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 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 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 secret project. The Combat Game Designer role actively looks for someone with deep expertise of action games and ARPGs, with specific focus on crafting engaging combat experience, responsive controls, and advanced AI systems. This suggests Riot is developing something mechanically sophisticated from the ground up, using Unreal Engine as the development platform. The posting indicates the team is still in early stages, actively iterating on core systems rather than polishing an existing foundation.
Alongside the design position, Riot is hiring 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 likely help establish a unified visual approach for the action RPG. Whilst contract roles at this early phase typically signal 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 hiring strategy indicates the studio is assembling a dedicated, albeit small, core team to prototype and validate fundamental gameplay mechanics.
- Action Game Designer role focuses on action/ARPG mechanics development
- CG animator brings stylised character animation expertise 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 These Listings Demonstrate
The Combat Game Designer job listing provides crucial insight into the project’s mechanical ambitions. Candidates need to show extensive knowledge in action-based games and ARPGs, with specific focus on crafting satisfying combat feel—a defining characteristic of successful titles in the genre. The role explicitly requires developing and refining on combat systems from scratch using Unreal Engine, indicating Riot plans to create something distinctly different 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 or co-operative experiences rather than exclusively competitive gameplay.
The specification details outlined in the listings illustrate a methodical, systems-focused 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 simply mechanical balance suggests Riot prioritises user experience and feedback—qualities essential to contemporary action role-playing games. This hiring strategy indicates the Shanghai studio is not rushing to production but rather investing time in testing and refining core gameplay loops before scaling the project further.
- Strong proficiency in action games and ARPG game mechanics needed
- Combat feel and player feedback prioritised over balance mechanics
- Development of AI systems suggests potential single-player or co-op focus
- Unreal Engine selected as main technical development engine
- Early-stage prototyping stage suggests years until commercial release
Expanding the League of Legends Franchise
Riot Games has long positioned League of Legends as the centrepiece of an extensive multimedia franchise, yet the company’s game development goals have historically centred on the original MOBA title itself. The announcement of a undisclosed action RPG project in production marks a notable change in strategy, suggesting Riot intends to diversify its game catalogue across various genres rather than relying solely on League’s competitive ecosystem. This approach mirrors established series like The Elder Scrolls or Final Fantasy, where a flagship title coexists alongside spin-offs that explore different gaming experiences. By creating an ARPG set within Runeterra, Riot can leverage the deep storytelling and established character base whilst attracting players who prefer solo or cooperative gameplay over competitive multiplayer.
The pacing of these initiatives is particularly noteworthy given Riot’s extensive franchise growth plans. Alongside the action role-playing game project, the company has invested heavily in the long-in-development League of Legends MMO, bringing on Raymond Bartos from World of Warcraft to speed up development following a significant reset in 2024. This parallel development path suggests Riot is chasing an expansive vision for Runeterra’s interactive landscape. Rather than competing directly with one another, these projects appear created to address different audience segments—the MMO targeting persistent-world enthusiasts whilst the ARPG serves players looking for story-driven, action-focused adventures. Together, they represent Riot’s most aggressive 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 reveal tantalising evidence of the ARPG’s existence, Riot Games has upheld complete silence about an public statement or launch timeframe. The contract positions listed on the company’s careers page indicate the project is still in foundational development stages, suggesting it could be a considerable time from launch. Industry observers experienced in game development cycles note that hiring for core positions such as Combat Game Designer typically signals the initial stages of production rather than an near-term launch. This careful tempo allows Riot to establish robust combat mechanics and gameplay systems ahead of growing the team further, a sensible approach given the intense competition of action RPGs.
The Shanghai studio’s contribution in this project reflects Riot’s international development framework and the studio’s proven expertise in crafting engaging gameplay experiences. By positioning the ARPG project at this location rather than concentrating resources at a unified central hub, 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 eventually emerges. However, with the MMO also demanding significant resources and attention, the ARPG might not arrive until 2027 or beyond, contingent upon project milestones and Riot’s internal priorities.
What Participants Should Anticipate
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, utilising the world’s existing lore and iconic champions. The focus on stylised character work and combat feel suggests Riot aims to deliver intense, mechanically demanding gameplay rather than a conventional dungeon crawler. Fans of story-focused action titles and those pursuing a different flavour of League engagement may find the ARPG particularly appealing, providing an departure from the pvp-focused focus that has characterised the franchise since its inception.
