22 Sep Riot names Ryan Crosby President of Publishing
Riot Games announced that it has promoted Ryan Crosby to President of Publishing.
Crosby joined Riot in January 2021 as Head of Global Entertainment Marketing and Consumer Products. In his new role, Crosby will lead Riot’s Worldwide Publishing group of over 1,000 team members in 20+ global offices. The group is comprised of international publishing, global marketing, player support, localization, commercial initiatives and other key functions.
Image credit: Riot Games
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In a release, Riot praised Crosby for his accomplishments over the past nine months. According to the company, ‘Crosby built Riot’s Entertainment Marketing team and led the Consumer Products group. Under his direction, the Entertainment Marketing team crafted the go-to-market strategy and built anticipation for Riot’s upcoming animated series Arcane, launched the critically acclaimed Sessions: Vi lo-fi music album, and drew millions of viewers to an interactive concert experience featuring the eagerly anticipated return of the League of Legends band Pentakill.’
Riot Games CEO Nicolo Laurent said: “In his time at Riot, Ryan took ‘hitting the ground running’ to a whole new level and quickly proved that he has the vision and leadership to drive our Publishing division into the next chapter.
“Our ambitions across games, entertainment, and sports are massive and we need a leader who can see the endgame while keeping us grounded and player-focused in the ways that have made us successful for the past 15 years. Ryan checks all the boxes with his years of gaming expertise and his experience at the intersection of technology and entertainment.”
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Crosby added: “In my time in gaming and entertainment, I’ve been lucky to be part of many companies at important moments in their histories, but I believe that Riot is truly on the cusp of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Riot’s deep and genuine commitment to players is a competitive advantage unlike any I’ve seen. I’m honored to lead a group of world-class Rioters as they deliver never-before-seen experiences to players around the world.”
Prior to his work at Riot, Crosby served as the Vice President of Marketing at Hulu. His career spans over 20 years in advertising and marketing, having worked with brands including Activision, Microsoft, and Netflix.
In other news, former ESI journalist Mitch Reames will join Riot Games as a writer beginning October 1st.
Esports Insider says: Video games are no longer limited to a single medium. Historically, Riot has not been afraid to cross into the realms of music, fashion, and more, so Ryan Crosby’s experience will no doubt help lead the company’s transmedia efforts as the world changes its views on esports and gaming.
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