Riot Games seems 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—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 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 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 discovered on Riot’s careers page unveil tantalising details about the Shanghai studio’s secret project. The Game Combat Designer role actively looks for someone with extensive knowledge of action games and ARPGs, with specific focus on developing engaging combat experience, 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 shows the team is still in early stages, actively iterating on fundamental mechanics rather than polishing an established base.
Alongside the design position, Riot is recruiting a CG animator with expertise in stylised character work—a hiring choice that hints at the visual direction 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 contract roles at this developmental stage typically signal projects remain years away from launch, the combination of these two positions suggests Riot has committed meaningful resources to exploring what an action-focused League experience might entail. The hiring strategy indicates the studio is assembling a dedicated, albeit small, core team to prototype and validate core gameplay concepts.
- Combat Game Designer role concentrates on action-RPG systems development
- CG animator contributes stylised character animation knowledge to project
- Early-stage R&D suggests years remain before possible launch
- Unreal Engine selected as primary development platform for title
Combat Design and Technical Requirements
What Job Postings Show
The Combat Game Designer posting offers valuable perspective into the project’s mechanical ambitions. Candidates need to show extensive knowledge in action-based games and ARPGs, with specific focus on creating engaging combat feel—a defining characteristic of successful titles in the genre. The role explicitly requires building and iterating on combat mechanics from scratch using Unreal Engine, suggesting Riot intends to develop something fundamentally distinct from League of Legends’ turn-based MOBA mechanics. The focus on AI development indicates the studio is building sophisticated enemy behaviour systems, potentially for single-player and co-operative experiences rather than purely competitive gameplay.
The technical requirements presented within the listings paint a picture of a systematic, process-driven production strategy. Candidates are required to work within a small, early-stage team where personal input carry substantial weight. The focus on “combat feel” rather than merely mechanical balance indicates Riot prioritises user experience and feedback—qualities critical to contemporary action role-playing games. This recruitment approach demonstrates the Shanghai studio is not rushing to production but rather dedicating resources to prototyping and validating fundamental gameplay mechanics before scaling the project further.
- Strong proficiency in action and ARPG design mechanics needed
- Combat sensation and player feedback given priority over mechanical balance
- AI systems development points to likely single-player or co-op emphasis
- Unreal Engine chosen as primary development platform
- Early-stage prototyping phase indicates years before commercial release
Broadening the League of Legends Universe
Riot Games has long positioned League of Legends as the foundation of an extensive multimedia franchise, yet the company’s game development goals have traditionally centred on the original MOBA title itself. The disclosure of a secret action RPG in production marks a major pivot in strategy, suggesting Riot plans to diversify its gaming portfolio across various genres rather than depending exclusively on League’s esports infrastructure. This approach echoes successful franchises like The Elder Scrolls or Final Fantasy, where a main entry coexists alongside supplementary titles that explore different gameplay styles. By developing an ARPG set within Runeterra, Riot can capitalise on the deep storytelling and established character base whilst appealing to players who prefer solo or cooperative gameplay over competitive online play.
The pacing of these initiatives is especially significant given Riot’s broader franchise expansion efforts. Alongside the action RPG initiative, the company has poured significant investment in the long-gestating League of Legends MMO, recruiting Raymond Bartos from World of Warcraft to speed up development following a major overhaul in 2024. This two-pronged strategy suggests Riot is chasing an expansive vision for Runeterra’s digital ecosystem. Rather than competing directly with one another, these endeavours appear intended to cater to different player demographics—the MMO serving persistent-world enthusiasts whilst the ARPG appeals to players seeking narrative-driven action experiences. Together, they represent Riot’s boldest 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 |
Timeframe and Growth Prospects
Whilst the vacancy announcements provide compelling evidence of the ARPG’s existence, Riot Games has preserved absolute silence concerning an official announcement or release window. The contract positions posted to the company’s careers page indicate the project continues in foundational development stages, suggesting 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 typically signals the initial stages of production rather than an imminent release. This measured pace allows Riot to create solid combat mechanics and gameplay systems before expanding the team further, a sound method given the demanding market of action RPGs.
The Shanghai studio’s involvement in this initiative reflects Riot’s worldwide development capabilities and the studio’s demonstrated proficiency in developing immersive gameplay. By placing the ARPG project at this location rather than centralising operations at a sole headquarters, Riot showcases its support for distributed team structures that have yielded positive results across its range of titles. The company’s history with League of Legends suggests gamers will receive a polished, mechanically sound experience whenever the ARPG eventually emerges. However, with the MMO also demanding significant resources and attention, the ARPG may not materialise until 2027 or beyond, contingent upon project milestones and Riot’s internal priorities.
What Players Should Expect
Should the ARPG be finished, players can look forward to a single-player or co-operative action experience placed in the vibrant world of Runeterra, leveraging the world’s existing lore and fan-favourite champions. The focus on stylised character work and combat mechanics suggests Riot aims to deliver intense, mechanically demanding gameplay rather than a straightforward dungeon crawler. Fans of story-focused action titles and those pursuing a alternative take of League engagement may find the ARPG notably attractive, offering an contrast with the pvp-focused focus that has characterised the franchise from the beginning.
