Image: Riot Games
Is Riot Games ramping up for the MMO? Or is the project a potential Action RPG?
It looks like Riot Games, the developer behind popular titles like League of Legends and VALORANT, is up to something huge again — and it just might involve the MMO project that’s been in and out of planning and development for years since it was first announced, or an entirely new Action RPG in the works.
This was sparked when Blizzard Entertainment veteran Adam Jackson, who was heavily involved in designing Diablo 4, announced that he was joining Riot Games for an “unannounced project.”
Jackson had been with Blizzard for almost two decades, where he started as a QA analyst but worked on several projects through the years including Heroes of the Storm, and eventually becoming Lead Class Designer on Diablo 4.
This means Jackson was heavily involved in designing the classes, abilities, and skill trees in Diablo 4, even years before the game came out. He also was the lead designer for expansions like Vessel of Hatred and new seasons post-launch.
Some job openings at Riot Games also seem to hint at potentially supporting the unannounced project. These include roles like Associate Art Director, Game Designer, specifically for the “Unpublished R&D Product.” Some Software Engineering roles were also posted that require some experience in Unreal Engine.
This gives fans hope that the MMO is finally on a good path or that Riot is gearing up for a potential project that could be an Action RPG, similar to Diablo 4.
Riot Games first announced the MMO project in December 2020. However, the game seemed to be in development limbo after then project head Greg Street admitted in 2022 that “There is no guarantee that [the MMO] will ship.” After Street left in 2023, the project was then in the early stages of development.
Riot co-founder Marc Merill then announced in 2024 that the project is hitting the reset button and remained in active development. A few months later in November 2024, Merill shared in an interview that the MMO “now has great direction”, which is great news for those looking forward to the game.
It's unclear whether this unannounced project is part of the League of Legends universe or something entirely new, but it will likely be a while before any details come out.
Jackson was also a major part of Diablo 4's development and often appeared on Campfire Chats to talk about updates. With him gone, it's uncertain who will replace him or how the team will move forward.
