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 coming together, 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 situated in 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 postings found on Riot’s jobs page reveal tantalising details about the Shanghai-based studio’s mysterious undertaking. The Combat Game Designer role actively looks for someone with deep expertise of action games and ARPGs, with particular emphasis on crafting engaging combat experience, responsive controls, and advanced AI systems. This indicates Riot is building something mechanically sophisticated from scratch, using Unreal Engine as the core technology. The posting indicates the team is still in initial phases, actively iterating on fundamental mechanics rather than refining an existing foundation.
Alongside the design position, Riot is hiring a CG animator experienced in stylised character work—a hiring choice 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 developmental stage 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 focused though modest, core team to test and refine fundamental gameplay mechanics.
- Combat Game Designer role concentrates on action/ARPG mechanics development
- CG animator contributes stylized character animation knowledge to project
- Initial research and development indicates years remain before potential release
- Unreal Engine selected as main development platform for title
Combat Design and Technical Requirements
What the Vacancies Indicate
The Combat Game Designer posting offers valuable perspective into the project’s mechanical ambitions. Candidates need to show deep expertise in action games and ARPGs, with specific focus on creating engaging 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, indicating Riot intends to develop something fundamentally distinct from League of Legends’ turn-based MOBA mechanics. The emphasis on AI development suggests 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 individual contributions hold significant importance. The focus on “combat feel” rather than simply mechanical balance indicates Riot prioritises player sensation and responsiveness—qualities vital for 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 design mechanics required
- Combat sensation and player responsiveness given priority over balance mechanics
- AI systems development points to likely single-player or cooperative emphasis
- Unreal selected as primary development platform
- Early prototyping stage indicates years until market launch
Expanding the League of Legends World
Riot Games has traditionally positioned League of Legends as the foundation of an sprawling multimedia franchise, yet the company’s game development goals have conventionally centred on the original MOBA title itself. The announcement of a secret action RPG in production marks a major pivot in strategy, suggesting Riot aims to diversify its game catalogue across various genres rather than depending exclusively on League’s competitive ecosystem. This approach echoes established series like The Elder Scrolls or Final Fantasy, where a flagship title coexists alongside supplementary titles that venture into different gaming experiences. By developing an ARPG situated in Runeterra, Riot can leverage the extensive mythology and established character base whilst appealing to players who prefer single-player or co-operative experiences over multiplayer competition.
The pacing of these developments is notably important given Riot’s broader franchise expansion efforts. Alongside the action RPG initiative, the company has invested heavily in the long-gestating League of Legends MMO, recruiting 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 gaming environment. Rather than competing directly with one another, these initiatives appear intended to cater to different market segments—the MMO catering to persistent-world enthusiasts whilst the ARPG caters to players looking for compelling story-based action gameplay. Together, they embody Riot’s most aggressive expansion of the League franchise past its MOBA foundations.
| 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 |
Schedule and Future Development
Whilst the position listings offer intriguing evidence of the ARPG’s existence, Riot Games has preserved absolute silence regarding an official announcement or availability date. The contract positions posted to the company’s careers page suggest the project continues in early-stage research and development, indicating it could be several years away from launch. Industry observers experienced in game development cycles observe that hiring for core positions such as Combat Game Designer generally indicates the early phases of production rather than an near-term launch. This measured pace allows Riot to establish robust combat mechanics and gameplay systems ahead of growing the team further, a practical strategy given the competitive landscape of action RPGs.
The Shanghai studio’s contribution in this endeavour reflects Riot’s global development infrastructure and the studio’s established track record in creating compelling interactive experiences. By placing the ARPG project at this facility rather than consolidating efforts at a single headquarters, Riot demonstrates its commitment to distributed development practices that have produced successful outcomes across its portfolio. The company’s track record with League of Legends suggests players can expect a polished, technically proficient offering 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 completion targets and Riot’s resource allocation decisions.
What Participants Should Anticipate
Should the ARPG be finished, players can expect a solo or multiplayer cooperative action experience situated in the rich tapestry of Runeterra, utilising the world’s existing lore and fan-favourite champions. The focus on visual character craftsmanship and combat mechanics suggests Riot seeks to create intense, mechanically demanding gameplay rather than a conventional dungeon crawler. Fans of narrative-driven action titles and those pursuing a different flavour of League engagement may find the ARPG especially compelling, presenting an contrast with the competitive multiplayer focus that has characterised the franchise from the beginning.
