Riot Games appears 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—indicate an early-stage project is coming together, with both roles highlighting familiarity with the League of Legends IP as a desirable qualification. Neither listing formally identifies the project, but the emphasis on action gameplay mechanics and Runeterra expertise clearly suggests 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 Confidential Initiative Comes to Light
The two contract listings found on Riot’s careers page reveal intriguing details about the Shanghai-based studio’s secret project. The Combat Game Designer role actively looks for someone with extensive knowledge of action games and action RPGs, with particular emphasis on crafting engaging combat experience, responsive controls, and advanced AI systems. This suggests Riot is building something technically complex from scratch, utilising Unreal Engine as the core technology. The job description indicates the team is still in early stages, continuously refining core systems rather than polishing 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 visual direction the project may take. Given League of Legends’ unique visual aesthetic, this animator would likely help establish a cohesive aesthetic for the action RPG. Whilst contract roles at this early phase generally indicate projects remain years away from launch, the combination of these two positions suggests Riot has invested significant effort to exploring what an action-focused League experience might entail. The recruitment approach indicates the studio is building a dedicated, albeit small, core team to prototype and validate fundamental gameplay mechanics.
- Combat Game Designer role focuses 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 selected as primary development platform for title
Combat Mechanics and Technical Specifications
What the Vacancies Indicate
The Combat Game Designer job listing offers valuable perspective into the project’s mechanical ambitions. Candidates must demonstrate 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 explicitly requires building and iterating on combat systems from scratch using Unreal Engine, indicating Riot intends to develop something distinctly different from League of Legends’ turn-based MOBA mechanics. The emphasis on AI development indicates the studio is building sophisticated enemy behaviour systems, potentially for single-player or co-operative experiences rather than exclusively competitive gameplay.
The specification details outlined in the listings paint a picture of a methodical, systems-focused production strategy. Candidates are expected to work within a small, early-stage team where personal input carry substantial weight. The emphasis on “combat feel” rather than simply mechanical balance suggests Riot places value on user experience and feedback—qualities essential to modern action RPGs. This recruitment approach indicates 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.
- Extensive knowledge in action games and ARPG game mechanics needed
- Combat sensation and player feedback emphasised over mechanical balance
- Development of AI systems indicates potential single-player or cooperative emphasis
- Unreal Engine chosen as main technical development engine
- Early prototyping stage suggests years until market launch
Expanding the League of Legends World
Riot Games has traditionally positioned League of Legends as the cornerstone of an extensive multimedia franchise, yet the company’s gaming ambitions have historically centred on the original MOBA title itself. The revelation of a undisclosed action RPG project in development marks a significant shift in strategy, suggesting Riot plans to diversify its game catalogue across different gameplay styles rather than depending exclusively on League’s competitive ecosystem. This approach echoes successful franchises like The Elder Scrolls or Final Fantasy, where a flagship title coexists alongside secondary games that delve into different gaming experiences. By developing an ARPG situated in Runeterra, Riot can capitalise on the rich lore and established character base whilst appealing to players who prefer single-player or co-operative experiences over competitive multiplayer.
The scheduling of these advancements is especially significant given Riot’s broader franchise expansion efforts. Alongside the action RPG initiative, the company has invested heavily in the long-in-development League of Legends MMO, bringing on Raymond Bartos from World of Warcraft to expedite the production process following a significant reset in 2024. This two-pronged strategy suggests Riot is working towards an ambitious vision for Runeterra’s digital ecosystem. Rather than competing directly with one another, these projects appear designed to serve different market segments—the MMO targeting persistent-world enthusiasts whilst the ARPG serves players seeking narrative-driven action experiences. Together, they constitute Riot’s most aggressive expansion of the League franchise beyond its MOBA origins.
| 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 position listings reveal tantalising evidence of the ARPG’s existence, Riot Games has maintained strict silence concerning an public statement or availability date. The contract positions listed on the company’s careers page point to the project continues in foundational development stages, suggesting it could be a considerable time from launch. Industry observers experienced in game development cycles point out that hiring for core positions such as Combat Game Designer typically signals the beginning stages of production rather than an imminent release. This measured pace 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 initiative reflects Riot’s worldwide development capabilities and the studio’s established track record in developing immersive gameplay. By situating the ARPG project at this site rather than consolidating efforts at a unified central hub, Riot illustrates its support for distributed team structures that have yielded positive results across its product lineup. The company’s experience developing League of Legends suggests audiences should anticipate a polished, technically proficient offering whenever the ARPG finally releases. However, with the MMO also demanding significant resources and attention, the ARPG could not launch until 2027 or beyond, depending on development milestones and Riot’s resource allocation decisions.
What Players Should Expect
Should the ARPG achieve completion, players can look forward to a solo or multiplayer cooperative action experience placed in the vibrant world of Runeterra, leveraging the universe’s established lore and iconic champions. The emphasis on stylised character work and combat feel suggests Riot aims to deliver visceral, skill-based gameplay rather than a standard dungeon crawler. Fans of narrative-driven action titles and those looking for a fresh approach of League engagement may consider the ARPG especially compelling, providing an alternative to the competitive multiplayer focus that has shaped the franchise from the beginning.
