Video game publisher Riot Games has announced that it will pay $ 100 million “to end sex discrimination lawsuits.” The announcement was made via a statement from the California company.
This Monday, December 27, Rio Games, publisher of the League of Legends game in particular, affirmed that 100 million dollars (approximately 88 million euros) will be paid to put an end to the charges dating from 2018.
Indeed, a complaint was filed by two former employees who claimed to be victims of discrimination and sexual harassment within the company.
Riot Games agrees to pay $ 100 mln to settle gender discrimination lawsuit https://t.co/LULNQmD7uM pic.twitter.com/yInV3fT65L
– Reuters (@Reuters) December 28, 2021
First, $ 80 million will be paid to members who have initiated a class action lawsuit, also initiated in 2018. Among them, a hundred employees, former and current, of Riot Games.
The remaining 20 million will be dedicated to legal costs related to the complaint filed in 2018. For the moment, no agreement has been reached between the two parties but a hearing, scheduled in a few months, should make it possible to put an end to the case.
At the start of 2021, a former employee sued the publisher as well as her French boss, Nicolo Laurent. He was accused of sexual harassment and sexist remarks. However, an independent review in March concluded that there was no evidence to support the charges.
Steps to avoid making the same mistakes
The video game publisher will have its internal reports and pay equity processes monitored by an outside company for three years.
“At the heart of what has become a challenge,” Riot Games said they wanted to “correct things and build a better Riot”. “Although we are proud of the progress made since 2018, we must also take responsibility for the past,” they added.
