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Post 12 - Promotion

The Riot Games official website (https://www.riotgames.com) provides a lot of information about the brand as well as having the games available for download there. They also feature other events and information about the brand such as ongoing live streams and upcoming E-sports events. Riot is also active on multiple social media platforms including TikTok, Twitter (X) (2.8M), Instagram (1.2M), and Discord servers specific to each game (1.4M+ members). A majority of their advertising comes from popular live-streamers playing their games as well as partnerships with well-known content creators. In addition to this, they also stream advertisements on YouTube and Twitch. Riot games often do limited edition and seasonal item sales for in-game purchases. An example of this is the Valorant "night market" which features 5 weapons skins, random for every player, on discount at randomized percentages.

https://advertisers.mediaradar.com/riot-games-advertising-profile#:~:text=They%20invest%20in%20premium%20ad,and%201%20at%20their%20agency.

https://eightify.app/summary/gaming/riot-games-genius-marketing-strategy-for-valorant-excitement-engagement-and-diversity#:~:text=%E2%80%94%20Riot%20Games%20addressed%20weaknesses%20in,the%20platform%20and%20the%20streamers.

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Post 11 - Place (Distribution)

Riot Games exclusively distributes their games online and it is not available anywhere in retail stores. You can only download their games from their official website. Riot Games has released and distributed its games in Latin America, Australia, the United States, Philippines, Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, Canada, South Korea, Taiwan, China, Europe, and Brazil. To play the games it is very easy to download the game, players go to the official Riot Games website and can download the game and play for free.

https://riot-games.fandom.com/wiki/Riot_Games_Distribution

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Post 10 - Trends/Pricing

While Riot Games' games are free to play, they are able to generate revenue through in-game purchases, such as skins, cosmetic items, etc. One challenge/threat that they may face being a free-to-play game is maintaining player satisfaction as they have no way of monetizing the game without creating a pay-to-win environment. Additionally, although the free-to-play model of the game is appealing to players, there could be a risk of reduced spending on the game as players making in-game purchases is not guaranteed. A threat may be new gaming platforms emerging such as virtual reality (VR) or augmented reality (AR), although Riot Games could explore these genres in the future.

https://support-leagueoflegends.riotgames.com/hc/en-us/articles/12720701428115-Price-Tiers-for-Skins-in-League-of-Legends-SEA-

https://www.thespike.gg/valorant/a-complete-guide-to-valorant-skin-prices

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Post 9 - Services

The main service that Riot Games provides is the games that they have made available to play. In addition, Riot prides itself on being very open to player engagement and feedback so its customer support is another one of the main services provided. This support is available to players who may be having issues or have questions related to the games and can be accessed through email or support tickets. Another service that Riot provides is Eports events and tournaments, which they stream live on Twitch as well as having them available to attend in person. These events contribute to the overall experience and help to engage the community furthermore. One last major service that Riot provides is in-game purchases and microtransactions. Riot has many different cosmetics and other virtual goods available for players to purchase.

https://support-leagueoflegends.riotgames.com/hc/en-us/categories/115001239848-Events-apps-promos-merch

https://support.riotgames.com/hc/en-us

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Post 8 - Brand Detail

Riot Games' product mix consists of League of Legends (Riot's flagship title and a multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA)), Valorant (First person tactical shooter (FPS)), Legends of Runeterra (digital card collectible game), TeamFight Tactics (Auto-battler mode within League of Legends), and Wild Rift (a mobile/console version of League of Legends).

https://businessmodelanalyst.com/riot-games-business-model/

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Post 7 - Packaging

Riot Games is a game development company that distributes their games digitally so they do not have physical packaging, although they do produce merchandise related to these games such as clothing, accessories, and other collectibles. The merchandise's packaging often features art and themes reflecting their games (examples in pictures below). In addition, their iconic logo which may be considered "packaging" in some ways, is a white and red fist bump. The logo came to be when Riot was first created, the founders wanted a logo that would go with the name and be recognizable which is where the fist came from. Although the logo is simple, I think it is very easily recognizable and does not need to be changed. The packaging for the merchandise is also creative and suits the themes of their games and does not need to be altered.

