Riot Games appears to be developing a League of Legends action RPG in confidentiality, based on recently discovered job listings published on the company’s recruitment page. Two temporary roles at Riot’s Shanghai studio—one for a Combat Systems Designer and another for a character animator—indicate an early-stage research and development project is underway, with both roles highlighting familiarity with the League of Legends IP as a desirable qualification. Whilst the company has not formally revealed the project, the postings indicate a small team is developing fighting mechanics from the ground up 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 throughout multiple gaming genres.
Shanghai Studio’s Hidden Venture Surfaces
The two job listings discovered 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 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, mechanics and artificial intelligence—core elements that would shape how players engage in any action-oriented title. Meanwhile, the CG animator position seeks experts in experience in stylized character animation, suggesting Riot intends to preserve visual coherence with League’s signature visual style.
Whilst neither position advertisement explicitly names the project, both positions flag League of Legends IP knowledge as a added advantage, clearly establishing Runeterra as the expected backdrop. The contract nature of these roles usually points to initial production phases, meaning the action RPG could still be years away from public reveal or publication. This finding underscores Riot’s broader strategy to broaden the League brand outside its primary MOBA game, following years of prosperous ventures into animated series, trading card games and mobile games. The parallel production of both an MMO and an action RPG demonstrates the company’s commitment to exploring various game types within the Runeterra universe.
- Combat Game Designer role concentrates on action/ARPG mechanics creation
- CG animator role emphasises stylized character animation proficiency
- Project uses Unreal Engine for game creation
- Contract positions indicate early-stage research and development phase presently underway
What the Position Advertisements Show
Battle Systems at the Heart
The Action Game Combat Designer role forms the foundation of Riot’s action RPG aspirations, with the role explicitly tasked with developing and refining combat systems from scratch. The job description highlights applicants require strong proficiency in action games and action RPGs, with specific emphasis on the player experience of combat, the core systems that drive engagement, and the AI systems that govern enemy behaviour. This degree of detail indicates Riot is not merely implementing established combat systems but rather building a tailored system designed to provide a unique action experience within the League universe.
The emphasis on combat mechanics and feel demonstrates that Riot recognises 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 signalling its intention to compete seriously within a competitive landscape of action-oriented titles. The demand for Unreal Engine expertise also illustrates that Riot is employing industry-standard technology to achieve its vision, enabling the team to concentrate creative effort on the game’s distinctive elements rather than developing custom tools from scratch.
Runeterra as the Plausible Location
Although neither job posting explicitly identifies the project, both postings flag knowledge of League of Legends intellectual property as a preferred requirement, placing Runeterra firmly in focus as the likely backdrop. This deliberate approach allows Riot to tap into the existing lore, 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 reduces the creative burden of world-building whilst offering audiences with recognisable elements that enhance immersion and commitment to the narrative.
The choice to set the action RPG within Runeterra also aligns with Riot’s wider strategic approach of developing linked gameplay experiences throughout various gaming genres. By anchoring the new project to the same universe as the MMO, the card game and the animated series, Riot creates opportunities for cross-promotion and shared narrative threads that satisfy dedicated players. This approach maximises the worth of the company’s creative efforts whilst positioning Runeterra as a comprehensive entertainment destination comparable to well-known franchises like The Elder Scrolls or The Witcher.
Growing the League Universe
Riot Games’ reported development of a League of Legends action RPG represents a significant expansion of the franchise’s ambitions beyond its origins as a competitive multiplayer online battle arena. 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 multifaceted approach transforms League from a standalone game property into a expansive entertainment platform, positioning Runeterra as a setting deserving exploration throughout multiple different genres and mediums. The action RPG integrates seamlessly into this expansion strategy, offering players an entirely different way to interact with the cherished game world.
The scheduling of this development effort stands as notably noteworthy given Riot’s current obligations to other League-connected 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 demonstrating remarkable confidence in the franchise’s capacity to support multiple major releases simultaneously. This two-project strategy mirrors proven approaches employed by other major gaming publishers with sprawling universes. By creating titles across varied genres in parallel, Riot can maintain player engagement through diverse gameplay 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 |
- Various League projects in development simultaneously across diverse studios and categories
- Runeterra universe extending via linked interactive experiences and cross-media expansions
- Established IP allows Riot to leverage existing storyline and character rosters effectively
Development Timeline and Prospects
The contractual status of the advertised roles suggests this action role-playing game remains in its infancy, likely years away from any public reveal or release. Preliminary research and development initiatives at major studios typically require substantial time before reaching playable prototypes, let alone commercial viability. Riot’s decision to recruit for such foundational projects indicates genuine commitment to investigating the ARPG genre within the League universe, though patience will be required from eager fans. The Shanghai studio’s involvement in this initial stage 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 establishes an intriguing development landscape for Riot Games. Should both the MMO and action RPG progress successfully, the publisher could position itself as a dominant force in multi-genre franchise development during the latter half of this decade. The hiring of Raymond Bartos to the MMO reflects Riot’s substantial dedication in producing quality content rather than accelerating release timelines. Similarly, the deliberate, understated approach to the ARPG’s development suggests the company has learned from past missteps and now prioritises sustainable, properly funded production cycles within its portfolio of ambitious titles.
