Riot Games seems to be developing a League of Legends action RPG in confidentiality, based on newly uncovered job listings published on 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—suggest an early-stage research and development project is underway, with both roles flagging 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 beginning using Unreal Engine. The discovery comes as Riot concurrently pushes its long-problematic League of Legends MMO into active production, signalling an significant growth of the franchise across various game categories.
Shanghai Studio’s Hidden Venture Comes to Light
The two job listings discovered 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 developing and refining 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 define the player experience in any action-oriented title. Meanwhile, the animation specialist vacancy seeks professionals with experience in stylized character animation, suggesting Riot aims to preserve visual coherence with League’s distinctive art direction.
Whilst neither position advertisement explicitly names the project, both positions highlight League of Legends IP knowledge as a bonus qualification, clearly establishing Runeterra as the likely setting. The fixed-term character of these roles generally suggests early-stage development, meaning the action RPG could still be some time before formal declaration or publication. This finding highlights Riot’s wider approach to expand the League brand outside its primary MOBA game, after periods of thriving extensions into animation projects, trading card games and handheld applications. The concurrent creation of both an MMO and an action role-playing game demonstrates the firm’s resolve to examining various game types within the Runeterra universe.
- Action Game Designer role concentrates on action/ARPG mechanics creation
- CG animator role highlights stylised character animation proficiency
- Project utilises Unreal Engine for game creation
- Contract positions suggest early-stage R&D phase presently underway
What the Job Postings Demonstrate
Combat Systems at the Core
The Action Game Combat Designer posting represents the cornerstone of Riot’s action RPG aspirations, with the position directly charged with building and iterating on combat systems from scratch. The job description highlights applicants require strong proficiency in action games and ARPGs, with particular focus on the player experience of combat, the underlying mechanics that foster player engagement, and the artificial intelligence systems that govern enemy behaviour. This level of specificity suggests Riot is not simply applying established combat systems but rather building a tailored system tailored to deliver a unique action experience in the League universe.
The priority placed on combat mechanics and feel indicates that Riot understands the critical importance of engaging, responsive gameplay in the action RPG genre. By bringing on specialists who know how to develop engaging combat systems, the company is indicating its plan to compete seriously within a crowded marketplace of action-oriented titles. The requirement for Unreal Engine knowledge also illustrates that Riot is leveraging proven technology standards to accomplish its objectives, permitting the developers to focus creative energy on what makes the game unique rather than building proprietary tools from scratch.
Runeterra as the Probable Backdrop
Although neither job posting explicitly names the project, both postings highlight familiarity with League of Legends intellectual property as a preferred requirement, placing Runeterra squarely in the frame 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 acclaimed animated series Arcane and the collectible card game Legends of Runeterra. Leveraging established IP reduces the creative burden of world-building whilst offering audiences with recognisable elements that deepen engagement and commitment to the narrative.
The decision to place the action RPG within Runeterra also aligns with Riot’s broader franchise strategy of creating interconnected 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 creates opportunities for cross-promotional activities and interconnected storylines that reward engaged fans. This approach maximises the value of the company’s creative investments whilst establishing Runeterra as a complete entertainment hub similar to established franchises like The Elder Scrolls or The Witcher.
Growing the League Universe
Riot Games’ reported development of a League of Legends action RPG constitutes a significant expansion of the franchise’s ambitions beyond its origins as a competitive team-based online game. The company has been progressively expanding the League universe through varied entertainment formats and gaming offerings, from the highly praised Arcane animation to the Legends of Runeterra card game. This multifaceted approach transforms League from a standalone game property into a comprehensive entertainment ecosystem, positioning Runeterra as a setting deserving exploration throughout multiple genres and platforms. The action RPG integrates seamlessly into this expansion strategy, offering players an completely new way to interact with the beloved intellectual property.
The release window of this development effort stands as particularly noteworthy given Riot’s existing commitments to other League-related projects. With the MMO continuing development following its 2024 reset and the hiring of former World of Warcraft lead Raymond Bartos, the company is showing remarkable confidence in the franchise’s capacity to support several significant launches simultaneously. This two-project strategy 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 generating excitement 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 titles under development simultaneously across different studios and types
- Runeterra universe expanding by means of interconnected gaming experiences and media adaptations
- Established IP allows Riot to make use of established storyline and character rosters effectively
Timeline and Development Outlook
The contract nature of the posted positions suggests this action role-playing game remains in its infancy, probably several years before any official announcement or release. Early-stage research and development projects at large development houses generally demand considerable duration before achieving functional prototypes, let alone commercial viability. Riot’s decision to recruit for such preliminary work demonstrates real dedication to investigating the ARPG category 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 test out combat systems, mechanics and artistic direction without the burden of immediate deadlines or audience demands.
Looking ahead, the convergence of multiple League projects generates an fascinating development landscape for Riot Games. Should both the MMO and action RPG progress successfully, the publisher could position itself as a dominant force in cross-genre franchise development during the latter half of this decade. The recruitment of Raymond Bartos to the MMO reflects Riot’s substantial dedication in delivering quality experiences rather than pushing products out quickly. Similarly, the measured, restrained approach to the ARPG’s development suggests the company has addressed prior shortcomings and now prioritises sustainable, properly funded production cycles across its portfolio of ambitious titles.
