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 flagging 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 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 found on Riot’s careers page reveal tantalising details about the Shanghai studio’s mysterious undertaking. The Combat Game Designer role specifically seeks someone with deep expertise of action games and action RPGs, with specific focus on crafting compelling combat feel, responsive controls, and responsive artificial intelligence systems. This indicates Riot is building something technically complex from the ground up, 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 established base.
Alongside the designer role, Riot is hiring a CG animator experienced in stylised character work—a hiring choice that hints at the artistic trajectory 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 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 hiring strategy indicates the studio is assembling a dedicated, albeit small, core team to test and refine core gameplay concepts.
- Combat Game Designer role focuses on action/ARPG mechanics development
- CG animator brings stylized character animation expertise to project
- Initial research and development indicates considerable time remains before potential release
- Unreal Engine chosen as primary development platform for title
Combat Design and Technical Specifications
What the Job Listings Reveal
The Combat Game Designer job listing provides 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 successful titles in the genre. The role explicitly requires building and iterating on combat systems from scratch using Unreal Engine, suggesting Riot intends to develop something distinctly different from League of Legends’ turn-based MOBA mechanics. The focus on AI development indicates the studio is designing advanced enemy AI systems, potentially for single-player and co-operative experiences rather than purely competitive gameplay.
The specification details outlined in the listings paint a picture of a systematic, process-driven development approach. Candidates are expected to work within a small, early-stage team where personal input hold significant importance. The focus on “combat feel” rather than merely mechanical balance suggests Riot places value on player sensation and responsiveness—qualities vital for contemporary action role-playing games. This hiring strategy indicates the Shanghai studio is not rushing to production but rather dedicating resources to 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 points to potential single-player or cooperative emphasis
- Unreal selected as primary technical development engine
- Early prototyping stage suggests considerable time before market launch
Expanding the League of Legends Universe
Riot Games has long positioned League of Legends as the cornerstone 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 development marks a major pivot in strategy, suggesting Riot plans to diversify its game catalogue across various genres rather than depending exclusively on League’s esports infrastructure. This approach mirrors established series like The Elder Scrolls or Final Fantasy, where a flagship title coexists alongside spin-offs that explore different gameplay styles. By producing an ARPG based 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 multiplayer competition.
The scheduling of these developments is especially significant given Riot’s extensive franchise growth plans. Alongside the action RPG project, the company has invested heavily in the long-in-development League of Legends MMO, recruiting Raymond Bartos from World of Warcraft to speed up development following a significant reset in 2024. This two-pronged strategy suggests Riot is chasing an expansive vision for Runeterra’s digital ecosystem. Rather than directly competing with one another, these projects appear created to address different market segments—the MMO catering to persistent-world enthusiasts whilst the ARPG serves players seeking compelling story-based action gameplay. 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 |
Schedule and Future Development
Whilst the position listings offer intriguing evidence of the ARPG’s existence, Riot Games has upheld complete silence regarding an official announcement or release window. The contract positions posted to the company’s careers page indicate the project is still in initial R&D phases, implying it could be several years away from launch. Industry observers familiar with game development cycles note that hiring for foundational roles such as Combat Game Designer typically signals the beginning stages of production rather than an imminent release. This deliberate approach allows Riot to develop strong combat mechanics and gameplay systems ahead of growing the team further, a sound method given the competitive landscape of action RPGs.
The Shanghai studio’s contribution in this initiative reflects Riot’s worldwide development capabilities and the studio’s demonstrated proficiency in creating compelling interactive experiences. By situating the ARPG project at this site rather than concentrating resources at a unified central hub, Riot demonstrates its commitment to distributed development practices that have yielded positive 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 ultimately launches. However, with the MMO also consuming considerable resources and effort, the ARPG might not arrive until 2027 or beyond, based on 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 single-player or co-operative action experience set within the expansive universe of Runeterra, utilising the universe’s established lore and beloved champions. The focus on stylised character work and gameplay feel suggests Riot intends to provide visceral, skill-based gameplay rather than a straightforward dungeon crawler. Fans of character-rich action titles and those seeking a fresh approach of League engagement may consider the ARPG particularly appealing, providing an alternative to the competitive online multiplayer focus that has defined the franchise from the beginning.
