Riot Games, the renowned creator behind the popular League of Legends, has embarked on an ambitious journey to unify its publishing and esports divisions. In a recent announcement on their official website, the company revealed that John Needham, currently serving as the president of esports, will lead this newly formed entity. The initiative aims to streamline operations across its professional gaming, music, and publishing sectors, enhancing the overall experience for players.
Strategic Organizational Changes
In a noteworthy restructuring, Riot’s television and film development division is being split into two distinct branches. Christian Linke will oversee the animation segment, while Brian Wright takes charge of live-action projects. This strategic division is designed to foster creativity and innovation in both realms, ensuring that the company continues to deliver engaging content to its audience.
Riot CEO Dylan Jadeja emphasized the importance of this reorganization, stating, “For the past year, we’ve been working to re-orient our organization and structure to serve players in a more aligned way. We want every moment a player spends with us to be worth it – and that’s best achieved when we authentically blend our games, esports, music, and storytelling into really cohesive, immersive adventures for them.”
Today marks a significant milestone in this ongoing transformation. Jadeja expressed confidence in the leadership of Needham, Linke, and Wright, highlighting their dedication to the player community. “I have no doubt that, together with our game development teams, they will dream up even more memorable and defining moments players and Rioters can be proud of,” he added.
Needham echoed this sentiment, stating, “This new role reflects Riot’s commitment to making it better to be a player. Having worked across teams at Riot, I’ve seen firsthand the power that authentic publishing and world-class esports can have in delivering exceptional player experiences. With both working together in a unified way, we hope to create moments and experiences that will be meaningful to players’ lives.”
