A couple of years back, Riot Games announced that the headquarters in Santa Monica, North America will be moving to a new and much bigger location, with a campus of its own. The League of Legends developer has started moving some staff into the new place at the edge of West Los Angeles, and seen below is a sneak preview, with a subway ready nearby in 2016 as well.
Upon entering, visitors are greeted with screens displaying player-created art and cosplay, a reminder of the talented and engaged community that brings League and Riot to life. Annie and Tibbers stand guard just past reception, ready to incinerate all intruders.
Inspired by PC bangs where Korean gamers most commonly play League of Legends, each Riot office holds a dedicated space for play. This area will be filled with Rioters getting their game on most hours of the day. Around the corner are vending machines stocked with snacks; on the other side, Rioters can indulge in classic arcade games like Marvel vs. Capcom 2 and The Simpsons.
Conference rooms sit in the center of the open workspaces. These rooms are named after champions, and a few have added namesake touches. Rioters meeting in Jinx sit in chairs upholstered in neon pink and blue faux-fur; furniture in Corki is backed with bolted metal as if scavenged from downed planes; and, Vi’s got a pink punching bag ready for late-night brainstorming sessions.
Meeting rooms and common spaces usually buzz with conversation, debate, and excited post-game chatter, so a mix of open and private spaces allows Rioters to work the way they want. The desks are only one of the many places Ritoers sit down (or stand) to focus. When looking for a quiet place, they can duck into one of nearly 100 breakout rooms, four atriums, or a hidden corner in the quad.
Five mid-century buildings surround a quad filled with drought-friendly plants. Ample seating means no more musical chairs when grabbing grub, meeting outside, or enjoying the weather. Criss-crossing paths allow for walking breaks, and carved-out nooks are hideaways for Rioters to work and meet. On especially nice days, the buildings’ garage-style doors open up for an injection of fresh air.
Bilgewater Brew’s a unique themed space for Rioters to hang out and grab some coffee or food. It’s a place to get inspired by the worlds Rioters have created and one of the few spaces where the League of Legends universe is brought to life so completely. As mentioned, this is still the early stages of moving from Santa Monica to Los Angeles, more changes will take place over the next few weeks.