Yahoo! (n.d.). League of Legends: Riot Games reveals “Worlds unlocked” merch bundles ahead of worlds 2023. Yahoo! News. https://sg.news.yahoo.com/league-of-legends-riot-games-reveal-worlds-unlocked-merch-bundles-ahead-of-worlds-2023-170016678.html?guccounter=1

https://merch.riotgames.com/en-us/

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Post 6 - Competition

Riot Game's main competitors include various game developers/publishers including Valve Corporation (creators of Dota 2 and Counter-Strike Global Offense), Blizzard Entertainment (creators of Overwatch and Hearthstone), Epic Games (creators of Fortnite), Activision (creators of the Call of Duty series), and Electronic Arts (creators of Apex Legends). Riot Games' flagship game, League of Legends, holds a very strong place in the e-sports and online multiplayer gaming space which has contributed heavily to Riot Games' prominence. Riot is well-known for its player engagement and the way that they heavily intake player feedback. In terms of market position Riot can be seen as an innovation leader as they have been very successful in maintaining a prominent spot in the gaming community, keeping their games interesting and fresh. Riot Games' market share was 1.4% as of 2021.

Riot games. CB Insights. (n.d.). https://www.cbinsights.com/company/riot-games/alternatives-competitors

Gough, C. (2023, October 25). Global Esports market by company 2021. Statista. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1247892/esports-revenue-worldwide-by-company/

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Post 5 - Target Market

Although Riot mainly targets teenagers and young adults ranging from 13-30 years old, they also attract players outside of this age range. In regards to the gender demographics of the players, although the gaming industry tends to be dominated by a mainly male audience Riot caters to all genders. The popularity of its games attracts players ranging from diverse backgrounds as Riot has a global presence, its target market spans many different countries and regions and the popularity of their games are not limited to one location. Riot Games' target audience comprises players who enjoy playing online multiplayer games, competitively or just for fun. As a lot of Riot's revenue comes from in-game purchases they also target players that may spend money on the game.

Artstation - my road to riot games #1 - target audience. (n.d.-a). https://www.artstation.com/blogs/dmcreates/pMNn/my-road-to-riot-games-1-target-audience

Website traffic - check and analyze any website | Similarweb. (n.d.). https://www.similarweb.com/

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Post 4 - SWOT

Riot games SWOT analysis includes:

S- Strengths:

Able to make a lot of money through micro-transactions

Ability to make revenue from multiple different things such as toys/figures, other merchandise, etc.

Can cater to a global audience (globalization)

High access to market and consumer data

W- Weaknesses:

One of Riot's game's major weaknesses is it is prone to other companies releasing similar games/etc.

Stagnant groups of target consumers

Restricted use of influencers for marketing and social media marketing

O- Opportunities:

Incorporating market analytics in decision-making to plan strategically

Use market analytics and digital marketing to reach a broader audience

Strengthen image through the use of more green brands/green product consumption

Buzz marketing: using viral marketing to create positive word-of-mouth

T- Threats:

As a game development company, Riot Games' threats and competition mostly include other game development companies.

Epic Games is a competitor and threat to Riot as they are also a game development company that makes popular games such as Overwatch, Fortnite, and more.

Electronic Arts (EA), is a digital interactive entertainment company who are the creator of many well-known games such as Apex Legends, The Sims, Madden NFL, etc.

Activision is another popular game-developing company. Their most popular releases include Call of Duty, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, Destiny, and many more.

