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Last Updated:
2024-10-27 07:10:07

Riot Games

American video game developer and esports organizer.
Riot Games
Riot Games
American video game developer and esports organizer.

Riot Games, founded in 2006, is known for League of Legends. Acquired by Tencent in 2011, it also developed Valorant. Riot operates international esports leagues and faced criticism for workplace culture issues.

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2000-01
Founding of Riot Games

In the mid-noughties, a couple of business students at USC discussed the lack of post-release support in the games industry and the Asian distribution model of releasing games for free with in-game purchases. This conversation led to the founding of Riot Games.

2006-09
Riot Games Founded

Riot Games was founded in September 2006 in Santa Monica, California by University of Southern California roommates Brandon Beck and Marc Merrill.

2007
Development of League of Legends Prototype

A small team developed a working prototype of League of Legends in just four months and presented it at GDC 2007 to secure further investment funds.

2008
Riot Games' Deal with Tencent Holdings

In 2008, Riot Games struck a deal with Tencent Holdings to launch League of Legends in China, marking a significant partnership between the two companies.

2009-07-14
Free Distribution of League of Legends

On July 14, 2009, Riot Games announced that League of Legends will be free with 'no catch'.

2009-10-07
Announcement of League of Legends

On October 7, 2009, Riot Games announced the launch of League of Legends, a highly popular multiplayer online battle arena game.

2009-10-27
League of Legends released as a free-to-play game

Riot Games released League of Legends as a free-to-play game on October 27, 2009, and actively engaged with players to make adjustments based on their feedback.

2010-05-10
Riot Games Relocated European Headquarters to Dublin

On May 10, 2010, Riot Games announced that they would take over distribution and operation of their game in Europe and relocated their European headquarters to new offices in Dublin.

2011-06-27
Blurring the Line Between Virtual and Real

An article in Bloomberg Businessweek from June 27, 2011, discussed the convergence of virtual and real worlds, possibly referencing the impact of online gaming communities like League of Legends.

2012-05-01
Announcement of Season 2 Championship

On May 1, 2012, Riot Games announced its Season 2 Championship with a $2,000,000 prize pool.

2013
League of Legends Most-Played Multiplayer PC Game

By 2013, League of Legends was the most-played multiplayer PC game in the world.

2014
League of Legends reaches 67 million monthly active users

By 2014, League of Legends had 67 million monthly active users, more than double its 2012 total, making it a massively popular game.

2015-12-16
Tencent Bought Remaining 7% of Riot Games

Tencent bought the remaining 7 percent of Riot Games on December 16, 2015.

2016-03
Riot Games Acquired Radiant Entertainment

In March 2016, Riot Games acquired Radiant Entertainment, another developer who was working on Rising Thunder and Stonehearth at the time.

2016-10
Release of Mechs vs. Minions

Riot Games released the tabletop strategy game Mechs vs. Minions in October 2016.

2017-10-13
Beck and Merrill Returned Focus to Developing Games

On October 13, 2017, Beck and Merrill announced that they were returning their focus to developing games, aiming to create new experiences for video game and esports players.

2018-05
Riot Games Employed 2,500 People

As of May 2018, Riot Games employed 2,500 people, operating 24 offices around the world.

2018-08
Riot Games' Discrimination Allegations

In the first half of 2018, Kotaku reported on allegations of discrimination against female employees at Riot Games, including overlooked ideas, grooming for senior positions, and a 'bro culture' working environment. The report also mentioned receiving inappropriate images and a list detailing which female employees senior staff members would sleep with.

2018-12
Suspension of Riot's COO for Workplace Misconduct

Riot's CEO announced the suspension of the company's COO, Scott Gelb, for two months without pay for workplace misconduct. The company also updated its values on the website to reflect the 'bro culture' mentioned in the Kotaku report.

2019-10-15
League of Legends Anniversary

The game was announced by Riot Games and entered its first preview on October 15, 2019, coinciding with the tenth anniversary of League of Legends.

2020-01
Riot Tabletop Announcement

In January 2020, Riot Games announced the formation of Riot Tabletop, a division dedicated to producing tabletop games. The first game released under this division was Tellstones: King's Gambit in 2020.

