Riot Games seems to be developing a League of Legends action RPG in secret, according to recently 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-phase R&D project is in progress, with both roles highlighting familiarity with the League of Legends IP as a preferred requirement. Whilst the company has not officially announced the project, the postings suggest a compact team is building 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, indicating an ambitious expansion of the franchise across multiple gaming genres.
Shanghai Studio Hidden Venture Emerges
The two contract postings found on Riot’s recruitment page reveal that the Shanghai studio is actively recruiting for an unreleased action game set within the League of Legends world. The Combat Game Designer role particularly highlights building and iterating on 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—core elements that would define the player experience in any action-oriented title. Meanwhile, the CG animator vacancy seeks professionals with background in stylized character animation, suggesting Riot intends to preserve visual coherence with League’s distinctive art direction.
Whilst neither position advertisement explicitly references the project, both positions flag League of Legends IP familiarity as a bonus qualification, strongly suggesting Runeterra as the expected backdrop. The contract nature of these roles typically indicates early-stage development, meaning the action role-playing game could still be years away from official announcement or publication. This finding underscores Riot’s wider approach to diversify the League franchise beyond its core MOBA game, after periods of thriving extensions into animated series, card games and mobile games. The simultaneous development of both an MMO and an action role-playing game demonstrates the company’s commitment to investigating different categories within the Runeterra universe.
- Action Game Designer role focuses on action/ARPG mechanics development
- CG animator role emphasises stylized character animation expertise
- Project uses Unreal Engine for game creation
- Contract roles indicate early-stage R&D phase presently underway
What the Job Postings Demonstrate
Battle Systems at the Centre
The Action Game Combat Designer role represents the core pillar of Riot’s action RPG ambitions, with the role directly charged with developing and refining combat mechanics from scratch. The job description stresses applicants require extensive experience in action games and ARPGs, with specific emphasis on how combat feels to players, the core systems that foster player engagement, and the AI systems that govern enemy behaviour. This degree of detail suggests 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 focus on combat mechanics and feel indicates that Riot acknowledges the essential value of engaging, responsive gameplay in the action-based RPG genre. By hiring experts who understand how to craft engaging combat systems, the company is indicating its plan to establish itself within a saturated market of action-focused titles. The demand for Unreal Engine proficiency further demonstrates that Riot is utilising industry-standard technology to accomplish its objectives, enabling the team to concentrate creative effort on the game’s distinctive elements rather than building proprietary tools from scratch.
Runeterra as the Probable Setting
Although neither job posting explicitly names the project, both postings flag familiarity with League of Legends IP as a preferred requirement, placing Runeterra squarely in the frame as the probable setting. This strategic positioning allows Riot to leverage the established narrative, character roster and worldbuilding that has evolved throughout various platforms, 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 providing players with recognisable elements that deepen engagement and commitment to the narrative.
The decision to place the action RPG in Runeterra also aligns with Riot’s wider franchise strategy of creating interconnected experiences throughout various gaming genres. By tying 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 similar to established franchises like The Elder Scrolls or The Witcher.
Broadening the League Universe
Riot Games’ reported development of a League of Legends action RPG represents a significant expansion of the franchise’s aspirations beyond its beginnings 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 multifaceted approach transforms League from a single-game franchise into a comprehensive entertainment ecosystem, positioning Runeterra as a setting deserving exploration throughout multiple different genres and mediums. The action RPG integrates seamlessly into this growth plan, offering players an entirely different way to interact with the beloved intellectual property.
The scheduling of this development effort 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 appointment 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 two-project strategy mirrors proven approaches employed by leading gaming studios with sprawling universes. By creating titles 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 projects in progress simultaneously across diverse studios and types
- Runeterra world growing through integrated game offerings and multimedia adaptations
- Existing IP enables Riot to utilise established storyline and character rosters successfully
Development Schedule and Outlook
The contractual status of the posted positions suggests this action role-playing game remains in its infancy, likely years away from any official announcement or release. Early-stage research and development initiatives at large development houses typically require considerable duration before achieving functional prototypes, let alone market readiness. Riot’s decision to recruit for such preliminary work indicates real dedication to exploring the ARPG genre within the League universe, though restraint will be necessary from eager fans. The Shanghai studio’s participation in this foundational phase enables the team to experiment with gameplay mechanics, combat design and visual direction without the burden of immediate deadlines or audience demands.
Looking ahead, the convergence of multiple League projects creates an compelling 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 during the latter half of this decade. The appointment of Raymond Bartos to the MMO demonstrates Riot’s genuine commitment in delivering quality experiences rather than accelerating release timelines. Similarly, the measured, restrained approach to the ARPG’s development suggests the company has moved beyond previous failures and now emphasises sustainable, well-resourced production cycles throughout its portfolio of major projects.
