Pros: The people who work here are incredibly passionate about video games. Many employees eat, sleep, and breathe League of Legends or other PC games, and the "player perspective" that Riot has as a result of this truly allows us to connect with our players (customers) on the deepest level. An incredibly open, laid-back culture. Things aren't sugar-coated, and you have to have thick skin to work here, but what this means is that if you're doing something that isn't working or is at odds with the culture, you're able to course-correct quickly. "Gamer" humor is injected into most company-wide communications, which helps add to our mantra of "not taking ourselves too seriously." Cross-disciplinary teams are the norm at Riot, and this is one of the most remarkable things about working here. As QA, I have direct access to Design, Engineering, Art, and UX, and can talk to any of them with ease on a daily basis. It prevents scenarios where things are worked on in a vacuum and "tossed over" the wall for QA to check. We're redefining what it means to have test-driven development, and the result on the holistic product quality shows. There's no shortage of work to be done, and if you're a go-getter, you can rise quickly at Riot if you're delivering results and solving perceived problems in ways that add player value. I've been here for quite some time now and have seen people get hired in at very junior-level positions rise to management and product owner roles by identifying problems and working their butts off to solve them.

Cons: As with any company, dominant personalities tend to control most of the decisions that get made at Riot. Once people have established you as someone "junior" on your team, it's difficult to reverse that perception in a way that allows for increased career opportunities. A mantra of many successful companies is to "hire well, fire quickly." Riot has the first part down, but is slow to fire unproductive/unmotivated employees, especially since many Rioters tend to be friends with each other to some degree on their respective teams. It often comes down to 2-3 superstars carrying the load for the team while others are content to do the bare minimum and skate by.

Pros: Lots of exposure to amazing opportunities and fast-paced growth. Allows employees to do what they're good at and passionate about. The very fast pace allows for rapid feedback. A fantastic product line where feedback is extremely important and dictates the direction of new ideas and workflows. Very good about recognizing those who excel and contribute meaningfully.

Cons: Increases in responsibility aren't necessarily concurrent with additional pay. Some cultural issues regarding secrecy. Potential problems with scale due to explosive growth of employee base.

Pros: This is the best job I have ever had by a long shot. I love working with such passionate, intelligent, and fun people! The work is challenging and interesting, and the sky is the limit in terms of personal and company growth. There is a growth path for everyone in the company that works hard. Rioters have the choice to contribute as an individual or grow into a leadership role; it’s up to each person – even the hiring and recruiting process is open for involvement. I was brought in as an engineer and now have been able to build and lead a team! The perks are great too. We do a lot of fun activities (e.g., movies, baseball games, weekend getaways, paintball, etc.). There is a great coffee machine and a kegerator at the St. Louis office :-D, and travel perks include traveling to other Riot offices across the globe. Overall, a great place to work!

Cons: Honestly, not many cons come to mind. As with many companies that have experienced the amount of growth that Riot has in such a short time, we have growing pains, such as the accumulation of tech debt. The tech debt is understood and being addressed.