Riot released a statement Wednesday detailing changes within the company to address the cultural issues outlined in a Kotaku article from Aug. 7, saying it will "leave no room for sexism or misogyny. Inclusivity, diversity, respect, and equality are all non-negotiable."
This includes the formation of a team to focus on revisiting and changing the company's culture from within.
"This group and their work will impact every corner of this organization, and will also accelerate our existing cultural and inclusion work. We are all committed to keeping the best parts of today's Riot-like our focus on player empathy-while tirelessly looking toward the future. The team will be accountable to our CEO directly," the statement read.
The statement also read that Riot are bringing on two cultural consultants for outside perspective and recommendations to help with any cultural shifts that will take place. In addition to cultural consultants, Riot also stated that the company would be bringing in an outside law firm for any new investigations within the company going forward, as well as an anonymous hotline. Training will be reevaluated and revisited as well.
"We're also investing in anti-bias training to encourage behaviors that foster a fair and inclusive work environment. In addition, we are investing in management training for all managers to build and support better teams. These trainings will be required for existing Rioters, with elements integrated into our Rioter onboarding program," the statement read.
In addition to these steps, Riot detailed further diversity and inclusion changes, including the hiring of a new Chief Human Resources Officer and a Chief Diversity Officer.
Following the original Kotaku piece, Riot Games corporate communications lead Joe Hixson released a statement to ESPN which read:
"This article shines a light on areas where we haven't lived up to our own values, which will not stand at Riot. We've taken action against many of the specific instances in the article, and we're committed to digging in, addressing every issue, and fixing the underlying causes. All Rioters must be accountable for creating an environment where everyone has an equal opportunity to be heard, grow their role, advance in the organization, and fulfill their potential."