Riot Games Announced 27 League Of Legends Developers Being Let Go
Riot Games has announced it will be laying off 27 staff members from its League of Legends PC development team and five workers from its publishing sector.
Continuing a troubling trend in the gaming industry this year, Riot Games has announced its second round of layoffs, cutting 27 staff members from its League of Legends PC development teams and five workers from its publishing sector. In response to the announcement, Riot Games co-founder Marc Merrill posted on Twitter about the layoffs and the company’s goals moving forward
In Merrill’s Twitter post, he explained that the layoffs were part of a long-term strategy to ensure the company has the right expertise to support League of Legends for another 15 years and beyond. He emphasized that the cuts were not made to save money and that Riot Games will continue with its popular lineup of titles, including League of Legends and Valorant. For those affected by the layoffs, Merrill stated that they would receive a six-month severance package, a year-long bonus, health coverage, and job placement assistance.
“We’ve made the tough decision to eliminate some roles,” Marc Merrill explained. “This isn’t about reducing headcount to save money—it’s about making sure we have the right expertise so that League continues to be great for another 15 years and beyond.”
This marks Riot Games’ second round of layoffs this year, following an earlier staff reduction in January. That round resulted in an 11% cutback, with 540 employees dismissed and the closure of their publishing label, Riot Forge, which was responsible for releasing Ruined King and Song of Nunu. According to Riot Games CEO A. Dylan Jadeja, the closures and layoffs stemmed from the company becoming unsustainable due to several “big bets” that did not pay off.
It is quite a devastating situation for many gamers and those affected by the Riot Games layoff. For those who like to keep up-to-date in League of Legends and Valorant, be sure to visit the Riot Games website.
