Riot Games Settles Discrimination, Sexual Harassment Lawsuit

Yesterday, Riot Games announced it would settle a discrimination and sexual harassment lawsuit originally filed more than 100 employees earlier this year. According to the suit, there was a ‘toxic culture’ at Riot that prompted employees to “stage a walkout at the company’s Santa Monica headquarters” back in May.

The plaintiffs were represented by Ryan Saba of Rosen Saba, LLP. When commenting on the settlement agreement, Saba said:

“This is a very strong settlement agreement that provides meaningful and fair value to class members for their experiences at Riot Games. This is a clear indication that Riot is dedicated to making progress in evolving its culture and employment practices. A number of significant changes to the corporate culture have been made, including increased transparency and industry-leading diversity and inclusion programs. The many Riot employees who spoke up, including the plaintiffs, significantly helped to change the culture at Riot.”

A spokesperson for the group of employees who participated in the walkout also chimed in and said:

“Settling this class action is a victory for women in games. While this settlement helps bring peace of mind to women at Riot, we want to acknowledge that issues of discrimination and harassment go beyond gender, and acknowledge the victims who aren’t covered in the suit.”

The CEO of Riot Games, Nicolo Laurent issued the following statement regarding the company’s decision to settle:

“We are grateful for every Rioter who has come forward with their concerns and believe this resolution is fair for everyone involved. With this agreement, we are honoring our commitment to find the best and most expedient way for all Rioters, and Riot, to move forward and heal. Over the past year, we’ve made substantial progress toward evolving our culture and will continue to pursue this work as we strive to be the most inclusive company in gaming.”

In response to complaints about the company’s ‘toxic’ culture, Riot Games hired a chief diversity officer to help implement policy changes. Many of those changes are expected to help make the company more welcoming and less toxic.

Riot Games further commented on the settlement during a town hall meeting yesterday evening and said:

“This settlement is an important step on the journey of making the games industry a more diverse and welcoming place, but the fight is far from over. Making Riot — and the entire industry — more inclusive is an ongoing process, and we are excited to see this big step in the right direction.”

Sources:

Riot Games Settles Lawsuit Over Discrimination, Sexual Harassment

Riot Games Settles Gender Discrimination, Sexual Harassment Class Action Lawsuit