Pros
- Some of the best individual contributors I've worked with - Benefits and LA campus (plus other offices) are very good - Those who represent Riot's values improve the culture Easily one of my favorite development periods in this industry.
Kontras
Development - Projects chase an analog and while the process can be successful, it can be painfully slow and lead to a lot of misalignment - Devs talk a lot about "just doing the job" since they are following the best/educated guesses of leadership - R&D is a huge gamble and results in lots of attrition (i.e. devs leave Riot/for other teams, projects cancelled) - New devs added to Riot who work on R&D are molded into Riot's specific way of development. This unfortunately can lead to missing out on learning from an external hire's experiences in non-Riot development. Politics - Project leadership can really vary. Depending on how long they've been at the Riot can determine if they are there to make games or protect their position. - PIPs can be used to control and force people out. This kills the spirit of development, teamwork, and culture, especially if/when leadership does not demonstrate Riot's values. Easily one of my most frustrating development periods in this industry too.