Riot Games seems to be developing a League of Legends action role-playing game in secret, according to recently discovered job listings published on the company’s recruitment page. Two contract positions at Riot’s Shanghai studio—one for a Combat Systems Designer and another for a CG animator—indicate 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 formally revealed 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 Hidden Venture Emerges
The two contract postings found on Riot’s careers page reveal that the Shanghai studio is hiring for an unreleased action game set within the League of Legends universe. The Combat Game Designer role particularly highlights building and iterating on combat systems from the ground up, with candidates required to demonstrate deep knowledge of action games and ARPGs. The position highlights the importance of combat feel, game mechanics and AI—core elements that would shape how players engage in any action-oriented title. Meanwhile, the animation specialist vacancy seeks professionals with experience in stylized character animation, suggesting Riot aims to maintain visual consistency with League’s signature visual style.
Whilst neither position advertisement explicitly identifies the project, both positions highlight League of Legends IP knowledge as a bonus qualification, firmly positioning Runeterra as the likely setting. The temporary structure of these roles usually points to preliminary creation stages, meaning the action role-playing game could still be years away from public reveal or publication. This finding underscores Riot’s broader strategy to expand the League series outside its primary MOBA game, after periods of successful expansions into animated series, card games and mobile titles. The parallel production of both an MMO and an action RPG demonstrates the firm’s resolve to exploring various game types within the Runeterra universe.
- Combat Game Designer role focuses on action role-playing game mechanics creation
- CG animator role highlights stylised character animation proficiency
- Project uses Unreal Engine for game creation
- Contract roles suggest early-stage R&D phase presently underway
What the Job Postings Demonstrate
Battle Systems at the Core
The Action Game Combat Designer posting constitutes the core pillar of Riot’s action RPG aspirations, with the role explicitly tasked with building and iterating on combat systems from the ground up. The job description highlights candidates must possess deep expertise in action games and action RPGs, with specific emphasis on how combat feels to players, the underlying mechanics that drive engagement, and the AI systems that govern enemy behaviour. This degree of detail suggests Riot is not simply applying existing combat frameworks but rather creating a custom system tailored to deliver a unique action experience in the League universe.
The emphasis on combat feel and mechanics demonstrates that Riot understands the vital significance of engaging, responsive gameplay in the action role-playing genre. By bringing on specialists who understand how to craft immersive combat systems, the company is signalling its intention to compete seriously within a competitive landscape of action-oriented titles. The need for Unreal Engine expertise additionally shows that Riot is employing established industry tools to accomplish its objectives, allowing the team to concentrate creative effort on what makes the game unique rather than developing custom tools from scratch.
Runeterra as the Likely Setting
Although neither position announcement explicitly names the project, both postings flag knowledge of 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 existing lore, character roster and worldbuilding that has developed across multiple media formats, including the acclaimed animated series Arcane and the trading card game Legends of Runeterra. Using existing intellectual property reduces the creative burden of world-building whilst offering audiences with familiar components that enhance immersion and investment in the narrative.
The choice to set the action RPG within Runeterra also supports Riot’s wider franchise strategy of creating interconnected 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 generates possibilities for cross-promotion and shared narrative threads that satisfy dedicated players. This approach enhances the worth of the company’s creative efforts whilst positioning Runeterra as a comprehensive entertainment destination comparable 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 aspirations 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 highly praised Arcane animation to the Legends of Runeterra card game. This multi-pronged strategy transforms League from a standalone game property into a comprehensive entertainment ecosystem, positioning Runeterra as a setting deserving exploration across multiple different genres and mediums. The action RPG integrates seamlessly into this expansion strategy, offering players an completely new way to interact with the cherished game world.
The timing of this project initiative 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 successful strategies employed by leading gaming studios with sprawling universes. By developing games across different genres in parallel, Riot can maintain player engagement through varied experiences whilst building anticipation for each individual release. The Shanghai studio’s involvement points to 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 |
- Multiple League titles in progress at the same time throughout diverse studios and types
- Runeterra world growing through integrated interactive experiences and cross-media expansions
- Well-established IP enables Riot to make use of current storyline and roster of characters effectively
Development Schedule and Outlook
The contractual status of the posted positions suggests this action RPG remains in its infancy, probably several years before any public reveal or release. Early-stage research and development projects at major studios generally demand considerable duration before reaching functional prototypes, let alone market readiness. Riot’s decision to recruit for such preliminary work indicates real dedication to exploring the ARPG category 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 tight schedules or audience demands.
Looking ahead, the intersection of multiple League projects establishes an intriguing 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 genre-spanning franchise development during the latter half of this decade. The appointment of Raymond Bartos to the MMO underscores Riot’s serious investment in delivering quality experiences rather than rushing products to market. Similarly, the deliberate, understated approach to the ARPG’s development implies the company has addressed prior shortcomings and now prioritises sustainable, properly funded production cycles throughout its portfolio of ambitious titles.
