Riot Games Unveils Major Structural Changes to Enhance Player Experiences
Riot Games has announced significant updates to its internal structure, aimed at enhancing the connection between its gaming titles, esports, music, and publishing content.
This move includes the establishment of dedicated animation and live-action studios for future TV and film projects, underscoring Riot's commitment to delivering immersive, integrated experiences for players and fans.
After Naz Aletaha's recent exit as Global Head of LoL Esports, Riot's recent moves point towards continued restructuring.
Leadership Overhaul: A Seasoned Head Takes the Helm
John Needham, currently the President of Esports for Riot Games, will now lead a newly combined publishing and esports organization as President of Publishing & Esports. This combined group will include publishing, esports, international operations, platform technology, and music.
Needham's extensive background in gaming and esports, coupled with his leadership experience at Riot, positions him well to spearhead this new initiative.
“Having worked across teams at Riot, I’ve seen firsthand the power that authentic publishing and world-class esports can have in delivering exceptional player experiences. With both working together in a unified way, we’ll create moments and experiences we hope players remember forever.”
John Needham, President of Esports at Riot Games
Before his tenure at Riot, Needham held senior leadership roles at Microsoft, Gazillion Entertainment, Cryptic Studios, and Sony Online Entertainment. His experience spans across various sectors of the gaming industry, making him a key figure in Riot's strategy to unify its gaming and around-game content.
Creation of Dedicated Animation and Live-Action Studios
In addition to the structural changes, Riot Games has established two new studios to focus on TV and film development.
The animation studio will be led by Christian Linke, known for his role as co-creator and executive producer of the award-winning animated series "Arcane." Linke, who has been with Riot for 14 years, has been instrumental in producing music for League of Legends and overseeing various creative projects within the company.
Brian Wright, who joined Riot in 2021 after a successful stint at Netflix, will head the live-action studio. Wright was pivotal in launching popular series such as "Stranger Things," "The Umbrella Academy," and "Shadow and Bone." His experience in developing narrative-driven content will be crucial as Riot explores new live-action projects based on its existing game lore.
“John, Christian, and Brian are all incredible leaders and dedicated Rioters who care deeply about players. I have no doubt that, together with our game development teams, they will dream up even more memorable and defining moments players and Rioters can be proud of.” - Dylan Jadeja, CEO of Riot Games
What This Means for Players
These changes are designed to better integrate Riot's games with its esports, music, and publishing content, creating more altogether engaging experiences for players.
“For the past year, we’ve been working to re-orient our organization and structure to serve players in a more aligned way. We want every moment a player spends with us to be worth it – and that's best achieved when we authentically blend our games, esports, music and storytelling into really cohesive, immersive adventures for them. Today marks another step on that journey.” - Dylan Jadeja, CEO of Riot Games
Under Needham's leadership, Riot's esports and publishing teams will collaborate more closely, leading to new integrated experiences that combine esports, music, and creative publishing efforts. The ultimate goal of this unified approach is the creation of enduring moments that resonate deeply with players and fans
"This new role presents an incredible opportunity to bring together multiple passionate teams committed to making it better to be a player.” - John Needham, President of Esports at Riot Games
Commitment to Esports and Cinematic Excellence
Riot Games' restructuring demonstrates its commitment to esports and cinematic experiences. By bringing publishing and esports closer together under Needham's leadership, Riot aims to double down on its dedication to esports while ensuring that other around-game content is seamlessly integrated.
The creation of distinct animation and live-action studios will allow Riot to allocate dedicated resources and focus on delivering high-quality content that expands beyond the success of "Arcane."
As Riot continues to innovate and expand its content offerings, players can look forward to more immersive experiences that connect the worlds of gaming, esports, music, and film like never before.
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Image source: Riot Games
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