Riot Games seems to be developing a League of Legends action role-playing game in confidentiality, according to newly uncovered job listings published on the company’s recruitment page. Two temporary roles at Riot’s Shanghai studio—one for a Combat Game Designer and another for a CG animator—indicate an early-stage research and development project is in progress, with both roles flagging familiarity with the League of Legends IP as a desirable qualification. Whilst the company has not officially announced the project, the postings indicate a small team is developing fighting mechanics from the ground up using Unreal Engine. The discovery comes as Riot concurrently pushes its long-problematic League of Legends MMO into full development, signalling an significant growth of the franchise throughout multiple gaming genres.
Shanghai Studio’s Confidential Initiative Comes to Light
The two contract postings found on Riot’s recruitment page reveal that the Shanghai studio is hiring for an unannounced action title set within the League of Legends world. The Combat Game Designer role particularly highlights building and iterating on combat systems from scratch, with candidates required to demonstrate deep knowledge of action games and ARPGs. The position underscores the significance of combat feel, game mechanics and AI—core elements that would shape how players engage in any action-oriented title. Meanwhile, the animation specialist position seeks professionals with experience in stylized character animation, suggesting Riot aims to maintain visual consistency with League’s signature visual style.
Whilst neither job posting explicitly identifies the project, both positions flag League of Legends IP understanding as a bonus qualification, strongly suggesting Runeterra as the probable location. The fixed-term character of these roles typically indicates initial production phases, meaning the action RPG could still be years away from formal declaration or release. This revelation reinforces Riot’s broader strategy to diversify the League franchise away from its main MOBA game, following years of thriving extensions into animation projects, trading card games and mobile games. The parallel production of both an MMO and an action RPG illustrates the firm’s resolve to examining various game types within the Runeterra universe.
- Combat Game Designer role concentrates on action role-playing game mechanics creation
- CG animator position emphasises stylized character animation proficiency
- Project uses Unreal Engine for game creation
- Contract positions indicate early-stage R&D phase currently underway
What the Employment Opportunities Show
Combat Systems at the Heart
The Combat Game Designer role represents the core pillar of Riot’s action RPG aspirations, with the position directly charged with developing and refining combat systems from the ground up. The job description stresses candidates must possess extensive experience in action games and action RPGs, with particular focus on the player experience of combat, the underlying mechanics that drive engagement, and the artificial intelligence systems that control enemy actions. This level of specificity suggests Riot is not simply applying existing combat frameworks but rather building a tailored system tailored to deliver a distinctive action experience within the League universe.
The priority placed on combat mechanics and feel demonstrates that Riot recognises the critical importance of satisfying, responsive gameplay in the action role-playing genre. By hiring experts who are skilled at creating engaging combat systems, the company is indicating its plan to compete effectively within a saturated market of action-focused titles. The need for Unreal Engine proficiency also illustrates that Riot is leveraging established industry tools to realise its goals, permitting the developers to concentrate creative effort on what makes the game unique rather than developing custom tools from scratch.
Runeterra as the Probable Backdrop
Although neither job posting explicitly names the project, both postings flag 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 established narrative, cast of characters and worldbuilding that has evolved throughout multiple media formats, including the award-winning animation Arcane and the collectible card game Legends of Runeterra. Leveraging established IP minimises the creative workload of world-building whilst offering audiences with recognisable elements that deepen engagement and investment in the narrative.
The choice to place the action RPG in Runeterra also aligns with Riot’s wider strategic approach of developing linked gameplay experiences across different gaming genres. By anchoring 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 reward engaged fans. This approach enhances the value of the company’s creative investments whilst establishing Runeterra as a comprehensive entertainment destination similar to well-known franchises like The Elder Scrolls or The Witcher.
Growing the League Universe
Riot Games’ apparent development of a League of Legends action RPG represents a major broadening of the franchise’s ambitions beyond its origins as a competitive team-based online game. The company has been systematically broadening the League universe through varied entertainment formats and gaming offerings, from the critically acclaimed Arcane animated series to the Legends of Runeterra card game. This multifaceted approach transforms League from a single-game franchise into a comprehensive entertainment ecosystem, positioning Runeterra as a world worthy of exploration throughout multiple genres and platforms. The action RPG integrates seamlessly into this expansion strategy, providing players an entirely different way to interact with the cherished game world.
The release window of this development effort demonstrates particularly noteworthy given Riot’s existing commitments to other League-connected projects. With the MMO continuing development following its 2024 reset and the appointment of ex-World of Warcraft director Raymond Bartos, the company is showing remarkable confidence in the franchise’s ability to support multiple major releases simultaneously. This dual-project approach mirrors proven approaches employed by other major gaming publishers 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 indicates 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 diverse studios and types
- Runeterra universe expanding through linked interactive experiences and multimedia adaptations
- Existing IP permits Riot to make use of established lore and roster of characters efficiently
Timeline and Future Outlook
The contract nature of the posted positions suggests this action RPG remains in its infancy, probably several years before any official announcement or release. Preliminary research and development projects at large development houses typically require substantial time before reaching playable prototypes, let alone commercial viability. Riot’s decision to recruit for such preliminary work demonstrates real dedication to exploring the ARPG genre within the League universe, though restraint will be necessary from enthusiastic players. The Shanghai studio’s participation in this initial stage enables the team to test out gameplay mechanics, combat design and visual direction without the pressure of tight schedules or audience demands.
Looking ahead, the intersection of multiple League projects establishes an fascinating development landscape for Riot Games. Should both the MMO and action RPG progress successfully, the publisher could cement its status as a dominant force in genre-spanning franchise development during the latter half of this decade. The hiring of Raymond Bartos to the MMO reflects Riot’s serious investment in creating quality products 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 focuses on sustainable, adequately resourced production cycles across its portfolio of significant franchises.
