Riot Games seems 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—indicate an early-stage project is taking shape, with both roles flagging 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 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 Secret Project Comes to Light
The two contract listings found on Riot’s jobs page reveal intriguing details about the Shanghai-based studio’s secret project. The Game Combat Designer role actively looks for someone with deep expertise of action games and action RPGs, with specific focus on developing compelling combat feel, responsive controls, and advanced AI systems. This indicates Riot is building something mechanically sophisticated from the ground up, using Unreal Engine as the core technology. The posting shows the team is still in initial phases, continuously refining fundamental mechanics rather than refining an existing foundation.
Alongside the designer role, Riot is recruiting 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’ unique visual aesthetic, this animator would likely help create a cohesive aesthetic for the action RPG. Whilst temporary positions at this early phase typically signal projects remain some distance 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 hiring strategy indicates the studio is building a dedicated, albeit small, core team to test and refine fundamental gameplay mechanics.
- Action Game Designer role focuses on action-RPG systems development
- CG animator brings stylized character animation knowledge to project
- Early-stage R&D suggests years remain before potential release
- Unreal Engine chosen as main development platform for title
Combat Design and Technical Specifications
What the Job Listings Reveal
The Combat Game Designer posting offers valuable perspective into the project’s mechanical ambitions. Candidates need to show deep expertise in action-based games and ARPGs, with particular emphasis on creating engaging combat feel—a defining characteristic of successful titles in the genre. The role clearly demands building and iterating on combat systems from scratch using Unreal Engine, indicating 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 purely competitive gameplay.
The specification details outlined in the listings reveal a systematic, process-driven production strategy. Candidates are expected to work within a compact, nascent team where individual contributions carry substantial weight. The emphasis on “combat feel” rather than merely mechanical balance indicates Riot prioritises user experience and feedback—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 prototyping and validating 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
- AI systems development points to potential single-player or cooperative focus
- Unreal chosen as main development platform
- Early prototyping stage suggests years until commercial release
Expanding the League of Legends Universe
Riot Games has long positioned League of Legends as the centrepiece 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 secret action RPG in development marks a major pivot in strategy, suggesting Riot intends to diversify its gaming portfolio across various genres rather than relying solely on League’s esports infrastructure. This approach mirrors successful franchises like The Elder Scrolls or Final Fantasy, where a flagship title coexists alongside spin-offs that delve into different gaming experiences. By developing an ARPG situated in Runeterra, Riot can tap into the rich lore and established character base whilst reaching players who prefer single-player or co-operative experiences over competitive multiplayer.
The timing of these developments is especially significant given Riot’s extensive franchise growth plans. Alongside the action role-playing game project, the company has invested heavily in the long-in-development League of Legends MMO, bringing on Raymond Bartos from World of Warcraft to accelerate production following a significant reset in 2024. This parallel development path suggests Riot is pursuing an ambitious vision for Runeterra’s gaming environment. Rather than directly competing with one another, these projects appear intended to cater to different audience segments—the MMO catering to persistent-world enthusiasts whilst the ARPG serves players looking for story-driven, action-focused adventures. Together, they represent Riot’s boldest 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 |
Schedule and Future Development
Whilst the vacancy announcements offer intriguing evidence of the ARPG’s existence, Riot Games has upheld complete silence about an formal reveal or launch timeframe. The contract positions advertised on the company’s careers page point to the project remains in foundational development stages, suggesting it could be a considerable time from launch. Industry observers familiar with game development cycles point out that hiring for core positions such as Combat Game Designer commonly represents the beginning stages of production rather than an upcoming release. This careful tempo allows Riot to establish robust combat mechanics and gameplay systems before expanding the team further, a sound method given the intense competition of action RPGs.
The Shanghai studio’s contribution in this initiative reflects Riot’s international development framework and the studio’s established track record in crafting engaging gameplay experiences. By situating the ARPG project at this site rather than consolidating efforts at a unified central hub, Riot demonstrates its dedication to decentralised development approaches that have produced successful outcomes across its portfolio. The company’s experience developing League of Legends suggests gamers will receive a polished, technically proficient offering whenever the ARPG ultimately launches. However, with the MMO also consuming considerable resources and effort, the ARPG could not launch until 2027 or later, depending on development milestones and Riot’s resource allocation decisions.
What Players Should Expect
Should the ARPG reach completion, players can anticipate a single-player or co-operative action experience situated in the vibrant world of Runeterra, leveraging the universe’s established lore and iconic champions. The focus on character design and gameplay feel suggests Riot intends to provide visceral, skill-based gameplay rather than a conventional dungeon crawler. Fans of story-focused action titles and those seeking a alternative take of League engagement may discover the ARPG notably attractive, providing an alternative to the competitive multiplayer focus that has characterised the franchise from the beginning.
