Riot Games has recently disclosed plans to lay off a segment of developers from the League of Legends PC team, despite assurances of a future expansion for the team. The announcement, made by Riot Games co-founder Marc Merrill on X (formerly Twitter), emphasized that these layoffs are not financially motivated. Instead, the company aims to optimize its workforce, focusing on bringing in “the right expertise.”
Balancing Team Size and Efficiency
In his post titled “An Update on How We’re Evolving League,” Merrill clarified that the decision to reduce headcount isn’t about cost-cutting measures. “While team effectiveness is more important than team size, the League team will eventually be even larger than it is today as we develop the next phase of League,” he stated. Merrill emphasized that the goal is to ensure the team has the necessary skills and capabilities to support the game’s long-term development.
Addressing the developers impacted by the layoffs, Merrill assured that Riot Games would provide comprehensive support. The severance package includes a minimum of six months’ salary, health coverage, an annual bonus, and job placement assistance. “For Rioters who are laid off, we’re supporting them with a robust package and helping them transition,” Merrill added.
Riot Games Focuses on Smarter, Healthier Development
In a follow-up post, Merrill elaborated on the company’s perspective, noting that increasing team size alone does not guarantee success. “If we’re solving the wrong problems, more resources won’t fix it. It’s about building smarter and healthier, not just bigger,” he wrote, stressing that strategic development is key to League of Legends’ continued success.
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Further Details on the Layoffs
According to a company spokesperson, 27 employees from the League of Legends development team and an additional five from the publishing team were affected. The spokesperson mentioned that affected employees could use Riot’s internal job board to apply for other roles within the company.
Layoffs Coincide With League’s 15th Anniversary
These workforce changes come during the 15th anniversary of League of Legends, which Merrill briefly referenced in his statement. He expressed the company’s commitment to ensuring the League remains successful for “another 15 years and beyond.” However, this is not the first time Riot has had to make such decisions. Nine months ago, the company laid off 530 employees, amounting to around 11% of its workforce.
