Riot Games Offers Resignation Bonuses As Company Announces New Direction

This comes not long after the League of Legends developer settled a gender discrimination lawsuit for $100 million
Hot on the heels of announcing plans to head in a somewhat new direction over the next five years, Riot Games has expanded its Queue Dodge buyout program–normally available to new hires during the first six months of their employment–to all employees. In other words, employees who opt to leave the company right now–because they’re not on-board with the CEO’s stated vision, or for whatever reason–are being offered 25 percent of their annual salary, three months of subsidized health benefits, and other advantages, all throughout January.


All any worker—also known as a Rioter—needs to do to opt into this buyout program is quit. This can be for any reason, but the timing of the Queue Dodge’s expansion suggests it’s primarily intended as a way to weed out folks who don’t think a job with the new Riot is the right fit for them. In particular, Riot is asking people to sign onto the company’s new five-year plan, which CEO Nicolo Laurent outlined on January 11 in a very long blog post. Laurent talked about the company’s goals, its commitment to diversity and inclusion, and a restructuring that’s been taking place for a few years.


“We’re asking Rioters to commit to a Riot where everyone feels supported,” Laurent wrote on the company’s website. “Where ideas get productive feedback, where Rioters ask tough questions in ways that foster healthy dialogue, where we’re all learning and growing from diverse perspectives, and where we’re unapologetically and relentlessly focused on players.”


Speaking to Business Insider, Laurent gave some context for the expanded Queue Dodge while also explaining that the move will position Riot Games for success going forward. Laurent claimed the program’s not about thinning the herd.


Read the full article on Kotaku