Riot Games appears to be developing a League of Legends action RPG in confidentiality, based on newly uncovered 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-phase R&D project is in progress, with both roles flagging familiarity with the League of Legends IP as a preferred requirement. Whilst the company has not formally revealed the project, the postings indicate a compact team is developing combat systems from the beginning using Unreal Engine. The discovery comes as Riot simultaneously pushes its long-problematic League of Legends MMO into full development, indicating an significant growth of the franchise across various game categories.
Shanghai Studio’s Hidden Venture Emerges
The two job listings discovered on Riot’s careers page reveal that the Shanghai studio is actively recruiting for an unannounced action title set within the League of Legends universe. The Combat Game Designer role specifically emphasises developing and refining combat systems from the ground up, with candidates expected to demonstrate deep knowledge of action games and ARPGs. The position highlights the importance of combat feel, mechanics and artificial intelligence—fundamental components that would shape how players engage in any action-focused game. Meanwhile, the CG animator position seeks professionals with background in stylized character animation, suggesting Riot intends to maintain visual consistency with League’s signature visual style.
Whilst neither position advertisement explicitly references the project, both positions emphasise League of Legends IP familiarity as a bonus qualification, firmly positioning Runeterra as the expected backdrop. The fixed-term character of these roles generally suggests preliminary creation stages, meaning the action role-playing game could still be years away from formal declaration or release. This revelation highlights Riot’s wider approach to expand the League series outside its primary MOBA game, following years of successful expansions into animated productions, collectible card games and handheld applications. The concurrent creation of both an MMO and an action role-playing game illustrates the organisation’s dedication to exploring multiple genres within the Runeterra universe.
- Action Game Designer role focuses on action role-playing game mechanics creation
- CG animator role highlights stylised character animation proficiency
- Project uses Unreal Engine for game development
- Contract positions indicate early-stage research and development phase presently underway
What the Employment Opportunities Disclose
Fighting Mechanics at the Centre
The Action Game Combat Designer posting represents the cornerstone of Riot’s action RPG aspirations, with the role directly charged with developing and refining combat systems from scratch. The job description stresses candidates must possess strong proficiency in action games and action RPGs, with specific emphasis 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 indicates Riot is not merely implementing established combat systems but rather developing a bespoke system tailored to deliver a unique action experience in the League universe.
The emphasis on combat feel and mechanics indicates that Riot acknowledges the critical importance of engaging, responsive gameplay in the action role-playing genre. By hiring experts who understand how to craft engaging combat systems, the company is demonstrating its commitment to establish itself within a saturated market of action-driven games. The requirement for Unreal Engine knowledge also illustrates that Riot is leveraging industry-standard technology to achieve its vision, allowing the team to direct creative resources on what sets the game apart rather than building proprietary tools from scratch.
Runeterra as the Plausible Setting
Although neither job posting explicitly names the project, both postings flag knowledge of League of Legends IP as a desirable qualification, placing Runeterra squarely in the frame as the probable setting. This deliberate approach allows Riot to tap into the established narrative, character roster and worldbuilding that has developed across multiple media formats, including the award-winning animation Arcane and the trading card game Legends of Runeterra. Leveraging established IP minimises the creative workload of world-building whilst offering audiences with recognisable elements that enhance immersion and commitment to the narrative.
The decision to set the action RPG in Runeterra also supports Riot’s wider strategic approach of developing interconnected experiences across different gaming genres. By tying the new project to the same universe as the MMO, the card game and the animated series, Riot generates possibilities for cross-promotion and shared narrative threads that satisfy dedicated players. This strategy enhances the worth of the company’s creative efforts whilst positioning Runeterra as a complete entertainment hub comparable to established franchises like The Elder Scrolls or The Witcher.
Growing the League Universe
Riot Games’ reported work on a League of Legends action RPG constitutes a significant expansion of the franchise’s ambitions beyond its beginnings as a competitive team-based online game. The company has been systematically broadening the League universe through diverse media and gaming experiences, from the highly praised Arcane animation to the Legends of Runeterra card game. This multi-pronged strategy transforms League from a standalone game property into a comprehensive entertainment ecosystem, positioning Runeterra as a world worthy of exploration across multiple genres and platforms. The action RPG fits naturally into this expansion strategy, providing players an entirely different way to interact with the cherished game world.
The timing of this project initiative proves 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 displaying remarkable confidence in the franchise’s ability to support multiple major releases simultaneously. This dual-project approach mirrors successful strategies employed by leading gaming studios with sprawling universes. By developing games across varied genres in parallel, Riot can maintain player engagement through varied experiences whilst building anticipation for each individual release. The Shanghai studio’s involvement points to 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 |
- Multiple League titles under development simultaneously throughout different studios and types
- Runeterra universe expanding through integrated gaming experiences and multimedia adaptations
- Existing IP enables Riot to utilise current lore and character lineups efficiently
Development Schedule and Outlook
The contractual status of the posted positions suggests this action RPG remains in its infancy, probably several years before any public reveal or release. Early-stage research and development projects at major studios generally demand considerable duration before reaching playable prototypes, let alone commercial viability. Riot’s willingness to hire for such preliminary work indicates real dedication to exploring the ARPG category within the League universe, though restraint will be necessary from eager fans. The Shanghai studio’s involvement in this foundational phase enables the team to experiment with gameplay mechanics, combat design and visual direction without the pressure of immediate deadlines or public expectations.
Looking ahead, the intersection of multiple League projects creates an fascinating development landscape for Riot Games. Should both the MMO and action RPG advance favourably, the publisher could establish itself as a dominant force in multi-genre franchise development across the latter half of this decade. The recruitment of Raymond Bartos to the MMO underscores Riot’s genuine commitment in producing quality content rather than accelerating release timelines. Similarly, the measured, restrained approach to the ARPG’s development indicates the company has moved beyond previous failures and now emphasises sustainable, properly funded production cycles across its portfolio of significant franchises.
