Changes in riots and the way forward

players,

Minutes ago, we shared with Rioters that we are refocusing on a smaller number of high-impact projects to move us toward a more sustainable future. Now, we want to tell you what these changes mean for our games, and everything around them (eSports, Arcane, music, etc.), and what to expect moving forward.

For most of our history, we've managed to avoid days like these, but this decision is critical to Riot's future. This isn't meant to please shareholders or hit a quarterly earnings number, it's a necessity. Over the past few years, as Riot's headcount has doubled, we've spread our efforts across more and more projects without sharp enough blades to pinpoint what players need most. The adjustments we're making are intended to focus us on the areas that have the greatest impact on your experience while investing less in things that don't.

This means we are eliminating around 530 roles globally, representing around 11% of Rioters, with the greatest impact on teams outside core development. We know that many of you care not only about the games you play, but also about the people who make them. These are not just regulatory changes; They affect individuals and families, and we do our best to treat these decisions with respect and sensitivity. If you'd like to read the email we sent to Rioters, we've shared it here.

Double the games in the center

With today's actions, we will return to putting games at the heart of everything we do.

Our vision for the future is bold and our commitment to our core live games – League of Legends, VALORANT, Teamfight Tactics and Wild Rift – is more ambitious than ever. We prioritize these teams so they can focus on content, features, and updates that directly respond to what you asked for. Anticipate events, modes, and long-term roadmaps that lead to a vibrant (hopefully multi-decade) future for these games.

Our strategy will integrate esports, music and entertainment more tightly into our games. Esports isn't just about competition; It's about the highs, lows, and communities that thrive around gaming. Entertainment is not just about storytelling; It's a gateway to deeper narratives, characters, and worlds that enrich the game experience. As we grow, some of our efforts have become more isolated, and we aspire to more seamlessly blend gameplay, competitive excellence, and narrative depth in ways that make it truly better to be a player. Whether it's the next hit of K/DA, the story unfolding in Arcane, the intensity of TFT Open, the unique chills of Worlds 5, or the intense atmosphere of VAL Champs, our focus is on quality, impact and unified player experiences all over the world.

In addition to live titles, we have projects in the works and can't wait to get to you when they're ready. Project L has made great progress and we are looking for more opportunities for you to experience the game (stay tuned for more updates coming later this year). Season 2 of Arcane is on track for November 2024. Additionally, we have a number of culinary projects in various stages of research and development.

The scale of our releases will never be huge. We want everything we offer to be something you can be proud of and excited to share with friends. It requires having the financial flexibility to be able to take the time to make really great things for your players. We know there will still be occasional failures, but we want those failures to be for the right reasons, not because we prioritized the wrong things or had to rush projects before they were ready.

Legends of Runeterra and Riot Forge

We want to specifically address two areas where you'll see an immediate impact from today's changes: Legends of Runeterra and Riot Forge.

• As LoR continues its journey, we're making changes to move the game toward sustainability. We know there's a passionate community that absolutely loves this game, and we do too. Despite its critical achievements and the role it played in helping build the world of Runeterra, LoR has faced financial challenges since its launch, with the cost of development and support far greater than what it generates. In response, we are downsizing our team and renewing our focus on the Path of Champions. This shift allows the team to experiment more in the PvE space, focusing on the game mode where players spend the most time. The LoR team has more details hereWe have a video planned in the coming weeks to talk more about the future.

• We are wrapping up development on the new game within Riot Forge after the next release of Bundle's Tale: The Story of the League of Legends. Forge was an experiment to see what could happen when Rioters teamed up with their favorite indie developers and let them run wild in Runeterra with their unique perspectives, styles, and experiences. Across six titles covering different game genres, regions, and characters, it's been inspiring to see what these developers have created in partnership with the Forge team. We're proud of what we've done together to bring these stories to life, but it's time to refocus our efforts on the ambitious projects underway internally at Riot.

Next journey with you

Our strategy going forward is clear: we focus on what we do best and what resonates most with you. Every endeavor, from development to storytelling to competition, will be designed to deliver meaningful and memorable experiences with the games at the center.

While change can bring uncertainty, it also provides opportunities for growth and innovation. We are grateful for your continued support; Nothing Riot created would be possible without you. Your passion and engagement inspire us every day, and we are excited to continue this journey together.

Dylan and Mark