Riot Games settles a class action lawsuit over alleged sexual harassment and discrimination. The company is confident that the issues raised against them are not systemic practices in the workplace.
Riot Games Lawsuit
It was in August 2018 when former employees of Riot Games revealed the “toxic culture” that was rampant in their former workplace. Allegations of sexism and discrimination at the workplace included sexual harassment, gender discrimination when it comes to pay promotion, and retaliation against women.
Just last May, over 150 employees walked out of Riot Games offices in protest to bring attention to a “sexist corporate culture.”
Class Action Lawsuit Settlement
On Aug. 23, Riot Games announced that it has settled the class action lawsuit over the allegations. Although details of the settlement are still unclear and the court still has to approve the proposed settlement, the plaintiffs’ lawyer, Ryan Saba, states that the move to settle clearly shows Riot Games’ dedication to evolving its culture and employment practices.
“While we believed that we had a strong position to litigate, we realized that in the long run, doing what is best for both Riot and Rioters was our ideal outcome,” Riot said in a statement, stating that settling instead of litigating is the best approach to show their commitment to owning up to the past, healing, and moving forward.
'Not Systemic Issues'
In the statement regarding the settlement, Riot Games “confidently state[s]” that after having extensively reviewed the issues, they found that gender discrimination, sexual harassment, and retaliation are not systemic issues.
The company is said to have made proper changes that improved the work culture at their offices. In fact, last August, the company announced First Steps Forward where they apologized to those who were affected and announced the commitment to making a positive change.
In the statement, Riot Games CEO Nicolo Laurent states that the company has so far made substantial progress, and they they are working hard to become the most inclusive company in the gaming industry.
