FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - NOVEMBER 6, 2018
BEVERLY HILLS, CA – Rosen Saba, LLP, a litigation law firm in Beverly Hills, has filed a class
action lawsuit against the video game company, Riot Games, Inc. in Los Angeles County Superior
Court. The company makes the popular game called League of Legends and employs over 2,500
individuals.
The lawsuit is brought by current and former employees, individually and on behalf of a class of
current and former female employees for violations of the California Equal Pay Act and for
discrimination, retaliation and harassment because of their sex/gender.
During their tenure, the plaintiffs and other female employees were subjected to a sexually-charged
workplace, and have seen their careers plateau as a result of being women in a “men-first”
workplace. Some of the many instances of misconduct that comprise Riot Games’ “bro culture”
include an e-mail chain discussing what it would be like to “penetrate” female employees; a “hot
girl” list circulated by some of its male leaders ranking the attractiveness of female employees;
and crude jokes and behavior such as crotch-grabbing, phantom humping, and sending unsolicited
and unwelcome pictures of male genitalia.
Rosen Saba, LLP Partner Ryan D. Saba said: “These women were denied equal pay and
opportunities and were discouraged from speaking out by threats of termination. This lawsuit
allows them the opportunity to have their voices heard. We hope more women have the courage
to step forward and speak out against Riot Games. The days of sexually charged, men-first,
fraternity-type work environments are over.”
The news of this lawsuit should come as no surprise to Riot Games. Recently, the gaming website
Kotatku and The Los Angeles Times both published in-depth reports documenting the difficulties
female employees have experienced in obtaining equal pay and promotions within the
company. The articles also document the sexual harassment and misconduct endured by women
in the workplace and the refusal for the company’s leadership to take corrective action to prevent
such bad behavior.
“Riot Games has created and maintained a culture that treats women as less capable than men in
the workplace,” said Attorney Tyler C. Vanderpool of Rosen Saba, LLP. “Riot Games
intentionally pays women less money than men and has created a working environment that
condones and encourages sexual harassment. Indeed, the company has used the phrase: ‘no
doesn’t necessarily mean no’.”
The plaintiffs are seeking monetary damages for equal pay, emotional distress, and punitive
damages from Riot Games to rectify the misconduct by the company in its failure to properly
address the unequal pay, discrimination, retaliation, and harassment.
Contact:
Rosen Saba, LLP - (310) 285-1727
Ryan D. Saba - rsaba@rosensaba.com; Tyler C. Vanderpool - tvanderpool@rosensaba.com