Other threats to Riot Games include: high inflation, being outperformed by data-driven companies/start-ups, and market saturation (similar products and companies in the current market)

https://www.247caseanalysis.com/case/17542-Riot-Games-Can-Culture-Survive-Growth-Swot-Analysis

Pereira, D. (2023). Riot Games Business Model. Retrieved from https://businessmodelanalyst.com/riot-games-business-model/

0 notes

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Post 3 - Strategy

Riot Games has several key differentiators contributing to its sustainable competitive advantage. Riot Games prides itself on fostering a strong and engaging community, prioritizing player feedback, and involving players in the development process. For some of their games such as VALORANT, League of Legends, and Team Fight Tactics (TFT), they have a player beta environment (PBE) where players can test future changes and updates to the game and provide feedback on what should be changed before it is released. As for their advantage in products they are well-known for creating very innovative and high-quality games, continuously releasing new features and updates to keep the gameplay fresh. Riot has also invested significantly in developing and promoting the competitive E-sports scene around their games, many of their games becoming major e-sports leagues which contributes to the ongoing popularity of their games. Another major contributor to Riot's competitive advantage is their global presence. Riot has successfully expanded its games globally while adapting them to different regions and cultures helping to reach a diverse audience. The integration of strong consumer engagement, innovative game design, active esports ecosystem, and global reach all contribute to their sustainable competitive advantage.

Nordland, J. (2023, July 13). Valorant officially launches in China. Esportsinsider. https://esportsinsider.com/2023/07/valorant-launch-china

Public beta environment FAQ – League of Legends Support. (n.d.). https://support-leagueoflegends.riotgames.com/hc/en-us/articles/201751904-Public-Beta-Environment-FAQPublic beta environment FAQ – League of Legends Support. (n.d.).

https://support-leagueoflegends.riotgames.com/hc/en-us/articles/201751904-Public-Beta-Environment-FAQ

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Post 2 - Riot Games

The brand I chose is a game development company called Riot Games. Riot mainly provides a service to their consumers through the games they make, but also produces merchandise such as stuffed animals, figures, etc. of characters found in their games. They were established in September of 2006 in Santa Monica, CA, with their current corporate headquarters being located in Los Angeles, CA. Over the years, Riot has grown into a company with over 4,500 employees and has over 20 offices worldwide. Riot Games' annual revenue is estimated to be about $1.5-1.8 billion with an average revenue per-employee ratio of around $650,000. Riot's mission statement is to "develop, publish, and support the most player-focused games in the world". They value their customers and heavily focus on customer satisfaction and feedback. Since the debut release of their game League of Legends, they have released several other titles including Valorant, Legends of Runterra, League of Legends: Wild Rift, and even an animated series called Arcane.

Riot Games Revenue. Zippia. (n.d.). https://www.zippia.com/riot-games-careers-36774/revenue/

Dario Andric·Statistics·August 10, 2023. (2023, September 22). How much is riot games worth? - 2023 statistics. LEVVVEL. https://levvvel.com/riot-games-statistics/#:~:text=Riot%20Games’%20annual%20revenue%20is,revenue%20per%20employee%20is%20%24288%2C000.

Riot platforms net worth 2010-2023: Riot. Macrotrends. (n.d.). https://www.macrotrends.net/stocks/charts/RIOT/riot-platforms/networth#:~:text=Riot%20Platforms%20net%20worth%20as,02%2C%202023%20is%20%241.73B.

Who we are. Riot Games. (n.d.). https://www.riotgames.com/en/who-we-are#:~:text=Founded%20by%20Brandon%20Beck%20and,Rioters%20in%2020%2B%20offices%20worldwide.

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Post 1

Riot Games is an American game development company that was established in 2006 and is the creator of many games popular today. These games include League of Legends and VALORANT which both have hundreds of thousands of players. They are also the creators of an award-winning show called Arcane, which is based on the lore of their game League of Legends. Even though their games are free to play, there are paid features such as skins and other in-game accessories available for purchase ranging from $5 to $100 or more. They have servers across the world including in North America, Latin America, Korea, Europe, and Asia Pacific.

Although I play their games often, I've realized that I do not know a lot about the company that makes the games and I am looking forward to learning more about them.