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 taking shape, with both roles flagging 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 situated in the League universe. The discovery comes as Riot keeps broadening 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 postings discovered on Riot’s careers page unveil tantalising details about the Shanghai-based studio’s secret project. The Combat Game Designer role specifically seeks someone with deep expertise of action games and ARPGs, with specific focus on developing engaging combat experience, intuitive mechanics, and responsive artificial intelligence systems. This suggests Riot is developing something mechanically sophisticated from scratch, utilising Unreal Engine as the development platform. The job description shows the team is still in early stages, continuously refining fundamental mechanics rather than refining an existing foundation.
Alongside the design position, Riot is recruiting a CG animator with expertise in stylised character work—a recruitment decision that hints at the artistic trajectory the project may take. Given League of Legends’ distinctive art style, this animator would likely help create a cohesive aesthetic for the action RPG. Whilst contract roles at this developmental stage generally indicate projects remain years away from launch, the combination of these two positions suggests Riot has committed meaningful resources to exploring 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/ARPG mechanics development
- CG animator brings stylised character animation knowledge to project
- Early-stage R&D suggests years remain before possible launch
- Unreal Engine selected as primary development platform for title
Combat Design and Technical Requirements
What the Vacancies Indicate
The Combat Game Designer job listing provides valuable perspective into the project’s mechanical ambitions. Candidates need to show extensive knowledge in action-based games and ARPGs, with specific focus on creating engaging combat feel—a defining characteristic of acclaimed games in the genre. The role explicitly requires developing and refining 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 emphasis 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 presented within the listings reveal a systematic, process-driven production strategy. Candidates are required to work within a compact, nascent team where personal input hold significant importance. The focus on “combat feel” rather than simply mechanical balance indicates Riot prioritises player sensation and responsiveness—qualities critical to modern action RPGs. This recruitment approach demonstrates the Shanghai studio is avoiding hasty moves toward production but rather dedicating resources to prototyping and validating core gameplay loops before expanding operations further.
- Extensive knowledge in action games and ARPG design mechanics required
- Combat sensation and player feedback prioritised over mechanical balance
- Development of AI systems points to potential single-player or co-op emphasis
- Unreal selected as main development engine
- Early prototyping phase indicates considerable time before commercial release
Expanding the League of Legends Franchise
Riot Games has traditionally positioned League of Legends as the cornerstone of an extensive multimedia franchise, yet the company’s game development goals have conventionally centred on the original MOBA title itself. The announcement 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 reflects successful franchises like The Elder Scrolls or Final Fantasy, where a flagship title coexists alongside supplementary titles that delve into different gaming experiences. By creating an ARPG based in Runeterra, Riot can tap into the rich lore and established character base whilst appealing to players who prefer single-player or co-operative experiences over competitive online play.
The scheduling of these initiatives is particularly noteworthy given Riot’s extensive franchise growth plans. Alongside the action RPG project, the company has committed substantial resources in the extended-development League of Legends MMO, hiring Raymond Bartos from World of Warcraft to expedite the production process following a substantial restructuring in 2024. This two-pronged strategy suggests Riot is pursuing an ambitious vision for Runeterra’s gaming environment. Rather than directly competing with one another, these initiatives appear intended to cater to different audience segments—the MMO targeting persistent-world enthusiasts whilst the ARPG caters to players looking for narrative-driven action experiences. Together, they represent 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 job postings reveal tantalising evidence of the ARPG’s existence, Riot Games has maintained strict silence concerning an public statement or release window. The contract positions advertised on the company’s careers page indicate the project continues in foundational development stages, suggesting it could be several years away from launch. Industry observers experienced in game development cycles observe that hiring for core positions such as Combat Game Designer generally indicates the initial stages of production rather than an near-term launch. This deliberate approach allows Riot to create solid combat mechanics and gameplay systems ahead of growing the team further, a sound method given the competitive landscape of action RPGs.
The Shanghai studio’s participation in this project reflects Riot’s international development framework and the studio’s proven expertise in creating compelling interactive experiences. By positioning the ARPG project at this site rather than consolidating efforts at a unified central hub, Riot demonstrates its support for distributed team structures that have yielded positive results across its portfolio. The company’s history with League of Legends suggests players can expect a polished, technically proficient offering whenever the ARPG eventually emerges. However, with the MMO also requiring substantial investment and focus, the ARPG may not materialise until 2027 or beyond, depending on completion targets and the company’s strategic priorities.
What Participants Should Anticipate
Should the ARPG reach completion, players can anticipate a solo or multiplayer cooperative action experience placed in the expansive universe of Runeterra, leveraging the universe’s established lore and beloved champions. The focus on stylised character work and combat feel suggests Riot seeks to create intense, mechanically demanding gameplay rather than a conventional dungeon crawler. Fans of character-rich action titles and those seeking a alternative take of League engagement may discover the ARPG particularly appealing, presenting an alternative to the pvp-focused focus that has characterised the franchise from the beginning.
