On the 10th floor of a certain office building in a certain city in a certain state in Midwestern America, there’s a certain elevator lobby that seems to spark an awful lot of discussion. You see, in a downtown district dominated by lawyers, bankers, and other srs businesses, this particular lobby has a vibe that surprises tie-clad business types. It could be the concrete floors. It could be the exposed ductwork.
It’s more likely it has something to do with the gigantic, floor-to-ceiling murals of well-armed League of Legends champions that greet them each time the doors open on what they call “the fun floor.” Rioters call it home. What started as a weathered band of engineers gathered in a local Rioter’s basement has grown into one of the biggest game dev houses in the city with over 30 team members, semi-regular industry meetups, and an onsite kegerator.
Here are a few quotes we’ve heard some of our briefcase-toting friends deploy after catching a glimpse of the Riot St. Louis studio:
- “What is this place?”
- “You’re from that gaming company, aren’t you? You’re not in a suit.”
- “I wish I worked there.”
- “That must be a really cool place to work.”
- “Wow! What do you guys do?”
- “When will you guys have an open house?”
- "We don’t see many people with beards around here very often.”
- “If you ever need a scumbag family attorney, let me know.”
- “Don’t take this the wrong way, but I knew you worked on ten as soon as I saw you.”
- “Are you guys hiring?”
- “I wish I worked on your floor.”
- “Still don’t have carpet yet?”
- “Your floor looks exciting. Is it fun?”
- “So you’re that gaming company! Yeah…I play a few games myself.”
- “Someday I just want to get off on this floor and get lost in it.”