Riot
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Documents about Riot
G2 Esports Invades North America for Valorant Challengers
G2 Esports, a Berlin-based organization, announced its expansion into the North American competitive landscape by establishing a men’s team for the 2023 Valorant Challengers league.
- G2 Esports is entering the North American market with a new men’s Valorant team to compete in the 2023 Valorant Challengers league.
- The roster for the new team includes coach Immi and players ShahZaM, Dapronal, Penny, Wippie, and Oxy.
- This expansion follows G2 Esports' failure to secure a franchise slot from Riot Games, a decision influenced by the controversy surrounding former CEO Carlos ‘Ocelote’ Rodríguez’s association with Andrew Tate.
Market Wire: November 21, 2022
The November 21, 2022, market update provides a synthesis of key industry developments, financial data, and emerging trends within the global video game sector.
- The global games market is projected to decline 4.3% to $184.4 billion in 2022, with the mobile sector accounting for the majority of this downturn.
- Despite the overall market contraction, mobile gaming is expected to retain a 50% market share, generating approximately $92.2 billion in revenue for the year.
- The mobile game 'Goddess of Victory: Nikki' achieved significant commercial success following its November 2, 2022 launch, generating roughly $57 million in cumulative net revenue and 5.5 million downloads by November 20.
Riot Games Names Sarah Schutz Head of Games Publishing
Riot Games has appointed Sarah Schutz as the new Head of Games Publishing.
- Riot Games has promoted Sarah Schutz to the position of Head of Games Publishing.
- Schutz has been with Riot Games since 2012, beginning her tenure as managing editor of online publications.
- Over her 10-year career at the company, Schutz has held multiple leadership roles, including communications manager, brand writing lead, senior brand manager, chief of staff, and senior director of product management.
Cloud Gaming, Post-mortem: The Afterlife of Defunct Cloud Services
This analysis examines the shifting landscape of the video game industry during a period of high inflation and market consolidation, focusing specifically on the transition of cloud gaming following the discontinuation of Google Stadia.
- Cloud gaming is shifting from consumer-facing platforms to a B2B model, where infrastructure providers offer white-label streaming services to telecom companies and major IP holders.
- The industry is moving away from centralized 'winner-takes-most' platforms toward a fragmented ecosystem of single-publisher services and specialized aggregators.
- Economic pressures, including a 10.9% inflation rate in Germany and rising debt-to-capital ratios for firms like Embracer Group, are forcing a strategic pivot in how cloud gaming is deployed.
League of Legends: Wild Rift Hits $750 Million in Revenue Globally
The provided text covers two distinct developments regarding Riot Games: the financial performance of its mobile title, League of Legends: Wild Rift, and a failed acquisition attempt involving Intrepid Studios.
- League of Legends: Wild Rift surpassed $750 million in global player spending on iOS and Android by September 2022.
- China is the primary revenue driver for Wild Rift, with local player spending increasing sevenfold following the game's regional launch.
- In the first half of 2022, Wild Rift ranked as the second highest-grossing MOBA game globally, positioned behind only Honor of Kings.
How Pride Was Celebrated on Mobile in 2022
The mobile gaming industry increasingly utilizes Pride Month as an opportunity to engage players through inclusive content, charitable initiatives, and corporate social responsibility.
- Mobile game developers are increasingly integrating Pride Month celebrations through a combination of in-game cosmetic events, character releases, and charitable donations.
- Zynga demonstrated a direct philanthropic approach by donating $50,000 to non-profit organizations supporting LGBTQIA+ issues during the 2022 Pride month.
- Wildlife Studios introduced 'Faye' as the first transgender character in Zooba: Zoo Battle Royale Games, donating 10% of the character's purchase proceeds to the Brazilian non-profit Casa Neon Cunha.
League of Legends: Wild Rift Tops $500 Million in Player Spending
The provided industry analysis examines two distinct segments of the mobile gaming market: the revenue performance of Riot Games’ mobile portfolio and the broader landscape of mobile game advertising monetization.
- League of Legends: Wild Rift has surpassed $500 million in cumulative player spending, driving Riot Games' total mobile portfolio revenue to $828 million over a 16-month period.
- China is the dominant market for Wild Rift, contributing 72.2% of its total revenue, followed by the United States and South Korea.
- Global mobile game advertising revenue exceeded $12 billion in 2025, as the share of games utilizing ad-based monetization rose from 45.1% in 2021 to 55.6% by May 2026.
Games Industry Raised Almost $200 Million for Ukraine
The global games industry has demonstrated significant financial support for humanitarian relief in Ukraine, with total contributions reaching approximately $195.3 million as of April 2022.
- The global games industry raised approximately $195.3 million for humanitarian aid in Ukraine following the February 2022 invasion.
- Epic Games and Microsoft accounted for 73% of the total industry contributions, raising $144 million through a two-week Fortnite fundraiser.
- Other significant industry contributors included Humble Bundle ($20.7 million), Necrosoft's itch.io bundle ($6.3 million), Riot Games ($5.4 million), and Embracer Group ($5 million).
Chinese Tech Giant NetEase to Reportedly Acquire 100% of Quantic Dream
This overview examines shifting investment strategies within the global gaming industry, specifically focusing on NetEase’s evolving relationship with its partner studios.
- In March 2022, reports surfaced that Chinese tech giant NetEase was in negotiations to acquire 100% of Quantic Dream, the developer of Detroit: Become Human.
- NetEase previously acquired a minority stake in Quantic Dream in 2019 to support the development and distribution of global online games.
- Quantic Dream had been seeking a buyer since its three-year partnership with Sony Interactive Entertainment concluded in 2018.
Top Gaming Advertisers to Watch in 2022
This analysis examines the digital advertising strategies of major gaming publishers during December 2021, a period characterized by significant new title releases and intense competition for player engagement.
- Riot Games led the gaming industry in digital advertising spend during December 2021, investing $22.1 million to generate 1.3 billion impressions.
- Electronic Arts followed as the second-largest advertiser with $13.7 million in spend, while Aristocrat Technologies Australia ($10.8M), miHoYo ($10.2M), and Nintendo ($9.8M) rounded out the top five.
- Riot Games and Aristocrat Technologies both concentrated 96% of their advertising on YouTube, relying heavily on video-based content and influencer-driven strategies.
Bungie, Obsidian, Riot, and Xbox Devs Reveal Their Annual Pay
The gaming industry has seen a surge in pay transparency initiatives, driven primarily by developers in the United States and Canada utilizing the social media hashtag #GameDevPaidMe.
- The #GameDevPaidMe social media movement has gained traction as a tool for industry pay transparency, with developers across North America publicly disclosing their compensation packages.
- Senior-level roles in software engineering and design command high salaries, such as a $213k annual salary for an Obsidian design director and $155k plus a 15% bonus for a senior software engineer at Demonware.
- Compensation for quality assurance (QA) roles varies significantly, ranging from $20k for a tester at Playground to $105k for a quality engineer at Xbox as of 2021.
Start Rolling for Initiative: Sobering Market Signals Trigger Video Game Industry Reality Check
The video game industry is currently undergoing a significant "reality check" as pandemic-era hypergrowth transitions into a period of market contraction.
- The video game industry is experiencing a global market contraction, with Newzoo revising its 2022 forecast from growth to a 4.3 percent decline and U.S. consumer spending falling 5 percent in 22Q3.
- The Chinese gaming market has recorded its first revenue drop in two decades, signaling a significant cooling in a previously high-growth region.
- Aggressive consolidation strategies are under pressure; The Embracer Group recently cut earnings forecasts and saw a 20 percent share price decline following a period of rapid, multi-billion dollar acquisitions.