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—suggest 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 officially names 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 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 Secret Project Comes to Light
The two contract postings found on Riot’s careers 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 ARPGs, with specific focus on developing compelling combat feel, responsive controls, and advanced AI systems. This suggests Riot is developing something mechanically sophisticated from the ground up, using Unreal Engine as the development platform. The posting shows the team is still in initial phases, continuously refining fundamental mechanics rather than refining an established base.
Alongside the designer role, Riot is recruiting a CG animator experienced in stylised character work—a recruitment decision that hints at the artistic trajectory the project may take. Given League of Legends’ unique visual aesthetic, 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 some distance from launch, the pairing of these roles suggests Riot has invested significant effort to exploring what an action-focused League experience might entail. The hiring strategy indicates the studio is assembling a focused though modest, core team to prototype and validate core gameplay concepts.
- Combat Game Designer role concentrates on action/ARPG mechanics development
- CG animator contributes stylized character animation expertise to project
- Early-stage R&D suggests considerable time remains before possible launch
- Unreal Engine chosen as main development platform for title
Combat Design and Technical Requirements
What These Listings Demonstrate
The Combat Game Designer posting provides crucial insight into the project’s mechanical ambitions. Candidates must demonstrate extensive knowledge in action games and ARPGs, with specific focus on crafting satisfying combat feel—a hallmark of acclaimed games in the genre. The role clearly demands building and iterating on combat mechanics from scratch using Unreal Engine, indicating Riot intends to develop something distinctly different from League of Legends’ turn-based MOBA mechanics. The focus on AI development suggests the studio is designing sophisticated enemy behaviour systems, potentially for single-player or co-operative experiences rather than purely competitive gameplay.
The technical requirements outlined in the listings illustrate a systematic, process-driven production strategy. 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 prioritises user experience and feedback—qualities critical to contemporary action role-playing games. This hiring strategy demonstrates the Shanghai studio is avoiding hasty moves toward production but rather dedicating resources to prototyping and validating core gameplay loops before scaling the project further.
- Deep expertise in action and ARPG game mechanics required
- Combat sensation and player responsiveness given priority over balance mechanics
- Development of AI systems suggests potential single-player or co-op focus
- Unreal chosen as main development engine
- Early-stage prototyping stage suggests years before market launch
Expanding 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 gaming ambitions have conventionally centred on the original MOBA title itself. The disclosure of a undisclosed action RPG project in production marks a significant shift in strategy, suggesting Riot plans to diversify its game catalogue across different gameplay styles rather than relying solely on League’s esports infrastructure. This approach mirrors successful franchises like The Elder Scrolls or Final Fantasy, where a main entry coexists alongside supplementary titles that venture into different gaming experiences. By developing an ARPG situated in Runeterra, Riot can leverage the rich lore and established character base whilst attracting players who prefer single-player or co-operative experiences over multiplayer competition.
The timing of these developments is notably important given Riot’s broader franchise expansion efforts. Alongside the action role-playing game project, the company has poured significant investment in the long-in-development League of Legends MMO, bringing on Raymond Bartos from World of Warcraft to accelerate production following a major overhaul in 2024. This two-pronged strategy suggests Riot is working towards an ambitious vision for Runeterra’s interactive landscape. Rather than directly competing with one another, these initiatives appear intended to cater to different audience segments—the MMO serving persistent-world enthusiasts whilst the ARPG appeals to players seeking compelling story-based action gameplay. Together, they embody 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 |
Project Timeline and Outlook
Whilst the vacancy announcements offer intriguing evidence of the ARPG’s existence, Riot Games has maintained strict silence about an public statement or release window. The contract positions listed on the company’s careers page suggest the project continues in foundational development stages, indicating it could be a considerable time from launch. Industry observers experienced in game development cycles observe that hiring for foundational roles such as Combat Game Designer commonly represents the beginning stages of production rather than an near-term launch. This careful tempo allows Riot to create solid combat mechanics and gameplay systems before expanding the team further, a sensible approach given the intense competition of action RPGs.
The Shanghai studio’s contribution in this initiative reflects Riot’s worldwide development capabilities and the studio’s established track record in crafting engaging gameplay experiences. By placing the ARPG project at this site rather than centralising operations at a unified central hub, Riot demonstrates its commitment to distributed development practices that have produced successful outcomes across its product lineup. The company’s history with League of Legends suggests players can expect a refined, well-designed experience whenever the ARPG eventually emerges. However, with the MMO also demanding significant resources and attention, the ARPG might not arrive until 2027 or afterwards, based on completion targets and the company’s strategic priorities.
What Players Should Expect
Should the ARPG be finished, players can expect a solo or multiplayer cooperative action experience situated in the expansive universe of Runeterra, leveraging the world’s existing lore and fan-favourite champions. The emphasis on stylised character work and combat feel suggests Riot seeks to create intense, mechanically demanding gameplay rather than a standard dungeon crawler. Fans of story-focused action titles and those looking for a alternative take of League engagement may consider the ARPG especially compelling, providing an departure from the competitive multiplayer focus that has shaped the franchise from its launch.
