Riot Games seems to be developing a League of Legends action RPG in secret, based on recently discovered job listings published on the company’s recruitment page. Two contract positions at Riot’s Shanghai studio—one for a Combat Game Designer and another for a character animator—indicate an early-phase R&D project is in progress, 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 combat systems from the beginning using Unreal Engine. The discovery comes as Riot simultaneously pushes its long-troubled League of Legends MMO into active production, indicating an significant growth of the franchise throughout various game categories.
Shanghai Studio’s Confidential Initiative Comes to Light
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 universe. The Combat Designer role specifically emphasises developing and refining combat systems from scratch, with candidates expected to demonstrate deep knowledge of action titles and role-playing games. 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 vacancy seeks professionals with background in stylised character work, suggesting Riot intends to preserve visual coherence with League’s distinctive art direction.
Whilst neither job posting explicitly references the project, both positions flag League of Legends IP understanding as a bonus qualification, strongly suggesting Runeterra as the probable location. The temporary structure of these roles generally suggests preliminary creation stages, meaning the action RPG could still be years away from official announcement or publication. This finding reinforces Riot’s overarching plan to expand the League brand away from its main MOBA game, subsequent to thriving extensions into animated series, trading card games and mobile titles. The concurrent creation of both an MMO and an action role-playing game demonstrates the organisation’s dedication to examining various game types within the Runeterra universe.
- Combat Game Designer role focuses on action/ARPG mechanics development
- CG animator position highlights stylized character animation expertise
- Project uses Unreal Engine for game development
- Contract positions indicate early-stage research and development phase presently underway
What the Job Postings Demonstrate
Battle Systems at the Centre
The Action Game Combat Designer role constitutes the foundation of Riot’s action RPG ambitions, with the position directly charged with building and iterating on combat systems from the ground up. The role specification stresses applicants require strong proficiency in action games and action RPGs, with particular focus on how combat feels to players, 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 existing combat frameworks but rather creating a custom system tailored to deliver a unique action experience within the League universe.
The emphasis on combat feel and mechanics demonstrates that Riot understands the critical importance of responsive, satisfying gameplay in the action role-playing genre. By recruiting specialists who understand how to craft engaging combat systems, the company is indicating its plan to compete seriously within a competitive landscape of action-driven games. The demand for Unreal Engine expertise further demonstrates that Riot is employing proven technology standards to achieve its vision, permitting the developers to direct creative resources on what makes the game unique rather than building proprietary tools from scratch.
Runeterra as the Probable Backdrop
Although neither position announcement explicitly identifies the project, both postings highlight knowledge of League of Legends IP as a preferred requirement, placing Runeterra squarely in the frame as the likely backdrop. This deliberate approach allows Riot to leverage the established narrative, cast of characters and world creation that has developed across various platforms, 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 commitment to the narrative.
The decision to set the action RPG in Runeterra also aligns with Riot’s broader strategic approach of creating interconnected experiences throughout various gaming genres. By tying the new project to the identical 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 strategy maximises the value of the company’s creative investments whilst establishing Runeterra as a comprehensive entertainment destination comparable 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 constitutes a major broadening of the franchise’s ambitions 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 animation 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 setting deserving exploration across multiple genres and platforms. The action RPG fits naturally into this expansion strategy, offering players an completely new way to interact with the beloved intellectual property.
The scheduling of this project initiative proves especially 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 ex-World of Warcraft director Raymond Bartos, the company is showing remarkable confidence in the franchise’s capacity to support multiple major releases simultaneously. This dual-project approach mirrors proven approaches employed by leading gaming studios with sprawling universes. By developing games across varied genres in parallel, Riot can sustain player interest through varied experiences whilst building anticipation for each individual release. The Shanghai studio’s involvement points to the company is distributing development 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 initiatives in development simultaneously across different studios and genres
- Runeterra setting extending through interconnected gaming experiences and multimedia adaptations
- Existing IP allows Riot to make use of established narrative and character lineups successfully
Development Schedule and 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 considerable duration before achieving functional prototypes, let alone market readiness. Riot’s willingness to hire for such foundational projects indicates real dedication to exploring the ARPG genre within the League universe, though restraint will be necessary from eager fans. The Shanghai studio’s involvement in this initial stage enables the team to experiment with combat systems, mechanics and artistic direction without the burden of immediate deadlines or public expectations.
Looking ahead, the alignment of multiple League projects creates an fascinating development landscape for Riot Games. Should both the MMO and action RPG advance favourably, the publisher could cement its status as a dominant force in multi-genre franchise development throughout the latter half of this decade. The hiring of Raymond Bartos to the MMO demonstrates Riot’s serious investment in producing quality content rather than accelerating release timelines. 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 ambitious titles.