2020-02
Class withdraws proposed settlement and changes legal counsel

In February 2020, as a result of the state's findings that the terms of the settlement should have been valued higher, the class withdrew the proposed US$10 million settlement and brought on new lawyers who had been involved in prior lawsuits related to the Me Too movement.

2020-04
Acquisition of Hypixel Studios

In April 2020, Riot Games acquired Hypixel Studios after investing in the studio for eighteen months. This acquisition was aimed at supporting the development and publishing of Hytale, a voxel-based sandbox game.

2020-06
Valorant Official Launch

Valorant was officially launched in June 2020, introducing the game to a wider audience.

2020-07
Partnership cancellation with Neom in Saudi Arabia

Riot announced a planned partnership with the developing city of Neom in Saudi Arabia in July 2020 but canceled the partnership shortly after due to criticism over Saudi Arabia's human rights record and the violent attempts to evict the Howeitat tribe from the area during the city's construction.

2020-10
Jason Bunge Hired as Riot Games' Chief Marketing Officer

Jason Bunge was hired as Riot Games' chief marketing officer in October 2020.

2020-11
First Strike esports tournament

Riot organized the First Strike esports tournament for Valorant in November 2020, which received positive feedback from critics and players.

2020-12
Hextech Mayhem

Hextech Mayhem is an event in the game League of Legends, featuring a new game mode and exclusive in-game rewards. It is themed around the Hextech universe and offers players a unique gameplay experience.

2021-01
Riot and Laurent Sued on Sexual Discrimination Charges

Riot and Laurent were sued by Laurent's former assistant in January 2021 on sexual discrimination charges, which included inappropriate language and labor mistreatment.

2021-03
Alienware ends partnership with Riot

In March 2021, Alienware ended its partnership with Riot a year earlier than their contract term due to the ongoing litigation over sexual harassment allegations.

2021-08
New settlement reached with DFEH and employees

In August 2021, Riot agreed to a new settlement with the DEFH and employees of $100 million, with $80 million going to the impacted employees. The settlement was approved in July 2022, compensating 1,548 female employees between $2,500 and $40,000 each.

2021-10
Riot Games Acquired Kanga

In October 2021, the company bought Kanga, a services firm involved in 'fan hubs', merchandising, and content aggregation.

2021-11
Release of Arcane Animated Series

Riot Games collaborated with French animation studio Fortiche to release the animated series, Arcane, in November 2021. The series received positive critical reception and was made available worldwide on Netflix and in China by parent company Tencent.

2022-02
Riot's response to Russian invasion of Ukraine

After Russia launched an invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Riot Games donated proceeds from in-game items to humanitarian relief organizations operating in Ukraine, totaling $5.4 million.

2022-03
Investment in Fortiche

In March 2022, Riot Games announced its investment in Fortiche, resulting in the appointment of its chief content officer and director of corporate development to Fortiche's board of directors.

2022-07
Opening of RBC in Dublin, Ireland

The first RBC in Dublin, Ireland, opened in July 2022, equipped with an IP-based infrastructure, six studios, and preserving the nightclub's disco ball. This marked a milestone in Riot Games' efforts to enhance the production quality of its esports events.

2022-10
Acquisition of Wargaming Sydney

In October 2022, Riot Games acquired Wargaming Sydney, a subsidiary of Wargaming, and renamed it Riot Sydney. This acquisition excluded rights to the BigWorld technology and its publishing arm.

2022-11
FTX bankruptcy and legal actions by Riot Games

Following the bankruptcy of FTX in November 2022, Riot Games began seeking legal methods to terminate the FTX contract. This event signified a significant challenge in Riot Games' business partnerships and financial strategies.

2023-10-29
Project L Announcement

Riot's upcoming 2D assist-based fighting game set in the world of Runeterra, featuring champions from League of Legends. The game aims to provide fast-paced combat with room for creativity and self-expression.

2024-01
Mass Layoffs and Sunset of Riot Forge and REN

In January 2024, Riot Games announced the layoff of 530 employees, about 11% of its workforce, and the sunset of the Riot Forge effort and Riot Esports Network. The decision was stated to be a necessity for maintaining a long-term focus for players.

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Riot Games
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