Pros
It’s easy to get excited about the work being done here, but beyond the work is the people. The highly selective hiring process means you’re surrounded by gamers and bright minds at all times. My introductory “class” of Rioters had backgrounds as diverse as NASA, Egyptology, and AAA gaming - and I’m privileged to work with every one of them. It may taste a little like Kool-Aid, but the culture is the real deal. Over two years here and I've yet to see a business decision be made that didn't have player value as the primary proposition. Even when revenue is brought up or international publishing concerns are highlighted, the conversation absolutely revolves around players and what’s best for the community. Our internal news forum has posts with hundreds of comments from impassioned Rioters, and the engagement is only growing by the day. Feedback is fantastic. If you are truly interested in leveling up your skills and seek out the means to do so, you’re met with an unlimited supply of mentors and opportunities - and not just from senior Rioters. Everyone has something to teach, and great feedback comes in 360 degrees. This also means that everyone has a voice in how Riot operates, and if you’re passionate about how to best bring player value, there’s always an avenue for you to speak about it.
Cons
Tons of cool work means that priorities can get screwy pretty quickly, and it’s unfortunately all too often that questions around the strategy and value of a particular project come up. With all the excellent talent, don’t plan on arguing your way to the results you want - you’ll be challenged on your views just as much as you challenge others. Ultimately, I still see this as a positive - but it’ll depend on your personality and how much that kind of debate exhausts you. Where Riot lags behind is pretty plain to see from the rest of reviews: compensation is inconsistent and stagnant, strong management and organization is missing, etc.. In spite of this, I strongly believe these are growing pains, and while that doesn’t excuse them, I don’t see Riot as fundamentally, irrevocably flawed (as more personal reviews seem to indicate). What most of the reviews here fail to capture, however, is that your experience will vary. Different parts of the company have matured at different rates; some are charging ahead and contributing to industry standards, while others are woefully behind and struggling to stay afloat. Different team dynamics lead to interpretations of culture that can sometimes feel opposed. There’s a lot of work to be done in bringing all parts of the company to parity, but there’s a zeal and a determination to do so.
