After a period of silence following Ghostcrawler’s departure in April 2023, Riot Games recently shared updates regarding its MMO based in the League of Legends universe, revealing that the studio has decided to give the project a new direction.
Yes, Riot Games is still working on its MMO, but taking a new direction
In late 2020, Riot Games confirmed its intention to launch a new project: an MMO based on the League of Legends universe. After a while, the game was officially announced by the American studio, which created some excitement in the community. Since then, information regarding the development of this MMORPG has been discreet, with the team in charge not revealing any details, as it is still in the early stages of development.
In April 2023, the project underwent a major change with the departure of Greg “Ghostcrawler” Street, executive producer of the MMORPG. Although his departure left a void, Ghostcrawler ensured that the game remained in good hands. After his departure, Riot Games did not provide any updates until recently Mark Merrill, alias TriandamereA thread on X shared information about the game’s progress.
A new direction for Riot’s MMO
Broadly speaking, Riot Games recently made a strategic decision to give the project a new direction. The decision aims to avoid duplicating game experiences already existing on other MMOs under a simple new look inspired by Runeterra. Riot Games is also taking the opportunity to announce the hiring of Fabrice Condominas, who previously worked at BioWare and EA, as the MMO’s new executive producer, who will take over the position left by Ghostcrawler.
We know many of you are eager for news about Riot Games’ MMO project, and we really appreciate your patience and the incredible support you’ve shown us so far. I am writing to you today to let you know where we are. And before anyone panics: yes, we’re still working on the game. After much thought and discussion, we decided to redirect the project some time ago. It was not an easy decision to make, but it was necessary. The initial vision wasn’t all that different from what you can play today.
We don’t think you all want an MMO you’ve already played with a coat of Runeterra paint; To truly do justice to Runeterra’s potential and meet the incredibly high expectations of players around the world, we need to do something that truly feels like a significant evolution of the genre. It’s a tall order, but our team of passionate MMO players and game development veterans are incredibly motivated to tackle it.
With this new direction, I’m pleased to introduce Faburisu as the MMO’s new executive producer. Fabrice’s experience as a gamer and his passion for creating immersive worlds is extraordinary. Having led major projects at Riot, BioWare and EA, he brings a fresh perspective and shared commitment to excellence that will guide our team as we continue this challenging journey.
We started laying the groundwork for this transformation some time ago, and over the past year, under the leadership of Vijay Thakkar, we’ve built key pieces of the technological foundation to build the kind of ambitious game we’re talking about. We are grateful to Vijay for his leadership and he will be part of the game’s management team moving forward as Technical Director.
Resetting our growth trajectory also means that we will be “in the shadows” for a long time, perhaps many years. This silence will allow the team to focus on the incredible amount of work ahead of them. We understand the excitement and anticipation surrounding new information, but we ask that you trust us during this quiet phase. Remember, no news is good news, because it means we’re working hard and putting our heart and soul into creating a product that we hope you’ll love.
Thank you for believing in us and being patient. We are incredibly committed to this mission and look forward to the adventure that awaits us and the stories we will tell together.
