Riot Games Quietly Developing League of Legends Action RPG

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—suggest 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 strongly indicates the title will be situated in the League universe. The discovery arrives 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 tantalising details about the Shanghai studio’s mysterious undertaking. The Combat Game Designer role specifically seeks someone with deep expertise of action games and ARPGs, with specific focus on developing compelling combat feel, responsive controls, and advanced AI systems. This indicates Riot is developing something technically complex from scratch, using Unreal Engine as the core technology. The job description shows the team is still in initial phases, actively iterating on fundamental mechanics rather than refining an established base.

Alongside the designer role, Riot is recruiting 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’ unique visual aesthetic, this animator would probably help create a cohesive aesthetic for the action RPG. Whilst temporary positions at this developmental stage generally indicate projects remain years away from launch, the pairing of these roles 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 focused though modest, core team to prototype and validate fundamental gameplay mechanics.

• Combat Game Designer role focuses on action-RPG systems development
• CG animator brings stylised character animation expertise to project
• Initial research and development indicates considerable time remains before possible launch
• Unreal Engine selected as main development platform for title

Combat Mechanics and Technical Specifications

What the Vacancies Indicate

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 specific focus on creating engaging combat feel—a hallmark of successful titles in the genre. The role explicitly requires developing and refining on combat systems from scratch using Unreal Engine, suggesting 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 advanced enemy AI systems, potentially for single-player and co-operative experiences rather than exclusively competitive gameplay.

The technical requirements presented within the listings illustrate a systematic, process-driven production strategy. Candidates are expected to work within a compact, nascent team where personal input hold significant importance. The emphasis on “combat feel” rather than merely mechanical balance suggests 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 fundamental gameplay mechanics before scaling the project further.

• Strong proficiency in action games and ARPG design mechanics required
• Combat sensation and player responsiveness emphasised over balance mechanics
• Development of AI systems points to likely single-player or co-op emphasis
• Unreal Engine selected as main development engine
• Early prototyping stage indicates considerable time before market launch

Expanding the League of Legends Franchise

Riot Games has traditionally positioned League of Legends as the centrepiece 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 development marks a significant shift in strategy, suggesting Riot plans to diversify its game catalogue across multiple genres rather than relying solely on League’s competitive ecosystem. This approach reflects successful franchises like The Elder Scrolls or Final Fantasy, where a main entry coexists alongside supplementary titles that explore different gaming experiences. By creating an ARPG set within Runeterra, Riot can leverage the extensive mythology and established character base whilst appealing to players who prefer single-player or co-operative experiences over competitive multiplayer.

The scheduling of these developments is particularly noteworthy given Riot’s extensive franchise growth plans. Alongside the action role-playing game project, the company has poured significant investment in the extended-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 pursuing an ambitious vision for Runeterra’s gaming environment. Rather than going head-to-head with one another, these endeavours appear designed to serve different market segments—the MMO serving persistent-world enthusiasts whilst the ARPG serves players looking for compelling story-based action gameplay. Together, they embody Riot’s most ambitious growth of the League franchise past its MOBA foundations.

Timeframe and Growth Prospects

Whilst the position listings offer intriguing evidence of the ARPG’s existence, Riot Games has maintained strict silence about an official announcement or availability date. The contract positions listed on the company’s careers page point to the project continues in initial R&D phases, implying it could be a considerable time from launch. Industry observers experienced in game development cycles observe that hiring for foundational roles such as Combat Game Designer typically signals the initial stages of production rather than an imminent release. This deliberate approach allows Riot to establish robust 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 creating compelling interactive experiences. By positioning the ARPG project at this site rather than consolidating efforts at a sole headquarters, Riot illustrates its commitment to distributed development practices that have generated favourable results across its product lineup. The company’s track record with League of Legends suggests audiences should anticipate a polished, mechanically sound experience whenever the ARPG ultimately launches. However, with the MMO also demanding significant resources and attention, the ARPG might not arrive until 2027 or beyond, contingent upon completion targets and Riot’s resource allocation decisions.

What Gamers Should Be Prepared For

Should the ARPG reach completion, players can expect a solo or multiplayer cooperative action experience situated in the expansive universe of Runeterra, leveraging the universe’s established lore and fan-favourite champions. The emphasis on character design and combat feel suggests Riot seeks to create intense, mechanically demanding gameplay rather than a straightforward dungeon crawler. Fans of story-focused action titles and those looking for a different flavour of League engagement may consider the ARPG particularly appealing, offering an contrast with the competitive online multiplayer focus that has shaped the franchise since its inception.