Riot Games appears 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 situated in the League universe. The discovery comes 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 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 actively looks for someone with deep expertise of action games and ARPGs, with particular emphasis on crafting compelling combat feel, intuitive mechanics, and responsive artificial intelligence systems. This suggests Riot is building something technically complex from scratch, utilising Unreal Engine as the development platform. The posting shows the team is still in early stages, actively iterating on core systems rather than polishing an existing foundation.
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 establish a cohesive aesthetic for the action RPG. Whilst temporary positions at this early phase generally indicate projects remain years away 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 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 brings stylized character animation expertise to project
- Early-stage R&D indicates years remain before possible launch
- Unreal Engine selected as primary development platform for title
Combat Mechanics 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-based games and ARPGs, with particular emphasis on crafting satisfying combat feel—a hallmark of acclaimed games in the genre. The role explicitly requires building and iterating on combat mechanics from scratch using Unreal Engine, indicating Riot plans to create something fundamentally distinct from League of Legends’ turn-based MOBA mechanics. The emphasis on AI development indicates the studio is building advanced enemy AI systems, potentially for single-player or co-operative experiences rather than exclusively competitive gameplay.
The technical requirements presented within the listings paint a picture of a systematic, process-driven development approach. Candidates are expected to work within a small, early-stage team where individual contributions carry substantial weight. The emphasis on “combat feel” rather than merely mechanical balance indicates Riot prioritises player sensation and responsiveness—qualities essential to contemporary action role-playing games. This recruitment approach indicates 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.
- Deep expertise in action and ARPG design mechanics needed
- Combat feel and player feedback given priority over mechanical balance
- Development of AI systems points to potential single-player or cooperative focus
- Unreal chosen as primary technical development engine
- Early prototyping phase suggests considerable time until commercial release
Expanding the League of Legends World
Riot Games has traditionally positioned League of Legends as the foundation of an expansive multimedia franchise, yet the company’s gaming ambitions have conventionally centred on the original MOBA title itself. The revelation of a secret action RPG in production marks a major pivot in strategy, suggesting Riot intends to diversify its game catalogue across multiple genres rather than depending exclusively on League’s competitive ecosystem. This approach echoes successful franchises like The Elder Scrolls or Final Fantasy, where a main entry coexists alongside supplementary titles that venture into different play mechanics. By developing an ARPG set within Runeterra, Riot can tap into the extensive mythology and established character base whilst reaching players who prefer single-player or co-operative experiences over competitive multiplayer.
The pacing of these developments is particularly noteworthy given Riot’s broader franchise expansion efforts. Alongside the action RPG project, the company has invested heavily in the extended-development League of Legends MMO, hiring Raymond Bartos from World of Warcraft to accelerate production following a significant reset in 2024. This dual-track approach suggests Riot is working towards an ambitious vision for Runeterra’s digital ecosystem. Rather than competing directly with one another, these projects appear created to address different player demographics—the MMO targeting persistent-world enthusiasts whilst the ARPG appeals to players pursuing compelling story-based action gameplay. Together, they constitute Riot’s most ambitious growth 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 job postings reveal tantalising evidence of the ARPG’s existence, Riot Games has preserved absolute silence about an public statement or availability date. The contract positions advertised on the company’s careers page suggest the project is still in initial R&D phases, implying it could be a considerable time from launch. Industry observers versed in game development cycles note that hiring for foundational roles such as Combat Game Designer commonly represents the initial stages of production rather than an imminent release. This deliberate approach allows Riot to create solid combat mechanics and gameplay systems before expanding the team further, a practical strategy given the competitive landscape of action RPGs.
The Shanghai studio’s contribution in this initiative reflects Riot’s international development framework and the studio’s established track record in developing immersive gameplay. By placing the ARPG project at this facility rather than concentrating resources at a single headquarters, Riot showcases its commitment to distributed development practices that have produced successful outcomes across its product lineup. The company’s history with League of Legends suggests gamers will receive a refined, well-designed experience whenever the ARPG ultimately launches. However, with the MMO also consuming considerable resources and effort, the ARPG may not materialise until 2027 or afterwards, 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 solo or multiplayer cooperative action experience situated in the rich tapestry of Runeterra, leveraging the world’s existing lore and iconic champions. The spotlight on stylised character work and combat feel suggests Riot aims to deliver visceral, skill-based gameplay rather than a conventional dungeon crawler. Fans of narrative-driven action titles and those looking for a alternative take of League engagement may find the ARPG notably attractive, offering an departure from the competitive online multiplayer focus that has shaped the franchise from its launch.
