20 January 2026

World of Warcraft Producer Has Officially Joined Riot Games

By newsgame

League of Legends fans may finally be getting more news about the highly-anticipated MMO announced in 2020, after former World of Warcraft producer Raymond Bartos confirmed that he has joined Riot Games and will be working on the company’s unnamed MMO project. Very little is presently known about the upcoming League of Legends MMO, and despite multiple shakeups behind the scenes and a so-called big “reset” in 2024, the onboarding of WoW‘s Bartos could be a positive sign that the next League of Legends project is once again moving in the right direction.

Both World of Warcraft and League of Legends are two of the biggest online multiplayer video games of all time, though they notably offer very different experiences in terms of gameplay. World of Warcraft offers a massive open world where players can set off on a multitude of quests, battling enemies, collecting loot, and enjoying RPG elements. League of Legends, on the other hand, is a battle arena game where teams face off with “champions” and fight to defend their respective bases while also attempting to destroy the central “Nexus.” Players have long wondered what a combination of the two gameplay styles of World of Warcraft and League of Legends might look like, and the hiring of Bartos onto the Riot Games MMO project just might be what fans have been hoping for.

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League of Legends MMO Project Adds World of Warcraft Producer

Raymond Bartos announced via his social media channels that he will be joining the Riot Games MMO team and that he is excited to “help deliver an MMO experience players truly enjoy.” Bartos also revealed that he will be teaming up with his former World of Warcraft colleague, Orlando Salvatore, who is already serving as engineering manager for the Riot MMO. Both Bartos and Salvatore contributed to a number of World of Warcraft expansions and updates over the years, and if the Riot Games MMO is aiming to follow a similar development and support path, audiences may have a sizable new experience to look forward to. It is presently unknown exactly where the project is in its development cycle, particularly after the big reset on the Riot Games MMO back in 2024, but it would seem Bartos is more than ready to start pushing the game forward once more.

Of course, almost nothing has been revealed in the way of the actual story or setting of the League of Legends MMO, leaving audiences to speculate on what might be in store. Some have been hoping for an MMORPG that follows along with the Arcane animated television series, which many consider to be one of the best video game universe adaptations of all time. Fans of the show have voiced disappointment that the actual League of Legends game is so different from the show, so it would not be surprising if Riot Games wants to build on the success and popularity of Arcane with its MMO project. That said, Riot will want to ensure that LoL fans are equally interested in its MMO offering, leaving Bartos and crew to find the right balance of creating a game that appeals to longtime League of Legends players and newcomers alike.

Jinx sitting in a chair with her gun in Arcane

It remains to be seen if any official updates on the League of Legends MMO will be coming any time soon, but Raymond Bartos’ announcement of joining Riot Games certainly seems to indicate, at the very least, that Riot is still invested in moving forward with the project. Interested players can follow along for any future updates from Riot Games on its MMO project, as well as news on League of Legends, World of Warcraft, and other online multiplayer games.