Riot Games seems 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—suggest an early-stage project is coming together, with both roles highlighting 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 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 Secret Project Emerges
The two contract listings discovered on Riot’s jobs page unveil intriguing details about the Shanghai-based studio’s mysterious undertaking. The Game Combat Designer role specifically seeks someone with extensive knowledge of action games and action RPGs, with particular emphasis on crafting compelling combat feel, intuitive mechanics, and advanced AI systems. This suggests Riot is developing something mechanically sophisticated from scratch, utilising Unreal Engine as the development platform. The posting indicates the team is still in initial phases, actively iterating on fundamental mechanics rather than refining an existing foundation.
Alongside the designer role, 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 probably help establish a cohesive aesthetic for the action RPG. Whilst contract roles at this early phase typically signal projects remain years away from launch, the pairing of these roles 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 dedicated, albeit small, core team to test and refine core gameplay concepts.
- Action Game Designer role focuses on action/ARPG mechanics development
- CG animator contributes stylized character animation expertise to project
- Initial research and development indicates years remain before possible launch
- Unreal Engine selected as main development platform for title
Combat Design and Technical Requirements
What the Vacancies Indicate
The Combat Game Designer job listing offers crucial insight into the project’s mechanical ambitions. Candidates must demonstrate deep expertise 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 plans to create something fundamentally distinct from League of Legends’ turn-based MOBA mechanics. The emphasis on AI development suggests the studio is designing advanced enemy AI systems, possibly intended for single-player and co-operative experiences rather than purely competitive gameplay.
The specification details outlined in the listings illustrate a systematic, process-driven development approach. Candidates are expected to work within a compact, nascent team where personal input hold significant importance. The emphasis on “combat feel” rather than simply mechanical balance indicates Riot places value on user experience and feedback—qualities critical to modern action RPGs. This recruitment approach indicates the Shanghai studio is avoiding hasty moves toward production but rather investing time in testing and refining core gameplay loops before expanding operations further.
- Extensive knowledge in action games and ARPG game mechanics required
- Combat sensation and player responsiveness prioritised over mechanical balance
- AI systems development suggests potential single-player or cooperative focus
- Unreal selected as primary development platform
- Early-stage prototyping phase indicates years until commercial release
Growing the League of Legends World
Riot Games has consistently positioned League of Legends as the cornerstone of an expansive multimedia franchise, yet the company’s game development goals have conventionally centred on the original MOBA title itself. The disclosure of a secret action RPG in production marks a notable change in strategy, suggesting Riot plans to diversify its game catalogue across multiple genres rather than depending exclusively on League’s competitive ecosystem. This approach echoes established series like The Elder Scrolls or Final Fantasy, where a main entry coexists alongside supplementary titles that delve into different gameplay styles. By producing an ARPG situated in Runeterra, Riot can capitalise on the rich lore and established character base whilst reaching players who prefer single-player or co-operative experiences over competitive online play.
The pacing of these developments is notably important given Riot’s broader franchise expansion efforts. Alongside the action role-playing game project, the company has poured significant investment in the long-in-development League of Legends MMO, hiring Raymond Bartos from World of Warcraft to speed up development following a major overhaul in 2024. This dual-track approach suggests Riot is chasing an expansive vision for Runeterra’s gaming environment. Rather than going head-to-head with one another, these projects appear designed to serve different player demographics—the MMO serving persistent-world enthusiasts whilst the ARPG appeals to players looking for narrative-driven action experiences. Together, they constitute Riot’s most ambitious growth 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 |
Schedule and Future Development
Whilst the position listings reveal tantalising evidence of the ARPG’s existence, Riot Games has upheld complete silence concerning an official announcement or availability date. The contract positions posted to the company’s careers page suggest the project is still in early-stage research and development, suggesting it could be years distant from launch. Industry observers versed in game development cycles observe that hiring for core positions such as Combat Game Designer typically signals the initial stages of production rather than an imminent release. This careful tempo allows Riot to develop strong combat mechanics and gameplay systems prior to scaling the team further, a sensible approach given the demanding market of action RPGs.
The Shanghai studio’s contribution in this endeavour reflects Riot’s worldwide development capabilities and the studio’s proven expertise in developing immersive gameplay. By positioning the ARPG project at this facility rather than centralising operations at a single headquarters, Riot demonstrates its support for distributed team structures that have generated favourable results across its range of titles. The company’s track record with League of Legends suggests gamers will receive a polished, technically proficient offering whenever the ARPG finally releases. However, with the MMO also consuming considerable resources and effort, the ARPG might not arrive until 2027 or afterwards, depending on development milestones and the company’s strategic priorities.
What Players Should Expect
Should the ARPG achieve completion, players can expect a solo or multiplayer cooperative action experience placed in the vibrant world of Runeterra, drawing upon the universe’s established lore and fan-favourite champions. The spotlight on character design and combat feel suggests Riot aims to deliver visceral, skill-based gameplay rather than a straightforward dungeon crawler. Fans of narrative-driven action titles and those looking for a alternative take of League engagement may find the ARPG especially compelling, presenting an departure from the pvp-focused focus that has characterised the franchise from the beginning.
