4 ms·

This is a bit more general... I worked there for a very short time as a consultant and I remember Barry. I remember being astonished at some of the things I sa

This is a bit more general... I worked there for a very short time as a consultant and I remember Barry. I remember being astonished at some of the things I saw and heard at that company and I am surprised it's not them getting the scrutiny and instead the larger tech companies. Working at Riot Games was like working in a frat house where you get paid, and I mean many of the bad parts of living in a frat house. Of the places I've worked, Riot had to have the lowest median age (early 20s), which probably contributes to the problem. The guys could be assholes, but I fear that some of the women, being young and this being their first job and an amazing opportunity, get disillusioned into thinking that this behavior is normal in industry and that is really sad. I am surprised not more have spoken out. Riot (and other gaming companies, not just Riot) has some of the bro-est culture out there and it's going to cost them in a lawsuit, just give it time.

shriver 8y ago
I think if you look at the incentives in that situation it's very understandable to not speak out. If you're a good employee working at Riot and you have a problem with the culture you have two options: Speak out or leave. If you speak out it can be incredibly damaging, you'll almost certainly destroy your career at riot because you'll be actively attacking people you work with. You stand a good chance of getting a reputation in the industry. The likelihood of changing the culture is microscopic - especially if you find out it's the CEO providing the lead in this behaviour. And if you succeed? Your career at Riot is still probably damaged, Riot's culture will be like any of the many other companies you could work at. During the time you're fighting for that change it's likely to be incredibly emotionally draining and you're bound to lose some friends. If you leave, you have literally none of those downsides, you've still got a good career and you can go off to one of the many other companies that are just as successful without those downsides. So to speak up you need to be incredibly principled AND you have to have some very deep stake in making THIS particular multinational corporation better. I think it makes perfect sense not to speak out for the vast majority of people.
- DataJunkie 8y ago
  Yes, but if you're not interested in continuing in gaming, you can speak out and then quit.
- rectang 8y ago
  > you have two options: Speak out or leave. While I think it's understandable when people don't speak out, I don't agree that those are the only two options. The small stuff Barry did is meaningful: "My personal preference was to respond with clarifying language while addressing them by their first name, and convey 'can we just get through the conversation we need to have' non-verbally with my facial expressions and gestures..." Not everyone has to be a leader like Barry, and not everyone feels the same degree of urgency about these issues. But to feel at peace with yourself, it's worth it to at least not actively participate and perhaps to push (however gently) in the right direction.

shriver 8y ago

I think if you look at the incentives in that situation it's very understandable to not speak out. If you're a good employee working at Riot and you have a problem with the culture you have two options: Speak out or leave. If you speak out it can be incredibly damaging, you'll almost certainly destroy your career at riot because you'll be actively attacking people you work with. You stand a good chance of getting a reputation in the industry. The likelihood of changing the culture is microscopic - especially if you find out it's the CEO providing the lead in this behaviour. And if you succeed? Your career at Riot is still probably damaged, Riot's culture will be like any of the many other companies you could work at. During the time you're fighting for that change it's likely to be incredibly emotionally draining and you're bound to lose some friends. If you leave, you have literally none of those downsides, you've still got a good career and you can go off to one of the many other companies that are just as successful without those downsides. So to speak up you need to be incredibly principled AND you have to have some very deep stake in making THIS particular multinational corporation better. I think it makes perfect sense not to speak out for the vast majority of people.

DataJunkie 8y ago
Yes, but if you're not interested in continuing in gaming, you can speak out and then quit.
rectang 8y ago
> you have two options: Speak out or leave. While I think it's understandable when people don't speak out, I don't agree that those are the only two options. The small stuff Barry did is meaningful: "My personal preference was to respond with clarifying language while addressing them by their first name, and convey 'can we just get through the conversation we need to have' non-verbally with my facial expressions and gestures..." Not everyone has to be a leader like Barry, and not everyone feels the same degree of urgency about these issues. But to feel at peace with yourself, it's worth it to at least not actively participate and perhaps to push (however gently) in the right direction.