Riot Games seems to be developing a League of Legends action RPG in secret, 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 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 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 Secret Project Emerges
The two contract listings found on Riot’s jobs page reveal intriguing details about the Shanghai studio’s secret project. The Combat Game Designer role specifically seeks someone with extensive knowledge of action games and action RPGs, with particular emphasis on developing engaging combat experience, intuitive mechanics, and advanced AI systems. This suggests Riot is developing something mechanically sophisticated from the ground up, using Unreal Engine as the core technology. The posting shows the team is still in early stages, actively iterating on fundamental mechanics rather than polishing an established base.
Alongside the design position, Riot is hiring 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’ distinctive art style, this animator would probably help create a cohesive aesthetic for the action RPG. Whilst temporary positions at this early phase generally indicate projects remain some distance from launch, the pairing of these roles 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 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 indicates years remain before possible launch
- Unreal Engine selected as primary development platform for title
Combat Design and Technical Requirements
What the Job Listings Reveal
The Combat Game Designer posting offers crucial insight into the project’s mechanical ambitions. Candidates need to show extensive knowledge in action games and ARPGs, with particular emphasis on creating engaging combat feel—a defining characteristic of successful titles in the genre. The role clearly demands developing and refining on combat mechanics from scratch using Unreal Engine, indicating Riot plans to create 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, possibly intended for single-player and co-operative experiences rather than exclusively competitive gameplay.
The technical requirements presented within the listings illustrate a methodical, systems-focused development approach. Candidates are expected to work within a compact, nascent team where individual contributions carry substantial weight. The focus on “combat feel” rather than merely mechanical balance indicates Riot places value on player sensation and responsiveness—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 testing and refining fundamental gameplay mechanics before scaling the project further.
- Strong proficiency in action games and ARPG game mechanics needed
- Combat feel and player feedback emphasised over balance mechanics
- Development of AI systems suggests likely single-player or cooperative emphasis
- Unreal chosen as main development engine
- Early-stage prototyping phase indicates considerable time before commercial release
Growing the League of Legends Franchise
Riot Games has consistently positioned League of Legends as the centrepiece 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 undisclosed action RPG project in development marks a notable change in strategy, suggesting Riot aims to diversify its gaming portfolio across different gameplay styles rather than relying solely on League’s competitive ecosystem. This approach reflects successful franchises like The Elder Scrolls or Final Fantasy, where a main entry coexists alongside secondary games that venture into different gameplay styles. By developing an ARPG based in Runeterra, Riot can tap into the extensive mythology and established character base whilst appealing to players who prefer single-player or co-operative experiences over multiplayer competition.
The pacing of these advancements 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, recruiting Raymond Bartos from World of Warcraft to accelerate production following a major overhaul in 2024. This two-pronged strategy suggests Riot is chasing an expansive vision for Runeterra’s interactive landscape. Rather than going head-to-head with one another, these projects appear intended to cater to different audience segments—the MMO targeting persistent-world enthusiasts whilst the ARPG appeals to players looking for story-driven, action-focused adventures. Together, they represent 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 job postings offer intriguing evidence of the ARPG’s existence, Riot Games has preserved absolute silence about an public statement or availability date. The contract positions posted to the company’s careers page indicate the project continues in foundational development stages, implying it could be several years away from launch. Industry observers versed in game development cycles note that hiring for essential positions such as Combat Game Designer generally indicates the early phases of production rather than an upcoming release. This measured pace allows Riot to develop strong combat mechanics and gameplay systems ahead of growing the team further, a sensible approach given the intense competition of action RPGs.
The Shanghai studio’s participation in this project reflects Riot’s global development infrastructure 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 single headquarters, Riot showcases its support for distributed team structures that have generated favourable results across its range of titles. The company’s history with League of Legends suggests audiences should anticipate a refined, well-designed experience whenever the ARPG finally releases. However, with the MMO also demanding significant resources and attention, the ARPG may not materialise until 2027 or afterwards, contingent upon project milestones and Riot’s resource allocation decisions.
What Players Should Expect
Should the ARPG reach completion, players can look forward to a single-player or co-operative action experience placed in the expansive universe of Runeterra, utilising the universe’s established lore and beloved champions. The emphasis on visual character craftsmanship and gameplay feel suggests Riot seeks to create intense, mechanically demanding gameplay rather than a straightforward dungeon crawler. Fans of character-rich action titles and those looking for a alternative take of League engagement may find the ARPG notably attractive, providing an departure from the pvp-focused focus that has characterised the franchise from the beginning.
