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 highlighting 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 clearly suggests the title will be set within the League universe. The discovery arrives as Riot keeps broadening the franchise beyond 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 jobs page reveal tantalising details about the Shanghai studio’s mysterious undertaking. The Game Combat Designer role actively looks for someone with deep expertise of action games and ARPGs, with specific focus on developing compelling combat feel, responsive controls, and advanced AI systems. This suggests Riot is building something technically complex from the ground up, utilising Unreal Engine as the development platform. The job description indicates the team is still in initial phases, actively iterating on fundamental mechanics rather than polishing an established base.
Alongside the designer role, 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’ unique visual aesthetic, this animator would likely 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 committed meaningful resources to exploring what an action-focused League experience might entail. The hiring strategy indicates the studio is building a focused though modest, core team to prototype and validate fundamental gameplay mechanics.
- Combat Game Designer role concentrates on action-RPG systems development
- CG animator contributes stylised character animation expertise to project
- Initial research and development suggests considerable time remains before possible launch
- Unreal Engine chosen as main development platform for title
Combat Design and Technical Specifications
What These Listings Demonstrate
The Combat Game Designer job listing provides crucial insight into the project’s mechanical ambitions. Candidates must demonstrate extensive knowledge in action-based games and ARPGs, with particular emphasis on crafting satisfying combat feel—a defining characteristic of successful titles in the genre. The role clearly demands building and iterating on combat systems from scratch using Unreal Engine, indicating 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 sophisticated enemy behaviour systems, possibly intended for single-player and co-operative experiences rather than purely competitive gameplay.
The technical requirements outlined in the listings paint a picture of a methodical, systems-focused production strategy. Candidates are required to work within a small, early-stage team where personal input hold significant importance. 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 hiring strategy indicates the Shanghai studio is not rushing to production but rather dedicating resources to prototyping and validating fundamental gameplay mechanics before expanding operations further.
- Extensive knowledge in action and ARPG design mechanics required
- Combat feel and player responsiveness given priority over mechanical balance
- Development of AI systems points to likely single-player or co-op focus
- Unreal Engine selected as primary technical development platform
- Early-stage prototyping phase indicates considerable time until commercial release
Broadening the League of Legends Universe
Riot Games has traditionally positioned League of Legends as the cornerstone of an sprawling multimedia franchise, yet the company’s gaming ambitions have conventionally 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 intends to diversify its gaming portfolio across multiple genres rather than relying solely on League’s competitive ecosystem. This approach echoes successful franchises like The Elder Scrolls or Final Fantasy, where a main entry coexists alongside secondary games that explore different gaming experiences. By developing an ARPG based in Runeterra, Riot can leverage the extensive mythology and established character base whilst appealing to players who prefer solo or cooperative gameplay over competitive online play.
The pacing of these initiatives is particularly noteworthy given Riot’s extensive franchise growth plans. Alongside the action RPG project, the company has invested heavily in the long-gestating League of Legends MMO, hiring Raymond Bartos from World of Warcraft to speed up development following a substantial restructuring in 2024. This parallel development path suggests Riot is chasing an expansive vision for Runeterra’s digital ecosystem. Rather than directly competing with one another, these projects appear designed to serve different audience segments—the MMO serving persistent-world enthusiasts whilst the ARPG serves players looking for compelling story-based action gameplay. Together, they constitute Riot’s boldest 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 upheld complete silence regarding an public statement or launch timeframe. The contract positions advertised on the company’s careers page suggest the project is still in initial R&D phases, indicating it could be several years away from launch. Industry observers experienced in game development cycles point out that hiring for essential positions such as Combat Game Designer generally indicates the beginning stages of production rather than an upcoming 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 involvement in this initiative reflects Riot’s worldwide development capabilities and the studio’s established track record in crafting engaging gameplay experiences. By placing the ARPG project at this site rather than centralising operations at a single headquarters, Riot showcases its commitment to distributed development practices that have yielded positive results across its product lineup. The company’s history with League of Legends suggests players can expect a polished, mechanically sound experience whenever the ARPG finally releases. However, with the MMO also requiring substantial investment and focus, the ARPG could not launch until 2027 or afterwards, based on project milestones and Riot’s resource allocation decisions.
What Players Should Expect
Should the ARPG reach completion, players can expect a single-player or co-operative action experience situated in the rich tapestry of Runeterra, leveraging the universe’s established lore and fan-favourite champions. The emphasis on visual character craftsmanship 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 looking for a different flavour of League engagement may consider the ARPG especially compelling, presenting an alternative to the competitive online multiplayer focus that has shaped the franchise from the beginning.
