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 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 comes as Riot continues expanding the franchise outside of 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 studio’s mysterious undertaking. The Game Combat Designer role specifically seeks someone with extensive knowledge of action games and ARPGs, with specific focus on crafting compelling combat feel, responsive controls, and responsive artificial intelligence systems. This indicates Riot is developing something technically complex from scratch, utilising Unreal Engine as the core technology. The posting shows the team is still in early stages, actively iterating on fundamental mechanics rather than polishing an established base.
Alongside the design position, 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’ unique visual aesthetic, this animator would likely help create a unified visual approach for the action RPG. Whilst contract roles at this developmental stage 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 building a dedicated, albeit small, core team to test and refine core gameplay concepts.
- Action Game Designer role focuses on action-RPG systems development
- CG animator contributes stylized character animation knowledge to project
- Early-stage R&D indicates years remain before potential release
- Unreal Engine selected as main development platform for title
Combat Mechanics and Technical Requirements
What the Job Listings Reveal
The Combat Game Designer job listing offers valuable perspective into the project’s mechanical ambitions. Candidates must demonstrate deep expertise in action games and ARPGs, with specific focus on crafting satisfying combat feel—a defining characteristic of acclaimed games in the genre. The role clearly demands 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 emphasis 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 technical requirements outlined in the listings paint a picture of a systematic, process-driven production strategy. Candidates are required to work within a compact, nascent team where personal input hold significant importance. The emphasis on “combat feel” rather than merely mechanical balance indicates Riot places value on player sensation and responsiveness—qualities essential to contemporary action role-playing games. This hiring strategy demonstrates the Shanghai studio is not rushing to production but rather investing time in testing and refining core gameplay loops before scaling the project further.
- Deep expertise in action games and ARPG game mechanics required
- Combat sensation and player feedback given priority over mechanical balance
- Development of AI systems indicates likely single-player or cooperative focus
- Unreal Engine chosen as main development engine
- Early prototyping phase suggests years before commercial release
Expanding the League of Legends World
Riot Games has traditionally positioned League of Legends as the foundation of an sprawling multimedia franchise, yet the company’s game development goals have traditionally centred on the original MOBA title itself. The revelation of a undisclosed action RPG project in production marks a major pivot in strategy, suggesting Riot aims to diversify its game catalogue across different gameplay styles rather than depending exclusively on League’s competitive ecosystem. This approach mirrors successful franchises like The Elder Scrolls or Final Fantasy, where a flagship title coexists alongside spin-offs that delve into different gameplay styles. By creating an ARPG set within Runeterra, Riot can tap into the rich lore and established character base whilst reaching players who prefer solo or cooperative gameplay over competitive online play.
The timing of these developments is particularly noteworthy given Riot’s wide-ranging franchise expansion strategy. Alongside the action role-playing game project, the company has committed substantial resources in the long-in-development League of Legends MMO, bringing on Raymond Bartos from World of Warcraft to accelerate production following a substantial restructuring in 2024. This two-pronged strategy suggests Riot is working towards an ambitious vision for Runeterra’s gaming environment. Rather than competing directly with one another, these projects appear created to address different audience segments—the MMO serving persistent-world enthusiasts whilst the ARPG appeals to players seeking story-driven, action-focused adventures. Together, they constitute Riot’s most aggressive expansion 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 |
Project Timeline and Outlook
Whilst the position listings provide compelling evidence of the ARPG’s existence, Riot Games has maintained strict silence concerning an formal reveal 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 years distant from launch. Industry observers familiar with game development cycles point out that hiring for core positions such as Combat Game Designer commonly represents the initial stages of production rather than an imminent release. This deliberate approach allows Riot to establish robust combat mechanics and gameplay systems prior to scaling the team further, a sound method given the intense competition 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 creating compelling interactive experiences. By positioning the ARPG project at this facility rather than consolidating efforts at a sole headquarters, Riot illustrates its dedication to decentralised development approaches that have produced successful outcomes across its product lineup. The company’s experience developing League of Legends suggests gamers will receive a polished, mechanically sound experience whenever the ARPG finally releases. However, with the MMO also requiring substantial investment and focus, the ARPG could not launch until 2027 or beyond, based on development milestones and Riot’s internal priorities.
What Players Should Expect
Should the ARPG achieve completion, players can look forward to a single-player or co-operative action experience set within the expansive universe of Runeterra, drawing upon the universe’s established lore and iconic champions. The emphasis on character design and combat feel suggests Riot intends to provide visceral, skill-based gameplay rather than a straightforward dungeon crawler. Fans of narrative-driven action titles and those looking for a different flavour of League engagement may consider the ARPG especially compelling, offering an departure from the competitive multiplayer focus that has defined the franchise from the beginning.
