Riot Games Agrees to Pay $100 Million in Discrimination Lawsuit

Riot Games, creators of such games as League of Legends and Valorant, has agreed to pay $100 million to settle a lawsuit alleging gender discrimination, as well as sexual harassment and inappropriate behavior within the company against former and current female employees. Under the terms of the agreement, $80 million will go to the people behind the class action lawsuit, with the rest going to attorney fees and other costs.

The class action lawsuit, which was filed in 2018, initially could have resulted in a $10 million settlement, but in early 2020, the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) intervened to block it, arguing that the injured women may be entitled to over $400 million in damages.

The new settlement was reached with DFEH, the California Division of Labor Standards Enforcement (DLSE) and some individual claimants. Kevin Kish, director of the DFEH, said in a statement that if the decision is upheld by the court, "it will mean that all industries in California, including the gaming industry, must provide equal pay and workplaces free from discrimination and harassment."

In the settlement, Riot Games also agreed to some workplace policy reform. This includes better pay transparency for job applicants and an entirely new system for determining employee paychecks or assigning job titles. The company will also implement a solution requiring the presence of a woman or member of an underrepresented community on hiring committees. The proposed settlement has been hailed as a win for women at Riot Games.