Riot Games will compensate every female employee from $10 million lawsuit settlement fund

Riot Games will pay every female employee a portion of a $10 million fund to settle the class action lawsuit filed against the company in 2018 (via Los Angeles Times).

The League of Legends publisher was criticised for creating a toxic workplace culture that “rewards behaviour that disadvantages women.” One plaintiff claimed that her supervisor thought that “diversity should not be a focal point of the design of Riot Games’ products because gaming culture is the last remaining safe haven for white teen boys.” Riot Games said that it was “cooperating in good faith” with the courts and that these stories are not indicative of “systemic” sexism within the studio.

The settlement was actually announced in August, but the details have now been made public. An estimated 1,000 female employees who were employed by Riot Games between November 2014 and the final date of the settlement qualify for compensation from a $10 million fund. This will be determined on how long they have worked for the studio, and full-time employees will get a higher amount than contractors. The plaintiffs and Riot Games have agreed to this decision, but the court will have the final say.

Not only this, but the company has declared commitments to eradicating gender discrimination. These are streamlining the process of filing a complaint, a review of all pay, promotion, and recruitment strategies, employing a chief diversity officer, and frequent reports on the progress made in this area. In a statement, a Riot Games representative said: “We’re pleased to have a proposed settlement to fully resolve the class action lawsuit. The settlement is another important step forward, and demonstrates our commitment to living up to our values and to making Riot an inclusive environment for the industry’s best talent.”