Summary
DeveloperRiot Gameshas named Hoby Darling as the new company president. Hoby Darling has previously worked at Logitech, Nike, and Skullcandy, andRiot Gamestrusts he will help make the company “the best place to make games.”
Riot Games has a strong portfolio of games, including massively popular titles likeLeague of LegendsandValorant. The studio has evolved significantly over the years, releasing many other titles likeHextech Mayhem,Convergence,The Mageseeker,Legends of Runeterra,Teamfight Tactics, andRuined King, while also expanding into the series industry withArcane, an animated show on Netflix that explores the iconicLoLcharacters and their origins. Although the company has been mostly successful, it has also faced some controversies, with some of them related to questionable changes made to its signature title,LoL. Nevertheless, the company continues to grow and has now announced an important change.
In a recentblog post, Riot Games announced that Hoby Darling is the new company president. Having already worked across sports, tech, and creative culture, leading important brands such as Logitech, Nike, and Skullcandy, Riot is confident that he will help the different teams across the company to “dream big, unlock creativity, and serve players around the world.” In the announcement, Hoby spoke about the first time he walked into Riot, saying he felt he needed to be part of the energy that the studio radiated. He admitted that, although he has worked at different companies, “there’s something special about a place that takes risks.”Riot has several games in development, and Hoby emphasized how excited he is to be part of the team.
Riot Says New President Will Help “Unlock Creativity”
Riot CEO Dylan Jadeja commented on Hoby’s career working with communities related to sports and gaming, assuring he knows “how to bring out the best in teams.” Moreover, the CEO pointed out how Hoby will challenge the teams and help them raise the bar — which could be a breath of fresh air for Riot after thecontroversies surroundingLeague of Legendsearlier this year.
Riot suffered a severe backlash after removing free Hextech Chests inLeague of Legends, with some players even calling for a boycott. The situation was later compounded by the further removal of capsules and orbs from the honor system, which Riot justified by citing issues with the long-term sustainability of the company, especially afterArcane’s success didn’t increaseLeague of Legends' revenue as expected — the company invested $250 million, but it didn’t really attract new people. Nevertheless, Riot has reassured its commitment to continue bringing new and fun experiences to players, and this change of leadership could bring potential good things for fans.
