ABOVE:Leagueof
Legendsremainsan
esportsfavourite.
LEFT:Riotstill
prefersnewhiresto
becoreLoLplayers.
discriminationandtoelicitrealchange.Someparticipants
ofthewalkoutexpressedtheirwishtoshowsolidarity
withtheplaintiffs.Otherswishedtovoicetheir
dissatisfactionatthecurrentstateofaffairs,asseveral
executivesmentionedfortheirquestionablebehaviourin
theinitialreportstillremainatRiot.
A BALANCEDRIOT
FollowingtheannouncementofthewalkoutinlateApril,
Riotoutlinedsomeupcoming30, 60 and90-dayplansto
updatetheircodeofconductina blogpostentitled“Our
CommitmentsonArbitrationandNextStepsfor
[Diversity&Inclusion]”.Theblogpoststatesthatafter
currentlitigationis resolved,newhireswillhavethe
opportunitytooptoutofmandatoryarbitrationfor
individualsexualassaultandsexualharassmentclaims.In
thiscaseforcedarbitrationwouldstillapplytoclaimsfor
otherformsofharassment,discrimination,retaliationand
wagesdue,allofwhichareexplicitlylistedinRiot
contractsaccordingtoKotaku.Withthenewmeasures
Riotplanstoacceleratediversityandinclusionefforts
suchasanti-harassmenttraining,previouslyannouncedin
February2019,anda payequityanalysis,amongothers.
Theorganisersofthewalkout,however,arecallingforthe
endofforcedarbitrationforallcurrentemployeesand
contractors,andhaveannouncedfurtheractionshould
Riot not commit to changing its stance on arbitration.
The Riot walkout is not the first of its kind in the
gaming industry but it is the first protest of this scaleto
address the company culture and gender disparity ata
studio. That Riot dropped the ball on its D&I measures
again doesn’t leave one particularly hopeful, but the
continued scrutiny on the company may yet turn thetide.
Malindy Hetfeld
Highs&Lows
HIGHS
Minecraft
Thankstoa hugecontentupdate,
Minecraftnowhasvillages,pandas,
manynewblocksandmore.
PlatinumGames
Hintedattwonewgames,describing
themassomethingthat’s“never
beendesignedbefore”.Ambitious!
Microsoft
Publishedcharminglyold-fashioned
examplesofacceptabletrashtalk,
including“getwrecked”.
RandyPitchford
TheGearboxCEOis havinga month
onTwitter,firstwitha kerfuffle over
microtransactionsinBorderlands 3,
followedbyassaultclaims.
EchoFox
FormerNBAproRickFoxis leaving
esportsorganisationEchoFox over
aninvestor’sracialslur.
TheSonicMovie
SinceSoniclooksaboutasbad as
expected,he’sgettinga redesign.
LOWS
We’reless than a month
awayfrom the ridiculous
spectacle of E3. This year’s
show will likely be dominated
by talk of the next console generation,
but PC fans still have lots to look forward
to, includingourownPC Gaming Show,
which will streamingon Twitch on June
10, 6pm BST. PS
ELECTRIC THREE
PCGS 2019
DOG DAYS
JOHNWICKHEX
Respawnissetto reveal Star
WarsJedi:Fallen Order
footage at EA’s E
conference. I, forever
thirsting for a current gen single player
Star Wars experience, am unabashedly
excited.It’sa)StarWars,a universeall
buttailor-madeforgamesandb)
Respawnhasyettoletmedown. MH
FORCEFUL ENTRANCE
FALLEN ORDER
Action movie series John
Wick is being turned into a
game. Called John Wick
Hex and developed by
Bithell Games, it’s a fast-paced
turn-based strategy game,
which feels like a perfect fit for
the dog-loving assassin’s brand of
choreographed, gun-based action. AK
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