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 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 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 Emerges
The two contract listings discovered on Riot’s jobs page reveal intriguing 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 particular emphasis on crafting compelling combat feel, responsive controls, and advanced AI systems. This indicates Riot is developing something technically complex from the ground up, using Unreal Engine as the development platform. The job description 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 likely help create a cohesive aesthetic for the action RPG. Whilst contract roles at this developmental stage generally indicate projects remain some distance from launch, the pairing of these roles suggests Riot has committed meaningful resources 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 prototype and validate fundamental gameplay mechanics.
- Combat Game Designer role concentrates on action-RPG systems development
- CG animator brings stylised character animation knowledge to project
- Early-stage R&D suggests years remain before potential release
- Unreal Engine chosen as primary development platform for title
Combat Design and Technical Specifications
What the Job Listings Reveal
The Combat Game Designer posting provides crucial insight 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 hallmark 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 fundamentally distinct from League of Legends’ turn-based MOBA mechanics. The focus on AI development suggests the studio is building sophisticated enemy behaviour systems, potentially for single-player or co-operative experiences rather than purely competitive gameplay.
The technical requirements presented within the listings paint a picture of a systematic, process-driven development approach. Candidates are expected to work within a small, early-stage team where personal input hold significant importance. The emphasis on “combat feel” rather than simply mechanical balance indicates Riot prioritises user experience and feedback—qualities vital for modern action RPGs. This recruitment approach indicates the Shanghai studio is avoiding hasty moves toward production but rather investing time in testing and refining core gameplay loops before expanding operations further.
- Strong proficiency in action games and ARPG game mechanics needed
- Combat sensation and player feedback prioritised over balance mechanics
- AI systems development points to likely single-player or co-op focus
- Unreal chosen as main technical development platform
- Early-stage prototyping stage indicates years before market launch
Growing the League of Legends Universe
Riot Games has traditionally positioned League of Legends as the cornerstone of an expansive multimedia franchise, yet the company’s game development goals have historically centred on the original MOBA title itself. The revelation of a secret action RPG in development marks a major pivot in strategy, suggesting Riot aims to diversify its game catalogue 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 main entry coexists alongside spin-offs that explore different gaming experiences. By developing an ARPG situated in Runeterra, Riot can capitalise on the rich lore and established character base whilst attracting players who prefer single-player or co-operative experiences over competitive multiplayer.
The scheduling of these developments is notably important given Riot’s extensive franchise growth plans. Alongside the action RPG initiative, the company has committed substantial resources in the extended-development League of Legends MMO, hiring Raymond Bartos from World of Warcraft to speed up development following a major overhaul in 2024. This two-pronged strategy suggests Riot is pursuing an ambitious vision for Runeterra’s digital ecosystem. Rather than directly competing with one another, these initiatives appear designed to serve different market segments—the MMO serving persistent-world enthusiasts whilst the ARPG caters to players seeking compelling story-based action gameplay. Together, they constitute Riot’s most ambitious growth 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 |
Schedule and Future Development
Whilst the position listings provide compelling evidence of the ARPG’s existence, Riot Games has preserved absolute silence concerning an formal reveal or availability date. The contract positions listed on the company’s careers page point to the project remains in foundational development stages, indicating it could be years distant from launch. Industry observers versed in game development cycles note that hiring for core positions such as Combat Game Designer generally indicates the beginning stages of production rather than an near-term launch. This measured pace allows Riot to establish robust combat mechanics and gameplay systems prior to scaling the team further, a sensible approach given the competitive landscape of action RPGs.
The Shanghai studio’s contribution in this project reflects Riot’s global development infrastructure and the studio’s demonstrated proficiency in crafting engaging gameplay experiences. By placing the ARPG project at this site rather than concentrating resources at a sole headquarters, Riot showcases its commitment to distributed development practices that have generated favourable results across its portfolio. The company’s experience developing League of Legends suggests gamers will receive a polished, mechanically sound experience whenever the ARPG eventually emerges. However, with the MMO also demanding significant resources and attention, the ARPG might not arrive until 2027 or beyond, based on completion targets and Riot’s resource allocation decisions.
What Participants Should Anticipate
Should the ARPG reach completion, players can expect a single-player or co-operative action experience situated in the vibrant world of Runeterra, utilising the universe’s established lore and beloved champions. The focus on stylised character work and gameplay feel suggests Riot intends to provide 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 consider the ARPG especially compelling, presenting an alternative to the pvp-focused focus that has characterised the franchise from its launch.
