Riot Games has appointed Joe Lee as game director for VALORANT, one of several senior appointments reported in October. Esports.gg reports that Lee replaces Andy Ho, who had held the role since March 2024.
Lee shared the appointment on LinkedIn on October 11, according to reporting by bo3.gg cited by Esports Insider. He has been at Riot for more than nine years, most recently as Senior Director of Product Management, after director-level roles in product management and strategic advisory and earlier work in research, data analysis and revenue strategy. Esports Insider, citing Shane the Gamer, reports that his interest in VALORANT dates back to an early playtest, when the game was in development under the codename Ares.
Neither outlet's reporting sets out Lee's day-to-day remit, and Esports.gg notes that Lee had not specified what the role will involve at the time of writing.
Mitchel Inkrott has joined Riot as Global Head of Influencer Strategy. He joined in October after his role at Electronic Arts ended in September, and his previous work includes creator and influencer strategy positions at EA, marketing agency Ayzenberg and publisher 2K. At EA, his responsibilities covered Battlefield and other first-person shooter franchises, Esports Insider reports, citing Shane the Gamer.
Inkrott said he had wanted to join Riot after following its player engagement, creator campaigns and esports scene. He is expected to work with Erin Wayne and the wider team and plans to use his first few weeks to settle into the role, according to Esports Insider.
Esports Insider also lists Bryce Blum's appointment as Global Head of Teamfight Tactics Esports among the senior hires reported in the same stretch of October.
