Riot Games CEO Accused Of Sexual Harassment By Former Assistant

Riot Games is once again in the middle of another lawsuit as Sharon O’Donnell, a former employee, sues CEO Nico Laurent for sexual harassment. O’Donnell worked as Laurent’s executive assistant until she was fired in July 2020 for undisclosed reasons.

VICE Games obtained a copy of the lawsuit that claimed that O’Donnell was repeatedly harassed by Laurent shortly after she was hired until the end of her employment. Instances of harassment included comments on O’Donnell’s physical appearance, telling her to be “more feminine”, and telling female employees to have children to handle COVID-related stress.

O’Donnell also alleged that the Laurent would put his arm around her and ask her to travel with him, tell her that “he really was a size extra-large but that he just liked a ‘tight fit.’” He would also ask her if she “could handle him when they were alone at his house,” and tell her that “she could ‘cum’ over to his house while his wife was away.”

The lawsuit also claims that O’Donnell was punished at work when she refused Lauren’t advances and was eventually fired. O’Donnell also claims that she wasn’t paid for the hours she worked and was not given meal breaks.

A spokesperson from Riot Games said that they were investigating the allegations and that Laurent continues to carry out his responsibilities in the company for the time being.

“In this case, because some of the claims relate to an executive leader, a special committee of our Board of Directors is overseeing the investigation, which is being conducted by an outside law firm,” the spokesperson told VICE. “Our CEO has pledged his full cooperation and support during this process, and we're committed to ensuring that all claims are thoroughly explored and appropriately resolved.”

The spokesperson proceeded to address O’Donnell’s claims of wrongful termination saying that, “The plaintiff was dismissed from the company over seven months ago based on multiple well-documented complaints from a variety of people. Any suggestion otherwise is simply false.”

O’Donnell’s lawsuit isn’t the only lawsuit filed against Riot Games for sexual harassment. In November 2018, a class-action suit was filed against the Los Angeles-based studio over alleged gender discrimination and sexual harassment within its offices. Kotaku’s exposé about the prevalent “bro-culture” within the studio acted as a catalyst for the said lawsuit which is now in individual arbitration.

Following the 2018 lawsuit, the Riot Games management took steps to prevent gender discrimination and harassment headed by Laurent himself.

“With this agreement, we are honoring our commitment to find the best and most expedient way for all Rioters, and Riot, to move forward and heal,” Laurent wrote in a statement on the studio’s official site. “Over the past year, we’ve made substantial progress toward evolving our culture and will continue to pursue this work as we strive to be the most inclusive company in gaming.”

Laurent would later write an editorial offering advice and giving CEO’s, and the gaming industry in general, some perspective on what it’s like to be at the helm of a studio in the midst of a very public scandal. Here’s an excerpt of the editorial from GamesIndustry.biz:

“Over the last month, we've seen an outpouring of allegations in the games industry, ranging from discrimination and harassment to outright sexual assault. These are ultimately stories about how our industry has betrayed so many -- mostly (but not entirely) women, people of color, and members of the LGBTQIA+ community -- for whom gaming was a dream job.”

“These stories, and all the ones that have come before them, show just how desperately our industry needs to change,” wrote Laurent. “We at Riot do not claim to be immune, but we have taken a stand that it is not okay, it must be faced head on. We have been working hard to change in our internal culture what clearly needs to be fixed more broadly in the industry. I encourage all leaders in gaming and beyond to hear these stories and take action accordingly, as we cannot continue letting down our community.”