Social Listening

    Riot Games, which itself is owned by Tencent, was my choice for this post. What inspired me to write about this company is a mass layoff of 530 Employees, 11% of the workforce that took place recently. Unsurprisingly the response to this layoff from employees and consumers on social media is very negative. Additionally the companies products, competitive online video games such as League of Legends and Valorant appear to have a problem of harassment between players in game which has led to people going to social media to complain about the companies apparent lack of attention to the problem. However all is not lost as Riot Games has a very good history in E-Sports which people continue to praise them for on Social media.

    Riot Games’ value proposition revolves around creating engaging, competitive, and immersive multiplayer online games. The company focuses on delivering high-quality gameplay experiences that resonate with both casual and competitive gamers. Riot Games places a strong emphasis on community, fostering a sense of belonging among players through in-game events, esports, and content creation. The company’s free-to-play model allows accessibility for a wide audience, while optional in-game purchases offer customization and personalization opportunities. Riot Games continually updates and supports its games to keep them fresh and engaging.

• Player Experience First
• Dare To Dream
• Thrive Together
• Execute With Excellence
• Stay Hungry; Stay Humble

• Massive Layoff and Negative Response: People are not happy following a massive layoff at Riot. This is what social media is overwhelmingly talking about right now regarding Riot. With both employees and consumers expressing their discontent.

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• Harassment Issues and Lack of Action: Players are expressing frustration with instances of harassment within Riot Games' games, and there is a perception that the company is not taking enough action to stop and prevent it.

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• Positive History with Esports: Despite the recent negative feedback, people continue to acknowledge Riots positive history with esports. The company is praised for its contributions to competitive gaming, especially with its oldest title League of Legends. The positive sentiment revolves around the game being recognized as the fastest-growing global sport, boasting over 100 professional teams and 860 players in esports.

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    Riot Games mostly generates revenue through selling in-game content and virtual items related to it's online multiplayer games like League of Legends, Legends of Runeterra, and Valorant. These items are skins, champions, emotes, and other cosmetic enhancements, primarily sold through official in-game stores or associated platforms. The company relies on social media for marketing, community engagement, and announcements, focusing on the sale of in-game content and microtransactions rather than directly selling services.

    Riot Games primarily offers services related to online multiplayer gaming, selling virtual items like skins, champions, and cosmetic enhancements in games such as League of Legends, Legends of Runeterra, and Valorant. Additionally, they occasionally market and sell physical merchandise tied to their game franchises, including clothing, accessories, and collectibles

    Social media is utilized for promoting in-game events, esports tournaments, and special occasions associated with their games.  Riot also promotes esports events, such as the League of Legends Championship Series (LCS) and Valorant Champions Tour (VCT), using social media to share information about tournaments, results, and highlights. Riot also engages with players through social media, responding to feedback, sharing fan art, conducting contests, and encouraging discussions. Social media is also appears to be the main platform for them to promote and showcase new in-game content, such as skins and virtual goods available for purchase. Additionally, Riot Games uses social media for important announcements regarding game development, upcoming events, and other news, often sharing teasers and previews to build anticipation.

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    Riot Games utilizes social media extensively to promote and market esports tournaments, special occasions, and in-game content, such as skins, in game characters, and cosmetic enhancements, encouraging player purchases. The company actively engages with the player community on social media, usually responding to feedback, sharing fan art, running contests, and fostering discussions to build a strong community for player retention and brand loyalty. Social media serves as a key platform for making important announcements about game updates, patches, features, and upcoming events, generating anticipation through teasers and previews. Riot Games also promotes esports its events, contributing to the growth of the competitive gaming scene and attracting viewership. 

    Riots marketing challenges revolve around balancing growth in established games like League of Legends while successfully launching and maintaining new titles. While achieving immense success with League of Legends, the evolving gaming industry requires diversifying their portfolio. The introduction of new games on the other hand requires strategic marketing efforts in order to build a new player base and ensure long-term engagement. While attracting new players is important, retaining the existing player base through continually updating and innovating their existing games is crucial for preventing player fatigue and maintaining an active community.

    In the highly competitive gaming industry, Riot faces the typical challenge of standing out among competitors and remaining relevant as gaming trends evolve. The company has built strong communities around its games, making it essential to meet player expectations for updates and content. Balancing innovation and maintaining core aspects of its games are important. Riot heavily invests in esports, and ongoing marketing efforts in order to help sustain their competitive gaming leagues. The continued growth and interest in esports play a very big role Riot's overall brand image.

    Riot actively engages with the player community on social media. They listen to player feedback, respond to concerns, and fosters a sense of community through interactive posts and features like contests and fan art. Successful integration of esports, highlighted by events like the League of Legends World Championship and the Valorant Champions Tour, have contributed to building a strong esports community around their games. Regular communication on social media with the player base, including announcements, updates, and teasers all contribute to building anticipation and maintaining a level of high interest in their games. Riot effectively utilizes multiple social media accounts on multiple social media websites (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter,etc) which helps in reaching a wider audience. The company's continuous support, updates, and community-centric approach have cultivated strong brand loyalty among players. 

