Riot Layoffs Reach the LEC

Riot Esports Network Cancelled, Layoffs Reach the LEC

Riot Games, the powerhouse behind League of Legends and Valorant, dealt a heavy blow to their team this week, with over 530 employees being let go in a round of layoffs. The repercussions extend beyond champion development, impacting lore-related aspects and even Riot's foray into esports streaming platforms.

To start off on an already low note, champions Smolder and Skarner, while still on Riot’s schedule, will face some delay when it comes to release dates, extra features, and even adjustments. The League of Legends lore enthusiast community also took a hit as Riot let go of most staff associated with the lore aspects of the League universe, which was considered a crucial aspect in boosting the immersion and connection between players and the game. This means the Universe website, color stories, and interactive map—all integral components of the rich League of Legends lore—have been abandoned and will eventually be taken down.

Coincidentally, as Legends of Runeterra strives to align with player expectations, Riot decided to change its team and leadership, while Riot Forge, Riot's indie game development initiative, has been entirely shut down after the release of Bandle Tale.

Now, the League of Legends EMEA Championship (LEC) finds itself in the crosshairs of Riot Games' layoffs, raising concerns about the future of Riot's esports as a whole. Despite Riot's commitment to boost the quality of online competitions and integrate esports more tightly into its portfolio, the staff reductions indicate that the million-dollar company has scaled back its ambitions.

The LEC, known for being one of Riot's most-watched regional leagues, has seen key production staff being let go. Notably, the cuts include the LEC’s executive producer, head of production, backend engineers, and game observers. These cuts arrived just before the third week of the LEC's 2024 season, casting a shadow over the league's production quality, which has long been a distinguishing factor when compared to its North American counterpart. The LEC, known for being one of Riot's most-watched regional leagues, has seen key production staff being let go. Notably, the cuts include the LEC’s executive producer, head of production, backend engineers, and game observers.

These cuts arrived just before the third week of the LEC's 2024 season, casting a shadow over the league's production quality, which has long been a distinguishing factor when compared to its North American counterpart.

Most of the eye candy and extra content that used to boost the quality of the weekly events in the LEC have now disappeared or are about to disappear.

However, the LEC isn't the only casualty. Riot Games also confirmed the termination of its esports streaming platform, Riot Esports Network (REN). The origins of this project date back to 2016, when Riot announced a $350 million deal with BAMTech. Unfortunately, this project fell apart when Disney acquired a controlling stake in BAMTech in 2018.

REN aimed to give Riot Games more control over viewing experiences, providing integrations to promote teams and sponsors directly. This alternative would have been especially valuable given the impending shutdown of Twitch in South Korea. Riot's Virtual Pass, introduced last year to enhance the League of Legends viewing experience, may see its turn to dust, leaving fans uncertain about Riot's continued efforts to grow direct fan monetization instead of providing a higher-quality product.

The aftermath of these layoffs has left both the League of Legends and esports communities afraid of the implications this might have for the competitive gaming scene, streaming, and the overall landscape of Riot Games in the coming years.

Stay tuned for more League of Legends news and updates.

GG Boost, the Best Elo Boosting Experience!