Los Angeles — Riot Games, the writer behind esports giant “League of Legends,” agreed Monday evening to pay $100 million to settle a class-action lawsuit alleging pay disparity, gender discrimination and sexual harassment.
The lawsuit was filed in November of 2018 after gaming web site Kotaku printed a narrative detailing a sexist tradition at Los Angeles-based Riot Games that included girls being handed over for promotions, undesirable sexual advances and males questioning girls in regards to the legitimacy of their online game fandom. Different former workers later got here ahead with comparable claims.
The California Division of Honest Employment stated the suit will treatment violations towards greater than 1,000 girls workers and 1,300 girls contract staff. Riot has additionally agreed to enhance situations and supply a extra equitable office for feminine workers and candidates.
“I am so glad we achieved this first step toward justice for the women of Riot Games,” former worker and plaintiff Jes Negron stated in an announcement. “I hope this case serves as an example for other studios and an inspiration for women in the industry at large. Women in gaming do not have to suffer inequity and harassment in silence – change is possible.”
“League of Legends” is the world’s hottest esport, and Riot Games operates its 12 skilled worldwide leagues. The writer stated in November that the participant base for video games within the “League of Legends” universe had surpassed 180 million gamers monthly.
The lawsuit filed in November of 2018 alleged equal pay violations, gender discrimination, sexual harassment and retaliation towards feminine workers. A settlement of $10 million was reached in December of 2019, however two California companies – the departments of Honest Employment and Housing and Labor Requirements Enforcement – opposed it primarily based on the idea it was rushed.
New counsel was employed, and simply over two years later, Monday’s settlement was introduced by Riot and the plaintiffs’ new legal professionals.
Riot has agreed to rent a third-party skilled to conduct an fairness evaluation of its employment practices, granted pay transparency, and created a $6 million money reserve to fund range, fairness and inclusion packages every of the subsequent three years, amongst different adjustments.
