Tencent's Riot Games settles gender discrimination suit for US$100m

[TOKYO] Riot Games, a Tencent Holdings subsidiary, settled a 2018 gender discrimination class-action suit by agreeing to pay US$100 million in compensation and legal fees.

The settlement agreement announced Monday (Dec 27) stipulates that Riot will pay US$80 million to all current and former employees and contractors who identify as women and worked for Riot at any time since Nov 2014.

The payment will be distributed via a fund, pending court approval. A further US$20 million will cover attorneys' fees and miscellaneous expenses, and Riot has agreed to have its pay processes overseen by a third party for a period of 3 years, the company said in a statement.

"This is a great day for the women of Riot Games - and for women at all video game and tech companies - who deserve a workplace that is free of harassment and discrimination," said Genie Harrison, whose law firm represented the plaintiffs. "We appreciate Riot's introspection and work since 2018 toward becoming a more diverse and inclusive company, its willingness to take responsibility for its past, and its commitment to continued fairness and equality in the future."

The video games industry has been going through a period of reckoning around sexism, both in the content of the entertainment it produces and in the workplace.

The California Department of Fair Employment and Housing, which took part in the suit against Riot Games, has been at the forefront of this push.

It also sued Activision Blizzard over its "frat boy" culture this summer, leading to a settlement that produced a US$18 million fund for alleged victims of discrimination or harassment at the company.

BLOOMBERG