software engineer

senior software engineer

producer

staff software engineer

senior r&d engineer

Riot Games

I learned how to build an API using Node.js; my project felt awesome, because even as an intern, my work was impactful and I knew that someday, my feature would ship to a live environment.

Management is an interesting beast. As a software engineer, there's a few people at play that you have to be cognizant of. Development manager, which deals with developer relations and how productive a team can work. Engineering managers, which are technically "the boss" of a specific team and/or function, and "product managers", who drive the priorities and the workflow of the products of teams in play. The problem here is that even if the dev and the product manager likes you, if the engineering manager has a reason not to, you're out. There's nothing you can do to change that.

Lesson learned? It doesn't matter who else you please, if your direct (engineering) manager doesn't like you, you're boned - good luck ever working there again.

Co-workers were awesome - most of them were pretty young, but the odd time you'll encounter a "dinosaur" - someone who's been around for a few years and knows the tech stack like it's their own child (probably because they built it, heh!). The open office environment really lends itself to a greater sphere of influence and learning, since anyone around you can give you good feedback, and give you the tools you need to succeed. 

The hardest part of the job was really focusing on specific priorities - sometimes, a lot of work can come up, and you need to understand where to draw the line, and how exactly to ensure that you stay on top of your work obligations whilst not going insane in the process.

The most enjoyable part of my day, though, was taking a break at random times during the day to play a game of League of Legends. Being a part of a gamer culture is definitely what makes Riot such a great company to be a part of.

Riot Games is second to none. Benefits and work environment are the best in the industry, but like everywhere else in game development, monetary compensation lags severely behind the enterprise software development companies. Perks like unlimited PTO, company-wide vacations and a semi-annual hack-a-thon make Riot an amazing place to work, but with meteoric growth comes problems of astronomical scale.
Riot was built by entrepreneurs, and still clings to that "we're a startup company, playing loose and cowboy with the rules in order to get the product out the door" which worked in 2009 when Riot had startup numbers of employees, and players still thought that League of Legends was just another Warcraft3 mod. Now, with over 1200 employees worldwide, that procedureless, startup mentality is starting to bite Riot. Cadenced deployment, something that enterprise software and many other game companies perform without a hitch as a basic process of development, is still a rather frenetic and error-fraught process, as developers, artists and designers check content directly into the production pipeline at the eleventh hour, causing the teams responsible for deploying the latest patch worldwide no end of headache, and the appearance of reinventing the wheel every two weeks.
That being said, the individual Rioters are nothing short of extraordinary. While people make mistakes all the time, there are very few who respond to problems with "that's not MY job to fix" and walk away. Sure anyone capable of checking in assets to source control should know how to do that properly, but when an artist dumps new work to the beta environment on accident, they're usually the first ones to step up to help fix the issue.

I loved coming to work and every challenging project that was given to the team. I learned a spectrum of skills from creating PO's for finance, creating guidebooks, workplace safety and guidelines, security, IT, Leadership skills, construction, and so much more. Management for my department specifically has never had a "safe" environment and felt like a shark tank. The team members pulled together to exceed expectations of the services we provided and we managed to achieve successful operations without the guidance of Leadership or Direct Managers. The hardest part about the job is that any problem or challenge can arise with no moments notice and may involve time sensitivity or impacting situations. The most enjoyable part of the job was being able to create relationships throughout Riot in turn teaching and learning new things everyday.

Riot Games stands out as an exemplary workplace, offering an environment that fosters creativity, collaboration, and innovation. Renowned for developing popular games such as League of Legends, Riot Games places a premium on employee satisfaction, evident in its progressive company culture. The emphasis on work-life balance and flexible schedules allows employees to thrive both personally and professionally. Riot Games also takes pride in its commitment to diversity and inclusion, striving to create a workplace that reflects the diversity of its global player base. The company's dedication to employee well-being extends beyond traditional benefits, with initiatives such as wellness programs and professional development opportunities. Riot Games' success is not only measured by its gaming achievements but also by its reputation as a fantastic employer, making it an ideal destination for those seeking a dynamic and supportive work environment.

Overall, my experience at the company was positive, and I had some exciting opportunities, particularly in the early years of my seven-year tenure. However, one of the company's most significant challenges is the presence of long-standing management members who have been promoted into roles without the necessary expertise. Many of the managers I worked with lacked the experience required for their positions, which made career growth and skill development frustratingly difficult.

Advancement within the company often depended more on personal relationships and internal politics rather than talent and merit. The culture prioritized how well an individual 'fit in' over their actual contributions and abilities. While the company itself has potential, leadership has consistently been a point of concern—ranging from ineffective to, in some cases, exhibiting behaviors that could be perceived as exclusionary, biased, or unprofessional.

I honestly loved the advertised culture, but Riot has changed a lot in the past couple years. There is very little room to advance, and in general, the company doesn't seem to have a solid vision or strategy for where it wants to be in the next year or two. I feel that many of the leaders don't know how to enact policy or really help the organization evolve positively. I mentioned that Riot has changed a lot, but it hasn't been due to the leaders making the engineering organization better; it feels more like a slow erosion, where they try to maintain a status quo and often stifle any rumblings of change.

The Facilities department has some Job Security/Advancement issues, however the workplace culture throughout the company is phenomenal. Facilities in particular does have a rather poor work/life balance, however it also tends to be extremely satisfying within that team as they have an extremely amazing camaraderie. Benefits are extremely competitive, compensation could use some work. Management is growing and adapting constantly. But ultimately this place is heaven on earth for any gamer looking for a place to have a career.

Good pay, benefits and you work with very talented and skilled peers as an artist. By far one of the best companies to work in the game industry in terms of tangible rewards, creative fulfillment varies on the position and team.

Cons are kind of difficult to articulate simply. Culture sometimes feels cult-like, feedback often obscured or softened in confusing ways, every team is sort of doing their own thing and therefore clashes and confusion happens. Sometimes it feels like a lot of planes flying in an airspace with no ATC controller preventing collision. Sometimes leadership makes bizarre arbitrary decisions that impact down the chain in really painful ways.

I was a remote contract Recruiter/Sourcing Specialist. I loved my manager, my team, the culture felt genuine and work was fun!  I came in at the tail end of the pandemic/work from home era.  It was announced that all permanent employees would have to work onsite in 2023.  There went my opportunity to continue working for Riot because California law only allows companies to contract someone for 1 year.  Then you must hire them or they will have to wait 6 months to begin a new contract.  Definitely disappointed. 

Riot Games tries to create a laid back business culture, where colleagues can build trust and speak frankly with one another. With people acting like friends and playing games every day, it can be easy to forget that you're at work. 

Never forget that you are at work. There are supposed to be metrics and improvement plans to help employees meet and exceed expectations, but not all teams have that in place. If there's a perception that you're not delivering enough widgets, prepare for unceremonious termination.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Software engineer 15 salaries reported	$175,363 per year
Senior software engineer 30 salaries reported	$194,908 per year
Producer 16 salaries reported	$179,381 per year
Staff software engineer 40 salaries reported	$234,278 per year
Senior r&d engineer 25 salaries reported	$207,018 per year

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