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—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 strongly indicates 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 Emerges

The two contract listings discovered on Riot’s jobs page unveil tantalising details about the Shanghai studio’s secret project. The Game Combat Designer role specifically seeks someone with extensive knowledge of action games and action RPGs, with specific focus on developing compelling combat feel, intuitive mechanics, and responsive artificial intelligence systems. This indicates Riot is developing something mechanically sophisticated from scratch, using Unreal Engine as the core technology. The posting shows the team is still in initial phases, 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 likely help establish a cohesive aesthetic for the action RPG. Whilst contract roles at this early phase typically signal projects remain some distance from launch, the combination of these two positions suggests Riot has invested significant effort to exploring what an action-focused League experience might entail. The recruitment approach 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
• Early-stage R&D suggests years remain before possible launch
• Unreal Engine chosen as primary development platform for title

Combat Design and Technical Requirements

What the Job Listings Reveal

The Combat Game Designer posting offers valuable perspective into the project’s mechanical ambitions. Candidates must demonstrate extensive knowledge in action games and ARPGs, with specific focus on crafting satisfying combat feel—a defining characteristic of successful titles in the genre. The role clearly demands 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 building sophisticated enemy behaviour systems, possibly intended for single-player or co-operative experiences rather than purely competitive gameplay.

The technical requirements presented within the listings paint a picture of a methodical, systems-focused development approach. Candidates are required to work within a compact, nascent team where individual contributions carry substantial weight. The focus on “combat feel” rather than merely mechanical balance suggests Riot prioritises user experience and feedback—qualities essential to contemporary action role-playing games. This recruitment approach demonstrates the Shanghai studio is avoiding hasty moves toward production but rather dedicating resources to prototyping and validating fundamental gameplay mechanics before scaling the project further.

• Strong proficiency in action and ARPG game mechanics needed
• Combat sensation and player responsiveness prioritised over balance mechanics
• AI systems development indicates likely single-player or co-op emphasis
• Unreal chosen as primary development engine
• Early-stage prototyping stage indicates years until market launch

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 historically centred on the original MOBA title itself. The disclosure of a secret action RPG in production marks a significant shift in strategy, suggesting Riot intends to diversify its game catalogue across multiple genres rather than relying solely on League’s competitive ecosystem. This approach echoes established series like The Elder Scrolls or Final Fantasy, where a main entry coexists alongside spin-offs that venture into different play mechanics. By developing an ARPG set within Runeterra, Riot can leverage the rich lore and established character base whilst appealing to players who prefer single-player or co-operative experiences over multiplayer competition.

The scheduling of these advancements is especially significant given Riot’s wide-ranging franchise expansion strategy. 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 accelerate production following a major overhaul in 2024. This parallel development path suggests Riot is pursuing an ambitious vision for Runeterra’s interactive landscape. Rather than directly competing with one another, these endeavours appear created to address different audience segments—the MMO targeting persistent-world enthusiasts whilst the ARPG caters to players seeking narrative-driven action experiences. Together, they represent Riot’s most ambitious growth of the League franchise outside its MOBA roots.

Timeframe and Growth Prospects

Whilst the vacancy announcements reveal tantalising evidence of the ARPG’s existence, Riot Games has upheld complete silence about an public statement or release window. The contract positions listed on the company’s careers page indicate the project is still in initial R&D phases, implying it could be a considerable time from launch. Industry observers familiar with game development cycles point out that hiring for foundational roles such as Combat Game Designer generally indicates the early phases of production rather than an upcoming release. This deliberate approach allows Riot to create solid 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 participation in this endeavour reflects Riot’s worldwide development capabilities and the studio’s proven expertise in crafting engaging gameplay experiences. By situating the ARPG project at this site rather than consolidating efforts at a unified central hub, Riot demonstrates its commitment to distributed development practices that have yielded positive results across its product lineup. The company’s history with League of Legends suggests players can expect a polished, technically proficient offering whenever the ARPG ultimately launches. However, with the MMO also demanding significant resources and attention, the ARPG may not materialise until 2027 or beyond, depending on completion targets and Riot’s internal priorities.

What Gamers Should Be Prepared For

Should the ARPG achieve completion, players can expect a single-player or co-operative action experience situated in the expansive universe of Runeterra, leveraging the world’s existing lore and beloved champions. The spotlight on character design and combat mechanics suggests Riot seeks to create visceral, skill-based gameplay rather than a standard dungeon crawler. Fans of narrative-driven action titles and those looking for a fresh approach of League engagement may find the ARPG especially compelling, offering an departure from the pvp-focused focus that has defined the franchise since its inception.