Riot to Allow Opt-Out of Arbitration Agreement, Eventually

After the backlash from all corners of the industry, a threatened employee walk-out protest, and months of internal turmoil, Riot Games has officially posted an update regarding recent sexual harassment lawsuits and their contractual forced arbitration. 

In a post released on the company’s blog this morning, Riot Games goes into details regarding internal listening, learning, and reacting to problems within their structure. 

“Over the last week, we discussed this topic with Rioters across the organization, including tonight at our bi-weekly all-company town hall. We’ve made a call that we will pivot our approach.” reads the post. 

Even though this sounds like the exact move Riot needs to make in order to earn favor back from their fans and their employees, it’s not. It’s a posturing move. It’s a pacifier. Literally, the next sentence states that this move will not take place until “the current litigation is resolved” which means those currently suing for sexual harassment will still be forced into private arbitration. 

Worse yet, Riot details what their arbitration means to them. In the post, they state a bunch of details that are apparently in their arbitration agreements. This is an attempt to make private arbitration seem like a good option for the plaintiff. Which it is not, in almost every case. 

“We are facing a complicated situation with no perfect solution, so arriving at a decision has not been easy.” reads the post, in an attempt to grasp some sympathy. Hopefully, this falls on the deaf ears it deserves. If Riot Games thinks that the solution to certain employees sexually harassing other employees is more complicated than firing them, they are making a mess out of an outrageously straight-forward problem. 

On a brighter note, Riot has officially supported an employee walk-out protest and doesn’t seem keen to punish those that partake in the protest on Monday. “We know that this resolution will not satisfy all Rioters. We understand and respect Rioters who choose to protest this decision on Monday, and admire their conviction and willingness to stand up for their beliefs.”

While this adjustment to their contract policies is a swell change for future and eventually current Rioters, it does absolutely nothing for those currently battling Riot legally against a mound of harassment claims filed last fall. 

We will continue to update on Twin Galaxies as more news regarding Riot Games litigation comes to light.