Riot Games senior executive resigns after critical George Floyd post

By Brandon McIntyre June 12, 2020

Ron Johnson, global head of consumer products for Riot Games, resigned from his position following an investigation resulting from a tone-deaf post about George Floyd’s death.

In a Facebook post that many said minimized the tragic killing of Floyd by a Minnesota police officer who has since been fired, Johnson condemns the use of force, but includes an image of Floyd that features text questioning Floyd’s character. The post swiftly spurred an investigation.

Recommended Videos

“Ron Johnson is no longer employed at Riot Games,” a spokesperson from Riot Games confirmed to Digital Trends. The developer says that the social media post runs counter to the anti-racist and inclusive values it holds. The spokesperson added that “systemic racism requires immediate societal change, something that we’re committed to working toward.”

“As we shared last week, Riot is taking thoughtful and deliberate action to help combat racism and injustice in the communities where we work and live,” the spokesperson said. “To start, we’re committing $1 million to areas where we know we can make an impact, including justice reform, long-term solutions to address racial bias, and support for local Black-owned businesses.”

Riot Games said it will also invest “$10 million in founders underrepresented in the games industry and [to help] create a future pipeline of underrepresented talent for the gaming and tech world.”

In an internal email obtained by ESPN, Nicolo Laurent, CEO of Riot Games, commented that while everyone is entitled to their personal views, “Ron exercised really poor judgment here. It resulted in a post that was harmful to many of us and our broader community.”

“It was insensitive and, in this moment, it undermines the commitment we’ve made to stand against all acts of injustice, racism, prejudice, and hate. It also hinders our ability to create an inclusive environment for our entire community: Rioters, players, and partners alike.”

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Brandon McIntyre

Gaming

I want more approachable Soulslikes. These new games show that it’s possible

One of my favorite copypastas on the internet comes from someone complaining about a player using mods to make a FromSoftware game easier. "You cheated not only the game, but yourself," it reads. "You didn't grow. You didn't improve. You took a shortcut and gained nothing. You experienced a hollow victory. Nothing was risked and nothing was gained. It's sad that you don't know the difference."

The infamous post was made in response to a PC Gamer article about mods that made Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice more approachable for the writer. It's funny to see someone get that angry over another's personal experience with a game they own, but it also addresses a question that's loomed over the gaming community ever since Dark Souls took the world by storm: Should FromSoftware's games and the Soulslikes inspired by them have options to make them more accessible?

Gaming

Hades 2 shows the Steam Deck’s biggest advantage over the Nintendo Switch

It's always an exciting week when the sequel to one of the greatest games of all time surprise releases on a Monday. That's what happened on May 6 when Hades 2 surprise launched into early access. Players are already diving into the surprisingly robust roguelike, testing their might in its new biomes. I've been enjoying it myself from the comfort of my couch -- and not on my Nintendo Switch, where I played the first Hades. Instead, I'm curled up with my Steam Deck.

The PC-only launch means that Hades 2 is a Steam Deck "exclusive" for the time being (or at least exclusive to portable PCs like it and the Asus ROG Ally). It'll likely come to Nintendo's system -- or its predecessor -- once it hits 1.0, but developer Supergiant doesn't expect its game to leave early access until at least the end of 2024. Until then, you'll need a device like the Steam Deck to play it on the go. That's a reminder that Valve has beaten the Switch at its own game, and Nintendo will have to get creative again with its next system to regain its throne.
Early access on the go
Based on my time with it so far, Hades 2 is a phenomenal match for the Steam Deck. It's already Verified for the platform, and for good reason. It looks fantastic (especially on an OLED screen) and runs smoothly. I've already taken it on the go and found that it's not a huge drain on the Steam Deck's battery. At this point, I don't imagine I'll need to play it any other way.

Gaming

Before you play Homeworld 3, try this VR game as a primer

Homeworld 3 launches next week, but there's a game Homeworld fans who own a Meta Quest 2 or 3 should check out right now. Homeworld: Vast Reaches, which came to Meta's VR headsets on May 2, is a prequel set between the events of the first two Homeworld games. This VR game offers up the core Homeworld experience in a novel niche of the video game medium.

It's not as deep or complex as Homeworld 3 looks, but it doesn't need to be. Vast Reaches immerses players in the franchise's universe once again and reacquaints them with the basics of its real-time strategy combat ahead of a highly anticipated new entry on PC. As such, checking out Vast Reaches should make this last week of waiting for Homeworld 3 a little less painful.
Homeworld, but in VR
Homeworld: Vast Reaches was developed by FarBridge, who has previously worked on VR games like Walkabout Mini Golf, Dragon Fight VR, and Jar Wars. Made with Gearbox Entertainment's support and blessing, it boils Homeworld down to its core elements and rebuilds it in VR. Players control a new Fleet Command connected to Karan S'jet's Mothership, which is the conceit behind how players view battles.