What will Valorant and League of Legends look like after this change in management?
Riot Games has just announced a new president, but fans are skeptical about his qualifications...
New Leadership
Riot Games, the powerhouse behind global esports hits like League of Legends and Valorant, has appointed Hoby Darling as its new President, succeeding Dylan Jadeja. While Darling brings a wealth of corporate experience, the announcement has been met with skepticism from a vocal segment of the gaming community.
Meanwhile, Darling himself expressed enthusiasm for his new role, citing the company’s culture as a major draw. In a press release, he was cited stating:
The first time I walked into Riot, I felt a scrappy, soulful, and courageous energy I knew I needed to be a part of. I’ve worked with a lot of companies, and there’s something special about a place that takes risks, challenges convention, and stays fiercely committed to its mission. Riot has a long history of creating experiences that truly matter to players, and I couldn’t be more excited to work alongside passionate Rioters who push each other to do their best work every day.
Fans Are Critical
Despite Darling's motivation, reactions on social media, particularly within the League of Legends subreddit, have ranged from cautious optimism to outright criticism. But why?
Fans quickly scrutinized Darling’s resume, which includes stints at major brands like Logitech, Skullcandy, Nike, and Volcom. He began his career as a personal trainer before moving into law and later ascending through the corporate ranks.
To some longtime Riot followers, that path feels out of step with the creative and community-driven ethos they associate with the studio. They are worried that the studio will be strongly commercialized and lack passion under this new leader.
Here's what Reddit users had to say:
A guy from Nike, Skullcandy, and Logitech doesn't read to me as the less "corporate business guy" shift that we needed to avoid the short term profit driven issues we've been running into in the last year or two 💀 - u/Eragonnogare
He's a crossfit bro who worked for successful companies, but attributing their success to him is specious at best. He will be a CEO for the rest of his days, making millions no matter what he does. - u/youarecutexd
Guys. Dylan is still, and will still be the CEO— He just isn't the CEO AND the president of the company anymore.Don't confuse political and business language either, president is not typically a higher position than CEO, president is usually directly below CEO in the corporate ladder. - u/FrizkyBizness
While some people have pointed out that Darling doesn't even fully replace Jadeja, most gamers seem pretty critical of him. Still, maybe the community should at least give him a chance after he already said that he'd be willing to take risks. And it's not like this studio wasn't commerce-oriented before this change...
What do you think about this new president? Are you confident in Riot Games' future?