Riot Games appears to be developing a League of Legends action RPG behind closed doors, 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 taking shape, 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 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 Confidential Initiative Comes to Light
The two contract postings discovered on Riot’s careers page unveil tantalising details about the Shanghai studio’s mysterious undertaking. The Combat Game Designer role specifically seeks someone with deep expertise of action games and ARPGs, with specific focus on crafting engaging combat experience, responsive controls, and responsive artificial intelligence systems. This suggests Riot is developing something technically complex from the ground up, using Unreal Engine as the development platform. The job description shows the team is still in initial phases, continuously refining fundamental mechanics rather than refining an established base.
Alongside the design position, Riot is recruiting 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’ 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 combination of these two positions suggests Riot has committed meaningful resources to investigating what an action-focused League experience might entail. The recruitment approach indicates the studio is assembling 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
- Early-stage R&D indicates years remain before possible launch
- Unreal Engine chosen as main development platform for title
Combat Mechanics and Technical Specifications
What the Job Listings Reveal
The Combat Game Designer posting offers crucial insight into the project’s mechanical ambitions. Candidates need to show deep expertise in action games and ARPGs, with specific focus on crafting satisfying combat feel—a defining characteristic of acclaimed games in the genre. The role explicitly requires building and iterating on combat mechanics from scratch using Unreal Engine, suggesting Riot intends to develop something distinctly different from League of Legends’ turn-based MOBA mechanics. The focus on AI development indicates the studio is building advanced enemy AI systems, potentially for single-player and co-operative experiences rather than exclusively competitive gameplay.
The specification details outlined in the listings paint a picture of a systematic, process-driven development approach. Candidates are required to work within a compact, nascent team where individual contributions carry substantial weight. The focus on “combat feel” rather than merely mechanical balance suggests Riot prioritises user experience and feedback—qualities essential to contemporary action role-playing games. This hiring strategy demonstrates the Shanghai studio is not rushing to 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 sensation and player responsiveness prioritised over balance mechanics
- Development of AI systems points to potential single-player or cooperative focus
- Unreal chosen as main technical development platform
- Early prototyping stage indicates years before commercial release
Broadening the League of Legends Franchise
Riot Games has long positioned League of Legends as the foundation of an extensive 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 plans to diversify its game catalogue across various genres rather than relying solely on League’s esports infrastructure. This approach reflects 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 tap into the deep storytelling and established character base whilst reaching players who prefer solo or cooperative gameplay over competitive online play.
The pacing of these developments is particularly noteworthy given Riot’s wide-ranging franchise expansion strategy. Alongside the action role-playing game project, the company has poured significant investment in the long-gestating League of Legends MMO, hiring Raymond Bartos from World of Warcraft to speed up development following a significant reset in 2024. This dual-track approach suggests Riot is chasing an expansive 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 targeting persistent-world enthusiasts whilst the ARPG caters to players seeking story-driven, action-focused adventures. 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 |
Timeframe and Growth Prospects
Whilst the job postings provide compelling evidence of the ARPG’s existence, Riot Games has preserved absolute silence about an public statement or launch timeframe. The contract positions listed on the company’s careers page suggest the project is still in initial R&D phases, indicating it could be a considerable time from launch. Industry observers versed in game development cycles point out that hiring for core positions such as Combat Game Designer typically signals the early phases of production rather than an imminent release. This careful tempo allows Riot to create solid combat mechanics and gameplay systems prior to scaling the team further, a practical strategy given the competitive landscape of action RPGs.
The Shanghai studio’s involvement 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 location rather than consolidating efforts at a single headquarters, Riot illustrates its commitment to distributed development practices that have yielded positive results across its product lineup. The company’s experience developing League of Legends suggests players can expect a polished, mechanically sound experience whenever the ARPG ultimately launches. However, with the MMO also requiring substantial investment and focus, the ARPG might not arrive until 2027 or beyond, contingent upon development milestones and the company’s strategic priorities.
What Gamers Should Be Prepared For
Should the ARPG be finished, players can look forward to a single-player or co-operative action experience set within the expansive universe of Runeterra, leveraging the world’s existing lore and beloved champions. The focus on stylised character work and combat mechanics suggests Riot aims to deliver visceral, skill-based gameplay rather than a conventional dungeon crawler. Fans of narrative-driven action titles and those seeking a fresh approach of League engagement may find the ARPG particularly appealing, presenting an alternative to the pvp-focused focus that has characterised the franchise since its inception.
