Riot Games, Inc. is an American video game developer, publisher, and esports tournament

Riot Games, Inc. is an American video game developer, publisher, and esports tournament

1. Riot Games

2. Riot Games, Inc. Is an American video game developer, publisher, and esports tournament organizer based in Los Angeles, California. It was founded in September 2006 by Brandon Beck and Marc Merrill to develop League of Legends and went on to develop several spin-off games and the unrelated first-person shooter game Valorant . In 2011, Riot Games was acquired by Chinese conglomerate Tencent .

3. Riot Games operates League of Legends esports leagues and the Valorant Champions Tour. The company, which had 20 offices worldwide as of 2023, sells corporate sponsorships, merchandise, and streaming rights for its leagues. Riot has faced allegations and lawsuits claiming a toxic workplace culture, including gender discrimination and sexual harassment. The company was criticized for its use of forced arbitration in response to these allegations.

4. Brandon “ Ryze ” Beck and Marc “ Tryndamere ” Merrill, the founders of Riot Games, became friends while roommates at the University of Southern California, where the two studied business.[3] Beck and Merrill believed too many video game developers diverted their focus from game to game too often, distinguishing Defense of the Ancients as an indication that games could be supported and monetized long-term.[3][4] They also drew inspiration from Asian video game designers who released their games for no up-front cost, and instead charged for additional perks