UPDATE 4.30PM In a fresh blog post on last week’s walkout, Riot has detailed two new measures it has put in place since.
First, there will be a new Diversity and Inclusion Rioters Council led by “engaged, thoughtful Rioters” to encourage discussions and highlight ways the company can improve. Second, Riot has invited “a diverse group” of staff to review the company’s Code of Conduct.
The blog describes the walkout as “an important moment in our company’s transformation”.
Since this blog was put live, walkout organiser Jocelyn Monahan has told Kotaku that staff will now take further action. “We’re disappointed leadership doesn’t seem to be considering any major changes to their active policy,” Monaghan said. “That said, we’re blown away by the passion, solidarity, and vulnerability that workers who support the walkout are showing.”
ORIGINAL STORY 3.45PM League of Legends maker Riot Games will continue to insist on forced arbitration in its currently-ongoing gender discrimination lawsuits, despite a dramatic protest at its LA studio last week.
More than 150 staff walked out of work at Riot’s Los Angeles campus on Tuesday 7th May to protest the company’s handling of ongoing staff lawsuits and a studio “bro” culture labelled as systemically sexist by Kotaku’s recent investigation.
“Ultimately, given the complexities of ongoing litigation, we will not change our employee argeements while in active litigation,” a Riot Games spokesperson told Bloomberg today. “We know not everyone agrees with this decision, but we also know everyone does want Riot to continue to improve.”