Valorant firm Riot Games has laid off 27 members of staff from its League of Legends team.
In a post on Twitter, the studio’s co-founder Marc Merrill said that it was making these cuts to ensure the long-term success of its smash hit MOBA. Riot confirmed to GI.biz that 27 workers were losing their positions on the League team, while another five staff have been laid off on its publishing team.
“As part of these changes, we’ve made the tough decision to eliminate some roles,” Merrill wrote.
“This isn’t about reducing headcount to save money—it’s about making sure we have the right expertise so that League continues to be great for another 15 years and beyond. While team effectiveness is more important than team size, the League team will eventually be even larger than it is today as we develop the next phase of League. For Rioters who are laid off, we’re supporting them with a severance package that includes a minimum of six months’ pay, annual bonus, job placement assistance, health coverage, and more.”
This comes after the company cut 530 staff back at the start of 2024.