Riot Games Quietly Developing League of Legends Action RPG

Riot Games appears 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 coming together, with both roles flagging 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 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 Emerges

The two contract postings discovered on Riot’s jobs page unveil intriguing details about the Shanghai studio’s secret project. The Combat Game Designer role specifically seeks someone with deep expertise of action games and ARPGs, with specific focus on developing engaging combat experience, intuitive mechanics, and responsive artificial intelligence systems. This indicates Riot is building something mechanically sophisticated from scratch, using Unreal Engine as the core technology. The job description shows the team is still in early stages, continuously refining fundamental mechanics rather than refining an established base.

Alongside the design position, 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’ 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 pairing of these roles suggests Riot has invested significant effort to investigating what an action-focused League experience might entail. The hiring strategy indicates the studio is building a dedicated, albeit small, core team to test and refine fundamental gameplay mechanics.

• Combat Game Designer role concentrates on action-RPG systems development
• CG animator brings stylised character animation expertise to project
• Early-stage R&D suggests considerable time remains before potential release
• Unreal Engine chosen as main development platform for title

Combat Mechanics and Technical Specifications

What the Vacancies Indicate

The Combat Game Designer posting provides valuable perspective into the project’s mechanical ambitions. Candidates need to show deep expertise in action-based games and ARPGs, with particular emphasis on crafting satisfying combat feel—a hallmark of successful titles in the genre. The role clearly demands developing and refining on combat mechanics from scratch using Unreal Engine, suggesting Riot plans to create something distinctly different from League of Legends’ turn-based MOBA mechanics. The focus on AI development suggests the studio is designing advanced enemy AI systems, possibly intended for single-player and co-operative experiences rather than exclusively competitive gameplay.

The specification details presented within the listings paint a picture of a systematic, process-driven production strategy. Candidates are expected to work within a compact, nascent team where personal input carry substantial weight. The focus on “combat feel” rather than simply mechanical balance suggests Riot places value on user experience and feedback—qualities essential to modern action RPGs. This recruitment approach indicates the Shanghai studio is avoiding hasty moves toward production but rather dedicating resources to testing and refining fundamental gameplay mechanics before scaling the project further.

• Deep expertise in action and ARPG design mechanics needed
• Combat sensation and player feedback prioritised over mechanical balance
• Development of AI systems suggests potential single-player or cooperative emphasis
• Unreal Engine selected as main development engine
• Early prototyping stage suggests years until commercial release

Broadening the League of Legends Franchise

Riot Games has consistently positioned League of Legends as the foundation of an sprawling multimedia franchise, yet the company’s gaming ambitions have conventionally centred on the original MOBA title itself. The announcement of a undisclosed action RPG project in production 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 echoes established series like The Elder Scrolls or Final Fantasy, where a main entry coexists alongside secondary games that delve into different gameplay styles. By producing an ARPG based in Runeterra, Riot can leverage the rich lore and established character base whilst reaching players who prefer solo or cooperative gameplay over competitive online play.

The scheduling of these initiatives is particularly noteworthy given Riot’s broader franchise expansion efforts. Alongside the action role-playing game project, the company has invested heavily in the extended-development League of Legends MMO, recruiting Raymond Bartos from World of Warcraft to accelerate production following a significant reset in 2024. This dual-track approach 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 caters to players pursuing story-driven, action-focused adventures. Together, they embody Riot’s boldest expansion of the League franchise beyond its MOBA origins.

Timeframe and Growth Prospects

Whilst the position listings provide compelling evidence of the ARPG’s existence, Riot Games has upheld complete silence regarding an public statement or launch timeframe. The contract positions advertised on the company’s careers page indicate the project is still in initial R&D phases, suggesting it could be several years away from launch. Industry observers experienced in game development cycles point out that hiring for essential positions such as Combat Game Designer commonly represents the early phases of production rather than an near-term launch. This careful tempo allows Riot to establish robust combat mechanics and gameplay systems prior to scaling the team further, a sensible approach given the intense competition of action RPGs.

The Shanghai studio’s involvement in this endeavour reflects Riot’s worldwide development capabilities and the studio’s proven expertise in developing immersive gameplay. By situating the ARPG project at this facility rather than consolidating efforts at a single headquarters, Riot demonstrates its dedication to decentralised development approaches that have produced successful outcomes across its range of titles. The company’s experience developing League of Legends suggests players can expect a refined, well-designed experience whenever the ARPG ultimately launches. However, with the MMO also consuming considerable resources and effort, the ARPG could not launch until 2027 or later, contingent upon development milestones and the company’s strategic priorities.

What Gamers Should Be Prepared For

Should the ARPG achieve completion, players can expect a single-player or co-operative action experience set within the rich tapestry of Runeterra, leveraging the world’s existing lore and iconic champions. The emphasis on stylised character work and combat mechanics suggests Riot aims to deliver visceral, skill-based gameplay rather than a straightforward dungeon crawler. Fans of story-focused action titles and those seeking a alternative take of League engagement may consider the ARPG notably attractive, providing an alternative to the competitive multiplayer focus that has defined the franchise from its launch.