Riot Games Internship – Salary, Requirements and How to Get One

To secure yourself a place on a Riot Games internship, you’ll need to show the hiring team that you have the talent, skills, and attributes it looks for in its employees, also known as ‘Rioters’.

This article tells you what you need to know about the selection process, as well as general requirements and what you can expect from a Riot internship program.

What Is a Riot Games Internship?

A video game developer and publisher, Riot Games is best known for the multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game League of Legends, as well as other popular gaming titles such as Valorant and Legends of Runeterra.

The company is also involved in esports, organizing and supporting competitive leagues and tournaments for its games.

A Riot Games internship is a short term work placement that gives you the opportunity to gain practical experience with this leading name in the gaming industry.

These 10 to 12 week posts take place over the summer, starting in either May or June, and are available in a number of specialist areas, including:

• Software engineering – As a Riot Games software engineer intern, you’ll contribute to the development and maintenance of software systems through tasks such as coding, debugging, and testing.
• Game design – On this Riot internship, you’ll work on game mechanics, designing levels and features, prototyping, and playtesting.
• VFX art (visual effects art) – As a VFX art intern at Riot, you’ll help design dynamic special effects like explosions, magic spells and other visual enhancements.
• Game production – Here, you’ll help plan and execute game production projects, managing timelines and resources.
• Illustration – This Riot Games internship focuses on visual elements including concept art, character design, and environmental illustrations.
• Sound design – On the sound design internship, you’ll contribute to the auditory experience of games, creating sound effects, music, and other audio elements.
• UX design (user experience design) – Here, you’ll focus on user research, interface design, and usability testing to enhance the UX of Riot Games products.

Your Riot internship can be undertaken remotely, but will include one week of office-based work at Riot’s Los Angeles headquarters.

While this article focuses solely on the Riot US summer internship, placements are also available in locations across Europe, the Middle East, and Latin America.

What to Expect From Your Riot Summer Internship

As an intern at Riot, you can expect to be hands-on from day one, contributing to projects and collaborating with different teams across the company.

Whichever specialization you choose, it’s a chance to apply everything you’ve learnt through your studies in a professional setting, and to develop new skills along the way through structured training.

To support you through your Riot internship experience, you’ll also get:

• A dedicated mentor: An experienced member of the Riot team will be there to give guidance and feedback as you complete your assigned projects. Your mentor will also offer advice on working in the gaming industry, sharing their own insights and expertise.
• Professional development opportunities: You’ll have a chance to expand your knowledge of the gaming industry through events and develop your skills through professional development courses.
• Access to community networks: You’ll be able to reach out to communities across the Riot network, including Riot Inclusion Groups (RIGs) and communities of practice (CoPs). These bring together groups underrepresented in the gaming industry and those working in the same field but different teams, respectively.

You’ll also be invited to attend social events, building connections with Riot employees and fellow interns.

Riot Games Internship Requirements

To be eligible for the Riot summer internship, you must meet certain requirements relating to age, student status, and availability.

• Age: You must be 18 or over to apply for a Riot internship.
• Student status: It’s not necessary for you to be studying full-time when you apply, but you will need to be undertaking some form of relevant education. This can be through university, college, or non-degree programs such as accredited certifications.
• Availability: You’ll need to commit to a 40-hour work week for the duration of your Riot summer internship. The company’s office hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., though flexible working arrangements may be available.

As well as the above, you’ll need skills relevant to your specialization – for example, programming languages for software engineering – and a genuine passion for gaming.

Riot Games Internship Salary

As a participant on the Riot Games summer internship, you’ll receive a salary reflective of industry standards for your specialization at the time of your placement, based on entry level employment.

As an example, Riot Games software engineer interns on the 2023 program received $58.41 an hour, equivalent to $10,124 a month.

Pay details are advertised on each internship job posting, so be sure to check they align with your expectations before you apply.

You’ll also be eligible for additional benefits during your placement, such as the employee play fund – a small monetary gift that you can spend on video games.

What Is the Application Process for the Riot Games Summer Internship?

The Riot internship application process involves a number of steps to make sure you’re the right fit for both the role and the company.

Online Application

Here, you’ll be asked to provide basic personal details, including links to your LinkedIn profile and personal website if you have one.

You’ll also need to upload your resume and answer some initial questions such as why you chose your specialist field, and why you're interested in a Riot Games internship.

Portfolio Submission/Craft Test

If your application is seen to be competitive, you’ll be asked to demonstrate your practical skills and abilities.

For technical roles like sound design or software engineering, this will be through a take-home test.

For art based roles, you’ll be asked to submit a portfolio or reel of your work.

Interviews

If you’re selected for the final stage, you’ll need to prepare for three different types of interview:

• Screening interview: Here, you’ll discuss your academic achievements and any professional experience you have with a member of the hiring team.
• Craft interview: Questions in this interview will focus on the specific hard skills needed for your role.
• Behavioral interview: Finally, you’ll be asked a series of behavioral questions to assess your alignment with Riot’s values and core soft skills like problem solving, teamwork and communication.

Competition for places on the Riot Games internship is fierce, so you’ll need to make sure you stand out from the crowd.

Frequently Asked Questions

Final Thoughts

If you have ambitions to work in the gaming industry, a Riot summer internship is a good starting point.

These placements offer hands-on experience and the chance to work on real world projects, all while building the skills you need for a successful future career.

The most impressive interns may even be offered ongoing employment and progression within the company.

The key is to put the time and effort into your application to show how skilled you are at your craft and give yourself the best chance of securing a Riot internship opportunity.