As part of a restructuring and change in direction at Riot Games, the developer is offering any of its staff the chance to leave with compensation.
According to a lengthy blog post outlining all the changes coming in the next five years, Riot is expanding its Queue Dodge program, which was originally open to employees who’ve been at the company for less than six months. Now, for a limited time, any Riot staff who do not agree with the company’s new direction can leave with 25 per cent of their annual salary, COBRA benefits, and their full bonuses before they are paid out.
Riot Games CEO Nicolo Laurent told Business Insider this is doing the opposite of cutting costs, saying “we’re trying to grow the business, we just want to make sure we have the right team of people who are highly motivated.”
Laurent also outlined the five year plan going forward at Riot, which consists of cultural and game development changes at the company. A major change is coming in how the company engages with “external issues,” as Laurent states Riot will take action through its Underrepresented Founders Fund and Social Impact Fund, instead of just “white-text-on-black-background statements on Twitter.”
These shifts at Riot follow the settlement of a gender discrimination lawsuit at the developer. One that saw it pay £75million ($100million USD). The lawsuit from 2018 came from the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH), the California Division of Labor Standards (DLSE) and other plaintiffs seek damages from Riot for years of gender discrimination.
According to the DFEH’s statement, the settlement will go to “approximately 1,065 women employees and 1,300 women contract workers”.
In 2021 a lawsuit was filed against Laurent alleging sexual harassment, and Riot found in March of that year via a third-party investigation that there was no evidence of wrongdoing. This case was not included in the recent settlement, and Riot says it is currently in arbitration.
In other news, Riot Games is investigating the founder of TSM over alleged workplace misconduct and bullying.
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