
Combat Design and Technical Specifications
What Job Postings Show
The Combat Game Designer posting provides crucial insight into the project’s mechanical ambitions. Candidates must demonstrate deep expertise in action-based games and ARPGs, with particular emphasis on creating engaging combat feel—a hallmark of successful titles 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 exclusively competitive gameplay.
The specification details outlined in the listings reveal a systematic, process-driven development approach. Candidates are expected to work within a small, early-stage team where individual contributions carry substantial weight. The emphasis on “combat feel” rather than merely mechanical balance suggests Riot prioritises user experience and feedback—qualities vital for modern action RPGs. This hiring strategy demonstrates the Shanghai studio is avoiding hasty moves toward production but rather dedicating resources to testing and refining core gameplay loops before scaling the project further.
- Extensive knowledge in action games and ARPG game mechanics needed
- Combat sensation and player responsiveness given priority over mechanical balance
- AI systems development indicates potential single-player or co-op focus
- Unreal chosen as primary technical development platform
- Early prototyping stage indicates considerable time until market launch
Expanding the League of Legends Franchise
Riot Games has consistently positioned League of Legends as the foundation of an extensive multimedia franchise, yet the company’s game development goals have historically centred on the original MOBA title itself. The disclosure of a secret action RPG in development marks a notable change in strategy, suggesting Riot plans to diversify its gaming portfolio 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 venture into different gaming experiences. By creating an ARPG situated in Runeterra, Riot can capitalise on the deep storytelling and established character base whilst appealing to players who prefer single-player or co-operative experiences over competitive multiplayer.
The pacing of these initiatives is especially significant 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, hiring Raymond Bartos from World of Warcraft to expedite the production process following a substantial restructuring in 2024. This parallel development path suggests Riot is chasing an expansive vision for Runeterra’s digital ecosystem. Rather than going head-to-head with one another, these projects appear created to address different audience segments—the MMO serving persistent-world enthusiasts whilst the ARPG serves players seeking narrative-driven action experiences. Together, they represent Riot’s most ambitious growth of the League franchise beyond its MOBA origins.
| 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 position listings provide compelling evidence of the ARPG’s existence, Riot Games has preserved absolute silence concerning an public statement or availability date. The contract positions listed on the company’s careers page point to the project remains in initial R&D phases, indicating it could be a considerable time from launch. Industry observers versed in game development cycles point out that hiring for core positions such as Combat Game Designer commonly represents the early phases of production rather than an near-term launch. This deliberate approach allows Riot to develop strong combat mechanics and gameplay systems ahead of growing the team further, a sensible approach given the intense competition of action RPGs.
The Shanghai studio’s participation in this endeavour reflects Riot’s global development infrastructure and the studio’s proven expertise in creating compelling interactive experiences. By positioning the ARPG project at this location rather than consolidating efforts at a sole headquarters, Riot demonstrates its commitment to distributed development practices that have produced successful outcomes across its range of titles. The company’s experience developing League of Legends suggests gamers will receive a polished, technically proficient offering whenever the ARPG eventually emerges. However, with the MMO also consuming considerable resources and effort, the ARPG might not arrive until 2027 or later, based on development milestones and Riot’s resource allocation decisions.
What Players Should Expect
Should the ARPG achieve completion, players can look forward to a single-player or co-operative action experience placed in the expansive universe of Runeterra, drawing upon the universe’s established lore and iconic champions. The emphasis on visual character craftsmanship and gameplay feel suggests Riot intends to provide visceral, skill-based gameplay rather than a standard dungeon crawler. Fans of narrative-driven action titles and those pursuing a alternative take of League engagement may consider the ARPG notably attractive, presenting an contrast with the competitive online multiplayer focus that has defined the franchise since its inception.
