Riot Games has hired Brian Holinka, a former World of Warcraft lead combat designer, to work on its League of Legends MMO. The move signals continued progress on the long-awaited project.
Holinka brings over a decade of MMO combat design experience.
Holinka joins as Principal Game Designer, according to his LinkedIn profile. He spent over a decade at Blizzard, including five years as Lead PvP Designer and four years as Lead Combat Designer.
Riot reset development on the MMO in 2024 to differentiate it from competitors. Chief Product Officer Marc Merrill said the team is "working very hard on it" and has "a great direction now and is making a lot of momentum."
Riot's MMO team includes multiple Blizzard veterans.
Holinka is not the only Blizzard veteran on the project. Former WoW Lead Producer Raymond Bartos also works on the MMO as Senior Game Producer.
Holinka's LinkedIn indicates his role starts in June 2026. The exact start date is unclear, but the hire adds significant MMO design experience to the team.
Riot has not announced a release window for the League of Legends MMO. The project remains in development with a growing team of experienced developers.
Source: PCGAMESN