    Riot incorporates storytelling into its marketing strategy very well, recognizing its power in creating engaging player experiences. Across its multiplayer games like League of Legends and valorant, diverse in game characters with unique backstories and lore are used to build emotional connections among players. Riot also produces high-quality animated cinematics, teasers and trailers in order to introduce new content, in turn generating excitement and narrative build-up within the player community. In-game events typically feature narrative elements with overarching storylines that tie into gameplay, which help to enhance the experience. Riot extends storytelling beyond just games through the creation of comic books, allowing players to explore the lore outside of the game. Through these efforts, Riot Games has enriched the overall gaming experience and fostered player engagement and an emotional attachment to its games and characters.

Riot does demonstrate some social media best practices. Riot provides regular updates on various social media channels to keep the community informed about game changes and events. Interactive content such as polls and Q&A sessions fosters community involvement. Maintaining a presence on multiple platforms allows the company to adapt its strategies and reach a diverse audience. Community building initiatives, including featuring fan art and running contests, strengthen the overall sense of belonging among players.

    Riot Games does not employ newsjacking as far as I could tell. Riots marketing revolves around regular game updates, in-game events, esports promotions, and storytelling. While they may incorporate timely events or trends to create relevant content, I wouldn't call it newjacking.

    Riot Games has achieved notable success in establishing strong brand recognition within the gaming industry. Renowned for its multiplayer games riot has fostered a diverse gaming ecosystem. Key factors contributing to Riot Games' brand recognition include the iconic status and massive player base of "League of Legends," showcasing the company as a prominent industry player. Riot is also one of the few gaming company that support its own esports, organizing major competitive leagues, which further solidifys its presence among gamers. Consistent release of high-quality content, including skins and updates, maintains player engagement, fostering sustained interest and positive brand perception. Active engagement with the player community through various channels and a global presence catering to diverse audiences contribute to widespread brand recognition. Effective marketing strategies, such as storytelling through cinematic trailers and in-game narratives, establish an emotional connection with players, enhancing the overall brand experience.

Riot Games has achieved widespread success in the gaming industry, establishing itself as a big player in the global game industry. Key indicators of this success include the enduring popularity of its flagship title, League of Legends, as one of the most played online multiplayer games worldwide. As well as the success of their more recent releases like Valorant which is able to retain a concurrent player base of 300,000-500,000. The company has become a leader in the esports industry, with its unique approach to hosting its own esports competitive scenes making it gain widespread recognition and viewership. Riot boasts a strong global presence, catering to a diverse player base from various regions, paticularly in the United States and Asia, which in turn has majorly contributed to its overall recognition and success. Riots commitment to quality and community engagement have also helped in their efforts to build a strong and recognizable brand within the gaming community. Their newer titles have helped them expand into different game genres, allowing the company to reach different segments of their market. Riot continues to innovate through regular updates and attention to player feedback, showcasing its commitment to staying relevant and adapting to the evolving gaming landscape.

    Riot Games responded the negative response of the mass layoff with a social media post, not interacting with commenters. The CEO Dylan provided a letter explaining the reasons behind the decision, which was presented as a decision necessary for a more sustainable future. Riot offered the usual support for affected employees, including severance pay, bonuses, health benefits,etc. The company communicated a shift to focusing on core live games and adjusting development plans for projects like Legends of Runeterra and Riot Forge. The communication with players was very one sided. Riot Games also announced a temporary change in social media communication to focus more on game updates during the period.

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    While Riot did address the issue of harassment in its games through an automated text and voice evaluation system. There was no mention of it in social media as far as I could tell. Players are still required to report offenses via in-game reporting, as the system has to evaluate the reports using machine learning models in order to know when to take action. Riot emphasized the importance of a human touch in decision-making, based on player-submitted reports, however social media posts seem to indicate people having action taken against them for minor or sometimes even no offenses, which seems to indicate that the "human touch" is either non existent or for one reason or another not doing its job correctly. 

    In response to the mass layoff at Riot Games, if I was the brand manager I would approach social media with a more empathetic communication plan. Acknowledging the situation publicly, expressing an understanding of the impact on both employees and the gaming community. The plan would include providing detailed information about the layoffs and maybe hosting a live Q&A session. In response to concerns over the lack of acknowledgement to harassment in the game on social media, I would promptly acknowledge the concerns and the severity of the complaints and communicate the company's commitment to combating harassment. Transparency about existing measures, challenges faced, and new initiatives would be provided. I would engage with the community in an open dialogue, conduct surveys to gather feedback, and announce educational initiatives. Regular updates on progress, integration of player feedback, collaboration with experts, and promotion of positive behavior within the community would be part of the ongoing strategy.

        The experience taught me that even though companies may excel in certain aspects on social media, everyone has weaknesses. Transparency varies, with companies choosing what to disclose. Acknowledgment of problems on social media is more impactful than generic web pages. I also found it interesting that so many concepts from the textbook apply to real life and makes me wonder if its just common information now or if a lot of people have read the book. The assignment highlighted ways companies profit on social media, emphasizing the importance of value propositions in brand identity. Researching social media comments was an unexpected but intriguing aspect of the learning process. Learning about value propositions and that smart companies will dedicate an entire page on their website to it also reinforces the idea that it is one of the most important things about a company's brand. Overall, conducting research using peoples social media comments and posts is something I never though I would do which I found very interesting as well.