Riot Games appears to be developing a League of Legends action RPG behind closed doors, 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—suggest an early-stage project is taking shape, 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 strongly indicates 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 Secret Project Comes to Light
The two contract postings discovered on Riot’s jobs page unveil intriguing details about the Shanghai-based studio’s mysterious undertaking. The Combat Game Designer role actively looks for someone with deep expertise of action games and ARPGs, with specific focus on developing engaging combat experience, intuitive mechanics, and responsive artificial intelligence systems. This indicates Riot is building something technically complex from scratch, utilising Unreal Engine as the development platform. The posting shows the team is still in initial phases, continuously refining core systems rather than polishing an existing foundation.
Alongside the design position, Riot is hiring a CG animator with expertise in stylised character work—a recruitment decision that hints at the artistic trajectory the project may take. Given League of Legends’ distinctive art style, this animator would probably help create a unified visual approach for the action RPG. Whilst temporary positions at this developmental stage typically signal projects remain years away from launch, the combination of these two positions suggests Riot has committed meaningful resources to exploring what an action-focused League experience might entail. The hiring strategy indicates the studio is building 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 considerable time remains before possible launch
- Unreal Engine selected as main development platform for title
Combat Design and Technical Requirements
What These Listings Demonstrate
The Combat Game Designer posting offers valuable perspective into the project’s mechanical ambitions. Candidates need to show extensive knowledge 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 focus on AI development indicates the studio is designing sophisticated enemy behaviour systems, possibly intended for single-player or co-operative experiences rather than purely competitive gameplay.
The specification details outlined in the listings illustrate a methodical, systems-focused production strategy. Candidates are required to work within a compact, nascent team where individual contributions hold significant importance. The emphasis on “combat feel” rather than simply mechanical balance suggests Riot places value on player sensation and responsiveness—qualities essential to contemporary action role-playing games. This recruitment approach demonstrates the Shanghai studio is avoiding hasty moves toward production but rather investing time in prototyping and validating core gameplay loops before scaling the project further.
- Extensive knowledge in action and ARPG game mechanics needed
- Combat feel and player responsiveness given priority over mechanical balance
- AI systems development indicates likely single-player or cooperative emphasis
- Unreal Engine selected as primary technical development engine
- Early prototyping phase suggests years before commercial release
Growing the League of Legends Universe
Riot Games has consistently positioned League of Legends as the centrepiece of an extensive 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 production marks a significant shift in strategy, suggesting Riot aims to diversify its game catalogue across different gameplay styles 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 explore different play mechanics. By producing an ARPG situated in Runeterra, Riot can tap into the deep storytelling and established character base whilst attracting players who prefer solo or cooperative gameplay over multiplayer competition.
The timing 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, hiring Raymond Bartos from World of Warcraft to speed up development following a significant reset in 2024. This parallel development path suggests Riot is chasing an expansive vision for Runeterra’s gaming environment. Rather than competing directly with one another, these endeavours appear intended to cater to different market segments—the MMO catering to persistent-world enthusiasts whilst the ARPG caters to players seeking story-driven, action-focused adventures. Together, they represent Riot’s most aggressive expansion 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 |
Timeframe and Growth Prospects
Whilst the job postings reveal tantalising evidence of the ARPG’s existence, Riot Games has maintained strict silence about an formal reveal or launch timeframe. The contract positions posted to the company’s careers page point to the project is still in foundational development stages, implying it could be years distant from launch. Industry observers experienced in game development cycles point out that hiring for foundational roles such as Combat Game Designer commonly represents the initial stages of production rather than an near-term launch. This measured pace allows Riot to establish robust combat mechanics and gameplay systems ahead of growing the team further, a sound method given the competitive landscape of action RPGs.
The Shanghai studio’s involvement in this endeavour reflects Riot’s international development framework and the studio’s proven expertise in creating compelling interactive experiences. By situating the ARPG project at this site rather than centralising operations at a unified central hub, Riot showcases its dedication to decentralised development approaches that have generated favourable results across its portfolio. The company’s history with League of Legends suggests gamers will receive a polished, mechanically sound experience whenever the ARPG finally releases. However, with the MMO also consuming considerable resources and effort, the ARPG could not launch until 2027 or afterwards, based on completion targets and Riot’s internal priorities.
What Gamers Should Be Prepared For
Should the ARPG be finished, players can expect a solo or multiplayer cooperative action experience set within the vibrant world of Runeterra, drawing upon the world’s existing lore and beloved champions. The focus on character design 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 seeking a different flavour of League engagement may find the ARPG notably attractive, providing an departure from the competitive online multiplayer focus that has characterised the franchise from its launch.
