Are you a gaming enthusiast who’s always up-to-date with the latest news and trends in the industry? If so, you may have heard rumors that Riot Games, the creators of League of Legends and Valorant, is owned by Electronic Arts (EA). But is this true? In this article, we will take a closer look at the ownership structure of Riot Games and explore the implications for gamers.
Let’s start with some background information. Riot Games was founded in 2009 by Brandon Beck, John Needham, and Marc Merrill. The company quickly gained popularity with its flagship game, League of Legends, which is now one of the most played online games in the world. In addition to League of Legends, Riot Games has also created other successful games such as Valorant and Teamfight Tactics.
Despite their success, there have been rumors for years that Riot Games is owned by EA. These rumors gained momentum in 2019 when it was reported that EA had acquired a majority stake in Riot Games. However, this was quickly denied by both companies. In an interview with Polygon, Riot Games CEO Nicolo Laulaucci stated, "We are independent and self-funded. We have no investors."
So, if Riot Games is not owned by EA, then who owns it? The answer is a bit more complex. While Riot Games is technically an independent company, it is part of the same parent company as Tencent, the Chinese conglomerate that also owns other gaming companies such as Fortnite developer Epic Games.
The ownership structure of Riot Games can be a bit confusing to understand, but it ultimately boils down to this: while Riot Games operates independently, it is still part of a larger corporate entity that is owned by Tencent. This means that while Riot Games may have some autonomy in terms of how it operates and what games it creates, it is ultimately subject to the interests and priorities of its parent company.
As gamers, this can have both positive and negative implications. On the one hand, Riot Games being owned by Tencent means that they have access to a vast amount of resources and expertise that could potentially lead to even more successful games in the future. On the other hand, it also means that Riot Games may be subject to political and economic pressures from its parent company that could affect their decision-making process.
In conclusion, while there have been rumors that Riot Games is owned by EA, this is not entirely accurate. While Riot Games operates independently, it is still part of a larger corporate entity that is owned by Tencent. As gamers, it’s important to be aware of this ownership structure and how it may affect the future of Riot Games and their games.
