Riot Games Layoffs in LA: Severance Agreements in the Gaming Industry

Riot Games filed two WARN notices for Los Angeles in April 2026: 56 employees on April 10, another 26 on April 27. If you worked on League of Legends, Valorant, or any of Riot's other titles out of the West LA headquarters, you're now looking at a severance agreement from a company owned by Tencent.

Here's something most people don't realize: severance agreements are negotiable. The offer you received is a starting point, not a final number. Employees negotiate better severance packages with the help of an attorney every day, and the results are often meaningfully better than the initial offer.

We review and negotiate severance agreements on contingency. That means no upfront cost to you. Our fee comes only from the additional amount we negotiate above what you were already offered. If we don't improve your package, you don't pay. There's no downside to having an attorney look at what you've been given.

Two Rounds in One Month Raises WARN Questions

The two rounds of layoffs within 17 days totaling 82 employees should be evaluated together under the WARN Act's aggregation rules. California's Cal-WARN Act (Labor Code Sections 1400-1408) looks at layoffs within a 30-day period. Fifty-six plus 26 equals 82, which exceeds the 50-employee threshold.

If Riot provided 60 days' notice for each round, the obligation is met. If they didn't, you may be owed up to 60 days of pay and benefits. The staggered approach, two rounds close together, is worth examining with an attorney.

IP Assignment Is Critical in Gaming

If you were in game design, art, engineering, or production, the intellectual property provisions in your severance agreement deserve careful attention. Game assets, code, character designs, level layouts, narrative content. The agreement may try to confirm or expand Riot's ownership of everything you created.

California Labor Code Section 2870 protects inventions you create on your own time using your own resources that don't relate to the company's business. But games are broad. If you're working on a personal game project, make sure the severance agreement doesn't claim it. Push for clear boundaries on what Riot owns and what's yours.

Non-Competes in Gaming: Void in California

Gaming companies love non-competes. Studios worry about employees taking proprietary game knowledge to competitors. In California, it doesn't matter. Business and Professions Code Section 16600 makes non-competes void. AB 1076 made including them illegal.

West LA and Santa Monica are the heart of the gaming industry in Southern California. Riot, Activision Blizzard, Santa Monica Studio, Naughty Dog, Respawn. You should be free to walk into any of them. Remove non-compete language from your agreement before signing.

Tencent Ownership and Severance Structure

Riot is wholly owned by Tencent, the Chinese conglomerate. Your severance was structured by a legal team working within Tencent's corporate framework. That may mean the template was designed for multiple jurisdictions, not specifically for California. Look for provisions that might be enforceable elsewhere but not here.

OWBPA, Release, and Final Pay

If you're over 40, you get 45 days to review in a group layoff plus the required disclosure. The general release waives all claims. Final pay including PTO is owed on your last day per Labor Code Sections 201-203.

Before signing the release, consider whether you have potential claims. Crunch culture, overtime issues, and workplace conditions in gaming have been widely reported. If you have wage claims for unpaid overtime or missed breaks, the release will eliminate them.

If you were part of the Riot Games layoff in Los Angeles, our employment attorneys can review your severance agreement. We handle employment cases in LA County Superior Court. Free consultation.