Riot Games seems to be developing a League of Legends action RPG in secret, based on recently discovered job listings posted to the company’s recruitment 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 research and development project is underway, with both roles highlighting familiarity with the League of Legends IP as a preferred requirement. Whilst the company has not formally revealed the project, the postings indicate a small team is developing fighting mechanics from the beginning using Unreal Engine. The discovery comes as Riot simultaneously pushes its long-problematic League of Legends MMO into active production, indicating an ambitious expansion of the franchise throughout multiple gaming genres.
Shanghai Studio’s Confidential Initiative Comes to Light
The two contract postings discovered on Riot’s recruitment page reveal that the Shanghai studio is hiring for an unreleased action game set within the League of Legends world. The Combat Designer role particularly highlights developing and refining combat systems from the ground up, with candidates required to show extensive expertise of action games and ARPGs. The position underscores the significance of combat feel, game mechanics and AI—fundamental components that would define the player experience in any action-focused game. Meanwhile, the animation specialist vacancy seeks professionals with experience in stylized character animation, suggesting Riot aims to maintain visual consistency with League’s distinctive art direction.
Whilst neither job posting explicitly identifies the project, both positions highlight League of Legends IP familiarity as a added advantage, firmly positioning Runeterra as the likely setting. The temporary structure of these roles usually points to early-stage development, meaning the action role-playing game could still be years away from official announcement or publication. This discovery underscores Riot’s wider approach to diversify the League series away from its main MOBA game, after periods of thriving extensions into animated series, trading card games and mobile games. The concurrent creation of both an MMO and an action role-playing game illustrates the company’s commitment to investigating different categories within the Runeterra universe.
- Action Game Designer role focuses on action role-playing game mechanics development
- CG animator position emphasises stylized character animation proficiency
- Project utilises Unreal Engine for game development
- Contract positions suggest early-stage research and development phase currently underway
What the Employment Opportunities Disclose
Fighting Mechanics at the Heart
The Combat Game Designer role represents the core pillar of Riot’s action RPG aspirations, with the role explicitly tasked with building and iterating on combat mechanics from the ground up. The job description stresses candidates must possess deep expertise in action games and ARPGs, with particular focus on the player experience of combat, the underlying mechanics that foster player engagement, and the artificial intelligence systems that control enemy actions. This degree of detail suggests Riot is not simply applying existing combat frameworks but rather creating a custom system designed to provide a distinctive action experience within the League universe.
The priority placed on combat mechanics and feel suggests that Riot acknowledges the critical importance of satisfying, responsive gameplay in the action RPG genre. By bringing on specialists who know how to develop immersive combat systems, the company is signalling its intention to compete effectively within a saturated market of action-driven games. The requirement for Unreal Engine proficiency additionally shows that Riot is utilising industry-standard technology to achieve its vision, allowing the team to concentrate creative effort on what makes the game unique rather than developing custom tools from scratch.
Runeterra as the Plausible Location
Although neither position announcement explicitly identifies the project, both postings highlight familiarity with League of Legends intellectual property as a desirable qualification, placing Runeterra squarely in the frame as the likely backdrop. This strategic positioning allows Riot to leverage the existing lore, character roster and world creation that has developed across multiple media formats, including the award-winning animation Arcane and the collectible card game Legends of Runeterra. Using existing intellectual property reduces the creative burden of world-building whilst offering audiences with recognisable elements that enhance immersion and investment in the narrative.
The decision to set the action RPG in Runeterra also aligns with Riot’s broader franchise strategy of creating interconnected experiences across different gaming genres. By tying the new project to the identical universe as the MMO, the card game and the animated series, Riot creates opportunities for cross-promotional activities and interconnected storylines that reward engaged fans. This approach maximises the worth of the company’s creative efforts whilst establishing Runeterra as a complete entertainment hub similar to established franchises like The Elder Scrolls or The Witcher.
Broadening the League Universe
Riot Games’ reported work on a League of Legends action RPG constitutes a significant expansion of the franchise’s aspirations beyond its origins as a competitive team-based online game. The company has been progressively expanding the League universe through diverse media and gaming experiences, from the highly praised Arcane animated series to the Legends of Runeterra collectible card game. This multi-pronged strategy transforms League from a single-game franchise into a expansive entertainment platform, positioning Runeterra as a world worthy of exploration across multiple different genres and mediums. The action RPG fits naturally into this expansion strategy, offering players an completely new way to interact with the cherished game world.
The scheduling of this development effort stands as particularly noteworthy given Riot’s existing commitments to other League-related projects. With the MMO still in active production following its 2024 reset and the hiring of former World of Warcraft lead Raymond Bartos, the company is showing remarkable confidence in the franchise’s ability to support several significant launches simultaneously. This dual-project approach mirrors proven approaches employed by leading gaming studios with sprawling universes. By developing games across different genres in parallel, Riot can maintain player engagement through varied experiences whilst generating excitement for each individual release. The Shanghai studio’s involvement suggests the company is allocating resources strategically across its global operations.
| Project | Status |
|---|---|
| League of Legends MMO | Active production with new leadership |
| Action RPG (Unannounced) | Early-stage R&D at Shanghai studio |
| Arcane animated series | Established franchise component |
| Legends of Runeterra card game | Ongoing live service title |
- Several League titles under development at the same time across different studios and categories
- Runeterra world growing via integrated interactive experiences and media adaptations
- Existing IP allows Riot to make use of existing storyline and roster of characters successfully
Timeline and Development Outlook
The contractual status of the advertised roles suggests this action RPG remains in its infancy, likely years away from any official announcement or release. Preliminary research and development projects at major studios generally demand substantial time before achieving functional prototypes, let alone commercial viability. Riot’s willingness to hire for such preliminary work indicates real dedication to investigating the ARPG genre within the League universe, though patience will be required from eager fans. The Shanghai studio’s involvement in this foundational phase allows the team to test out gameplay mechanics, combat design and visual direction without the pressure of tight schedules or audience demands.
Looking ahead, the alignment of multiple League projects creates an intriguing development landscape for Riot Games. Should both the MMO and action RPG develop as planned, the publisher could cement its status as a dominant force in genre-spanning franchise development throughout the latter half of this decade. The appointment of Raymond Bartos to the MMO underscores Riot’s serious investment in producing quality content rather than pushing products out quickly. Similarly, the deliberate, understated approach to the ARPG’s development implies the company has addressed prior shortcomings and now emphasises sustainable, well-resourced production cycles across its portfolio of significant franchises.
