Great company with lots of hold-overs
Pros
- The focus on hiring people who actively play games really does change the atmosphere of the company. It's unlike anywhere else I've worked, and I was highly skeptical about this "requirement" coming in. - The content teams produce is of a very high quality. Everyone here knows what the bar looks like and how to exceed it. - The company is obsessively player-focused. Coming from studios where this was often far from a priority, it's refreshing. - The perks, campus, and treatment of employees can't be beat. You are pampered here. - I joined after the founders had been swapped out for a new exec team, and by all accounts it was an incredible and well-timed swap. The D3 seem to be doing a great job and are bringing a level of transparency to the company that it seems was missing for a long time. - Lots of mobility. I've seen "lane swaps" (changes in discipline) which were ginormous. If you're an engineer who wants to be in HR or narrative or something, this is the place to do it. - Friendly atmosphere. At many big companies, people treat it as "just a job." At Riot, though, it seems like many people are actually friends outside of work and there is definitely an atmosphere which invites you to get to know your coworkers really personally. - Good things coming. The future looks awesome.
Cons
- There is a large contingent of employees who have ONLY worked at Riot games. This isn't necessarily an awful thing, but there is an expectation that "Riot will take care of me no matter what I want to do" and "Riot owes me a certain quality of life" that reeks of tech entitlement. You are human labor. Not to mention, very often these people hopped onto League after it was already in beta and do not have any experience making and shipping an actual game (vs. just game updates or patches). This lack of expertise is often painfully clear. - Some of the company kool-aid is hokey. "We don't use the 'e' word here. You're a Rioter." Okay, sure, until the day my performance slips and you instantly fire me. I'm sure if you're fresh out of school the internal messaging feels like paradise. For those of us who've been around the block, it just invites deep suspicion. - The company has a very "bro" atmosphere that is not welcoming to women. Despite obvious efforts to clean up on the diversity front, there is definitely a male-focused culture. I recently had a coworker leave because she didn't feel like she could be a working mother at Riot, and I completely agree. There is still a ton of work to be done and not everyone wants to admit it. You can see this in the defensive replies from HR on this very page.