Riot Games appears to be developing a League of Legends action RPG in secret, 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—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 officially names 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 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 Secret Project Comes to Light
The two contract postings found on Riot’s careers page unveil intriguing details about the Shanghai-based studio’s secret project. The Combat Game Designer role actively looks for someone with deep expertise of action games and ARPGs, with specific focus on crafting engaging combat experience, responsive controls, and advanced AI systems. This indicates Riot is developing 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 core systems rather than polishing an existing foundation.
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 likely help create a unified visual approach for the action RPG. Whilst temporary positions at this developmental stage typically signal projects remain some distance from launch, the pairing of these roles suggests Riot has committed meaningful resources 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.
- Action Game Designer role focuses on action/ARPG mechanics development
- CG animator brings stylized character animation knowledge to project
- Initial research and development suggests considerable time remains before potential release
- Unreal Engine selected as primary development platform for title
Combat Design and Technical Specifications
What the Job Listings Reveal
The Combat Game Designer job listing offers crucial insight into the project’s mechanical ambitions. Candidates need to show extensive knowledge in action games and ARPGs, with specific focus on crafting satisfying combat feel—a hallmark 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 focus on AI development indicates the studio is designing advanced enemy AI systems, possibly intended for single-player or co-operative experiences rather than exclusively competitive gameplay.
The specification details outlined in the listings illustrate a systematic, process-driven production strategy. Candidates are expected to work within a compact, nascent team where individual contributions hold significant importance. The focus on “combat feel” rather than merely mechanical balance suggests Riot prioritises 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 investing time in prototyping and validating core gameplay loops before scaling the project further.
- Strong proficiency in action and ARPG design mechanics required
- Combat feel and player feedback prioritised over balance mechanics
- Development of AI systems indicates potential single-player or cooperative emphasis
- Unreal selected as primary technical development platform
- Early-stage prototyping phase indicates years before market launch
Growing the League of Legends Franchise
Riot Games has long positioned League of Legends as the cornerstone of an expansive multimedia franchise, yet the company’s gaming ambitions have conventionally centred on the original MOBA title itself. The announcement of a secret action RPG in production marks a notable change in strategy, suggesting Riot intends to diversify its gaming portfolio across multiple genres rather than relying solely on League’s esports infrastructure. This approach echoes established series like The Elder Scrolls or Final Fantasy, where a flagship title coexists alongside spin-offs that venture into different gaming experiences. By creating an ARPG situated in Runeterra, Riot can tap into the deep storytelling and established character base whilst attracting players who prefer single-player or co-operative experiences over multiplayer competition.
The pacing of these developments is especially significant given Riot’s broader franchise expansion efforts. Alongside the action RPG project, the company has poured significant investment in the long-gestating League of Legends MMO, hiring Raymond Bartos from World of Warcraft to expedite the production process following a major overhaul in 2024. This parallel development path suggests Riot is working towards an ambitious vision for Runeterra’s digital ecosystem. Rather than going head-to-head with one another, these projects appear created to address different player demographics—the MMO serving persistent-world enthusiasts whilst the ARPG serves players looking for story-driven, action-focused adventures. Together, they constitute Riot’s boldest 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 |
Timeframe and Growth Prospects
Whilst the position listings provide compelling evidence of the ARPG’s existence, Riot Games has maintained strict silence regarding an official announcement or availability date. The contract positions advertised on the company’s careers page indicate the project remains in foundational development stages, suggesting it could be years distant from launch. Industry observers familiar with game development cycles note that hiring for core positions such as Combat Game Designer commonly represents the initial stages of production rather than an near-term launch. This measured pace allows Riot to create solid combat mechanics and gameplay systems prior to scaling the team further, a practical strategy 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 demonstrated proficiency in developing immersive gameplay. By positioning the ARPG project at this site rather than concentrating resources at a unified central hub, Riot demonstrates its commitment to distributed development practices that have yielded positive results across its product lineup. The company’s track record with League of Legends suggests gamers will receive a polished, mechanically sound experience whenever the ARPG finally releases. However, with the MMO also consuming considerable resources and effort, the ARPG may not materialise until 2027 or later, contingent upon development 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, drawing upon the world’s existing lore and iconic 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 narrative-driven action titles and those seeking a fresh approach of League engagement may discover the ARPG notably attractive, presenting an departure from the competitive online multiplayer focus that has defined the franchise from its launch.
