Former World of Warcraft Producer Joins Riot Games

Former World of Warcraft producer Raymond Bartos has joined Riot Games, providing a significant boost to the long-anticipated League of Legends MMO project. His confirmation on LinkedIn marks a pivotal moment for a game that has faced years of development uncertainty.

This move follows a period of silence and a project reset in 2024, reigniting fan hope that the ambitious title might finally move forward. Bartos' arrival brings proven expertise from one of the industry's most successful MMOs to a team tasked with expanding the League of Legends universe.

Raymond Bartos confirmed his new position as a senior game producer on the MMO team at Riot Games. His LinkedIn profile provides the first clear insight into the project's staffing in some time, signaling a renewed push in development.

In a post on the platform, Bartos expressed his enthusiasm for the new role and highlighted a key reunion. He will be working alongside fellow former Blizzard employee Orlando Salvatore, with whom he shares a history on World of Warcraft.

"I’m incredibly excited to be joining Riot on the MMO team!!!" Bartos wrote. "I’m deeply grateful for the opportunity to join such an inspiring group of people, and I can’t wait to get started."

Bartos specifically mentioned their collaborative past, suggesting a seamless transition. He added, "And as a fun bonus I’ve been barely able to contain: I’ll be re-queuing with my longtime duo partner, Orlando Salvatore. Given our track record on World of Warcraft, I have a feeling we’ll be moving fast on day one."

The League of Legends MMO was first announced over five years ago, generating immense excitement within the gaming community. However, progress has been slow, and the project faced a major setback in 2024 when Riot co-founder Marc Merrill announced a complete reset.

Merrill stated that the team had decided to go back to the drawing board "some time ago," aiming to refocus efforts. He acknowledged fan frustration but framed the decision as necessary for long-term success.

"Remember, 'no news is good news,' as it means we're hard at work, pouring our hearts and souls into making something that we hope you’ll love," Merrill said at the time.

Concerns about the game's future were previously voiced in 2022 by then-executive producer Greg Street, who warned there was "no guarantee this game will ship." Street later departed Riot in early 2023, adding to the uncertainty surrounding the project's timeline.

The potential MMO exists within a rapidly expanding League of Legends universe. The original game, released in 2009, remains a titan in the gaming world and helped pioneer the MOBA genre, drawing inspiration from Warcraft 3's Defense of the Ancients custom map.

Riot has successfully diversified the IP with several spin-offs, creating a rich ecosystem for the MMO to eventually inhabit. These include:

• Legends of Runeterra, a digital card game
• Wild Rift, a mobile adaptation of the MOBA
• Arcane, a critically acclaimed animated television series

Additionally, Riot is preparing a major overhaul for the original game, internally referred to as "League Next." This update is expected to revamp the game's visual aesthetic, including characters, user interface, and arenas, while making backend adjustments to facilitate future updates. It is not intended to be a standalone game.

With Bartos now officially on board, the focus shifts to the development team's ability to capitalize on this new momentum. The combination of his and Salvatore's experience with World of Warcraft is seen as a strong asset for tackling the complex challenges of building a modern MMO.

While a release date remains distant, the confirmation of a senior producer role suggests that the project has moved past the conceptual reset phase and into active production. Fans will be watching closely for any further updates from Riot Games regarding the MMO's progress.

The journey ahead is still long, but the addition of seasoned talent indicates a serious commitment to delivering a title that meets the high expectations set by the League of Legends brand.

The hiring of Raymond Bartos represents a tangible step forward for the League of Legends MMO after a prolonged period of silence. His proven track record and reunion with a former colleague provide a solid foundation for the project's next chapter.

While the game's development has been marked by resets and uncertainty, this new infusion of expertise offers a reason for cautious optimism. The gaming community will be looking to Riot Games for signs of progress as the team works to bring the world of Runeterra to life in a new, immersive format.