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—indicate an early-stage project is coming together, 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 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 discovered on Riot’s careers page unveil tantalising details about the Shanghai-based studio’s mysterious undertaking. The Combat Game Designer role actively looks for someone with extensive knowledge of action games and action RPGs, with specific focus on developing engaging combat experience, intuitive mechanics, and responsive artificial intelligence systems. This indicates Riot is building something mechanically sophisticated from the ground up, using Unreal Engine as the core technology. The job description indicates the team is still in early stages, continuously refining fundamental mechanics rather than refining an established base.
Alongside the design position, Riot is hiring 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 early phase typically signal projects remain years away 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 building a focused though modest, core team to prototype and validate core gameplay concepts.
- Action Game Designer role concentrates on action-RPG systems development
- CG animator contributes stylised 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 Requirements
What Job Postings Show
The Combat Game Designer job listing offers valuable perspective into the project’s mechanical ambitions. Candidates need to show deep expertise in action games and ARPGs, with particular emphasis on creating engaging combat feel—a defining characteristic of acclaimed games in the genre. The role explicitly requires building and iterating on combat systems from scratch using Unreal Engine, suggesting Riot plans to create something fundamentally distinct from League of Legends’ turn-based MOBA mechanics. The emphasis on AI development indicates the studio is building advanced enemy AI systems, potentially for single-player and co-operative experiences rather than exclusively competitive gameplay.
The technical requirements presented within 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 focus on “combat feel” rather than simply mechanical balance indicates Riot prioritises user experience and feedback—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 fundamental gameplay mechanics before expanding operations further.
- Extensive knowledge in action games and ARPG game mechanics needed
- Combat sensation and player responsiveness given priority over mechanical balance
- Development of AI systems points to potential single-player or cooperative focus
- Unreal chosen as main technical development platform
- Early prototyping stage indicates years until commercial release
Expanding the League of Legends Universe
Riot Games has consistently 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 disclosure of a secret action RPG in development marks a major pivot in strategy, suggesting Riot intends to diversify its game catalogue across different gameplay styles rather than relying solely on League’s esports infrastructure. This approach mirrors established series like The Elder Scrolls or Final Fantasy, where a main entry coexists alongside secondary games that venture into different gaming experiences. By creating an ARPG based in Runeterra, Riot can leverage the rich lore and established character base whilst reaching players who prefer single-player or co-operative experiences over multiplayer competition.
The scheduling of these developments is particularly noteworthy given Riot’s wide-ranging franchise expansion strategy. Alongside the action RPG initiative, the company has committed substantial resources in the extended-development League of Legends MMO, recruiting Raymond Bartos from World of Warcraft to expedite the production process following a significant reset in 2024. This parallel development path suggests Riot is chasing an expansive vision for Runeterra’s digital ecosystem. Rather than directly competing with one another, these endeavours appear intended to cater to different market segments—the MMO catering to persistent-world enthusiasts whilst the ARPG serves players pursuing compelling story-based action gameplay. Together, they embody Riot’s boldest expansion of the League franchise past its MOBA foundations.
| 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 |
Timeline and Development Outlook
Whilst the vacancy announcements reveal tantalising evidence of the ARPG’s existence, Riot Games has preserved absolute silence about an official announcement or release window. The contract positions advertised on the company’s careers page indicate the project continues in early-stage research and development, indicating it could be a considerable time from launch. Industry observers versed in game development cycles note that hiring for essential positions such as Combat Game Designer commonly represents the beginning stages of production rather than an upcoming release. This measured pace allows Riot to develop strong combat mechanics and gameplay systems before expanding the team further, a sensible approach given the competitive landscape of action RPGs.
The Shanghai studio’s participation in this endeavour reflects Riot’s worldwide development capabilities and the studio’s demonstrated proficiency in crafting engaging gameplay experiences. By positioning the ARPG project at this location rather than consolidating efforts at a single headquarters, Riot showcases its dedication to decentralised development approaches that have produced successful outcomes across its product lineup. The company’s history with League of Legends suggests gamers will receive a polished, mechanically sound experience whenever the ARPG ultimately launches. However, with the MMO also requiring substantial investment and focus, the ARPG might not arrive until 2027 or beyond, contingent upon completion targets and Riot’s resource allocation decisions.
What Participants Should Anticipate
Should the ARPG reach completion, players can anticipate a single-player or co-operative action experience placed in the vibrant world of Runeterra, leveraging the universe’s established lore and iconic champions. The focus 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 seeking a different flavour of League engagement may find the ARPG particularly appealing, presenting an contrast with the competitive multiplayer focus that has defined the franchise since its inception.
