MonteCristo claims LEC broadcast will be ‘absolute disaster’ following recent Riot layoffs

The viewing experience might be a little different this weekend.

Shot of the LEC stage during Fnatic and Karmine Corp's game.
Photo by Wojciech Wandzel via Riot Games

The gaming industry is still reeling from Riot Games’ round of massive layoffs, with hundreds of people in multiple sectors losing their jobs. These layoffs are also apparently going to heavily affect the upcoming week of the LEC due to the broadcast team reportedly losing a majority of its staff.

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Popular content creator and former League of Legends caster Christopher “MonteCristo” Mykles alleged on social media today that the upcoming LEC broadcast was going to be “an absolute disaster” because multiple key members of production were let go over the past week. The 37-year-old claimed Riot fired all but one observer on the team, along with the broadcast team’s writers, producers, and engineers.

A crowd cheers at the LEC Championship as two League of Legends teams go head-to-head on stage.
The studio might be a little less lively this weekend. Photo via Riot Games

As a result, replays, segments, and possible issues on-stage could be jeopardized as the show moves forward through the weekend. These changes were also briefly spoken on by popular LEC host Eefje “Sjokz” Depoortere, who told the fanbase that many of the Berlin-based Rioters that were let go were helping out with the LEC this weekend.

The layoffs affected over 500 members in Riot’s workforce, which represents a whopping 11 percent of the company staff. Changes were immediately made in the company’s approach for various titles, with the developers refocusing their efforts on core titles like League and VALORANT. Other titles, like Legends of Runeterra, will see their size and scope reduced drastically in the coming weeks.

Riot Forge was originally created for third-party studios to explore the world of Runeterra in their own styles, but this initiative was also closed after the layoffs. The last game from Forge will be Bandle Tale, a crafting RPG title centered around the mystical world of Yordles.

Overall, the industry has been hit hard by the layoffs, and the esports scene was not left unscathed. Catch the third week of the LEC when the broadcast kicks off on Saturday, Jan. 27 at 10am CT.

Author
Image of Tyler Esguerra
Tyler Esguerra
Lead League of Legends writer for Dot Esports. Forever an LCS supporter, AD carry main, with more than five years in the industry. Sometimes I like clicking heads in Call of Duty or VALORANT. Creator of the Critical Strike Podcast.