Riot Games Hires Diablo 4 Lead Class Designer for an Announced Project

The Diablo 4 lead class designer and developer Adam Jackson has joined Riot Games as a Senior Manager for an “unannounced title.” The context clues of the move certainly point towards a resurfacing of the Riot MMO project that “went dark” back in March, 2024.

Riot Games MMO is back online?

In their March 2024 update, Marc Merrill, Riot Games' CPO, talked about the MMO project and the excitement surrounding it. During the address, Marc spoke of “resetting the project” and “going dark” before they conceptualize the direction they wanted to pursue.

Marc also introduced the new Executive Producer of the project, Fabrice Condominas, who formerly worked with EA and BioWare.

Yesterday, Fabrice posted a job opening for the MMO project suggesting a return of the project a year after “going dark.”

The addition of the Diablo 4 dev only adds fuel to the fire, reigniting the hopes of the fans worldwide.

Making Strides One Game at a Time

Despite the numerous setbacks, layoffs, and criticisms, Riot Games has displayed their competence with developing top tier games and producing adjacent content. Since 2019, they have successfully launched a tactical hero shooter, VALORANT, and its adjoining esports, soft launched a fighting game in 2XKO and produced Arcane, a show that broke multiple streaming records. 

They also ventured into consoles, launching VALORANT for Xbox and PlayStation, and will be looking to expand VALORANT to mobile. Not too long ago, they announced a LoL-based TGC venturing into a completely new territory.

Despite working on these new projects, Riot Games hasn’t slowed down on their old projects. League of Legends receives major tweaks and updates every month. The LoL esports scene breaks records every year, showcasing their ability to produce and market its products.

With the success of Arcane, LoL, VALORANT, and the genre as a whole, plus Riot Games' understanding of the market, it is no surprise they are working towards making the MMO project a reality.

Follow Strafe for latest updates on the upcoming MMO project.

Featured Image Credits: Riot Games