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 coming together, 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 clearly suggests the title will be set within 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 Comes to Light
The two contract postings found on Riot’s careers page unveil intriguing details about the Shanghai-based studio’s mysterious undertaking. The Game Combat Designer role actively looks for someone with extensive knowledge of action games and ARPGs, with particular emphasis on developing compelling combat feel, intuitive mechanics, and advanced AI systems. This suggests Riot is developing something technically complex from scratch, utilising Unreal Engine as the core technology. The posting shows the team is still in early stages, continuously refining fundamental mechanics rather than refining an existing foundation.
Alongside the design position, Riot is hiring 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 unified visual approach for the action RPG. Whilst temporary positions at this early phase generally indicate projects remain years away 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 assembling a dedicated, albeit small, core team to test and refine fundamental gameplay mechanics.
- Action Game Designer role concentrates on action/ARPG mechanics development
- CG animator contributes stylized character animation expertise to project
- Initial research and development indicates considerable time remains before possible launch
- Unreal Engine chosen as main development platform for title
Combat Design and Technical Specifications
What the Job Listings Reveal
The Combat Game Designer posting offers crucial insight into the project’s mechanical ambitions. Candidates must demonstrate 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 clearly demands building and iterating on combat systems from scratch using Unreal Engine, indicating Riot plans to create something fundamentally distinct from League of Legends’ turn-based MOBA mechanics. The focus on AI development suggests the studio is designing advanced enemy AI systems, potentially for single-player and co-operative experiences rather than purely competitive gameplay.
The specification details presented within the listings paint a picture of a methodical, systems-focused development approach. Candidates are expected to work within a small, early-stage team where individual contributions hold significant importance. The focus on “combat feel” rather than merely mechanical balance indicates Riot prioritises player sensation and responsiveness—qualities critical to modern action RPGs. This hiring strategy demonstrates the Shanghai studio is not rushing to production but rather investing time in prototyping and validating fundamental gameplay mechanics before scaling the project further.
- Extensive knowledge in action and ARPG game mechanics required
- Combat sensation and player responsiveness given priority over mechanical balance
- AI systems development indicates potential single-player or cooperative emphasis
- Unreal chosen as primary technical development platform
- Early prototyping stage suggests years until market launch
Expanding the League of Legends World
Riot Games has traditionally positioned League of Legends as the centrepiece of an sprawling multimedia franchise, yet the company’s gaming ambitions have conventionally centred on the original MOBA title itself. The announcement of a undisclosed action RPG project in production marks a major pivot in strategy, suggesting Riot aims to diversify its gaming portfolio across multiple genres rather than relying solely on League’s esports infrastructure. This approach mirrors successful franchises like The Elder Scrolls or Final Fantasy, where a flagship title coexists alongside spin-offs that delve into different play mechanics. By producing an ARPG set within Runeterra, Riot can capitalise on the deep storytelling and established character base whilst attracting players who prefer solo or cooperative gameplay over competitive multiplayer.
The pacing of these advancements is especially significant given Riot’s wide-ranging franchise expansion strategy. Alongside the action RPG initiative, the company has poured significant investment in the long-gestating League of Legends MMO, bringing on Raymond Bartos from World of Warcraft to speed up development following a major overhaul 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 endeavours appear designed to serve different market segments—the MMO serving persistent-world enthusiasts whilst the ARPG serves players looking for narrative-driven action experiences. Together, they embody Riot’s most ambitious growth 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 |
Timeline and Development Outlook
Whilst the position listings offer intriguing evidence of the ARPG’s existence, Riot Games has maintained strict silence about an public statement or launch timeframe. The contract positions advertised on the company’s careers page indicate the project continues in initial R&D phases, implying it could be several years away from launch. Industry observers versed in game development cycles observe that hiring for foundational roles such as Combat Game Designer commonly represents the beginning stages of production rather than an imminent release. This careful tempo allows Riot to establish robust combat mechanics and gameplay systems before expanding the team further, a practical strategy given the intense competition of action RPGs.
The Shanghai studio’s participation in this initiative reflects Riot’s global development infrastructure and the studio’s established track record in developing immersive gameplay. By positioning the ARPG project at this facility rather than concentrating resources at a sole headquarters, Riot illustrates its commitment to distributed development practices that have yielded positive results across its range of titles. The company’s history with League of Legends suggests gamers will receive a refined, well-designed experience whenever the ARPG finally releases. However, with the MMO also demanding significant resources and attention, the ARPG might not arrive until 2027 or afterwards, contingent upon completion targets and Riot’s resource allocation decisions.
What Gamers Should Be Prepared For
Should the ARPG reach completion, players can look forward to a solo or multiplayer cooperative action experience placed in the expansive universe of Runeterra, utilising the world’s existing lore and fan-favourite champions. The emphasis on character design and combat feel suggests Riot seeks to create intense, mechanically demanding gameplay rather than a straightforward dungeon crawler. Fans of character-rich action titles and those seeking a different flavour of League engagement may discover the ARPG especially compelling, providing an alternative to the competitive multiplayer focus that has shaped the franchise from its launch.
