Popular LOL skin developer announces departure from Riot Games

Olivia Richman Published 23/05/2019

League of Legends skin producer Janelle, known as Riot Stellari, has announced that she’s parting ways with Riot Games.

Known for her work on the K/DA, Battle Academia, and Coven skins, Riot Stellari will be missed by the League of Legends community and coworkers alike. She announced on Twitter that June 7 will be her last day at Riot, exactly six years from when she first started started with the developer.

“I’ve had a wonderful run, and the last 2.5 years I’ve been working in my dream job at Riot,” Stellari said.

She went on to say that she’s moving on to pursue a lifelong passion of hers, although she never mentioned exactly what that passion is.

“I don’t have next steps to share yet because I’ll be going on a very long break to decompress first,” she said.

The popular Rioter, who has over 13,000 Twitter followers, joked that if she “failed miserably” she’ll come back to gaming. Luckily, her coworkers expressed on Reddit that they would always welcome her back.

“I only occassionally got to work with Janelle, but I’ve always apprciated her engagement with the community for the skins team,” wrote one coworker. “She was a huge inspiration to me to engage more around gameplay, balance, and data.”

They went on to say that it’s “always tough” when a “talented and passionate” coworker moves on, especially when they are your friend. But they said she is always welcome in the gaming industry and specifically at Riot.

One fan said that Riot Stellari was the person who fought for the hugely popular K/DA Akali skin, noting that other members of the team didn’t expect Akali to be such a hit with the League of Legends community.

One Reddit user stated: “Noone expected the hype that came with K/DA Akali. It was unreal. The subreddit was flooded with K/DA Akali content for weeks, which didn’t happen for any other skin. I think the character and personality they gave her through the K/DA video immensely boosted her popularity, but damn did it leave a huge mark.”

Other fans agreed that it was probably one of the most profitable skin lines ever produced for a video game.

The League of Legends Rule 34 community also agreed with these sentiments.

“That’s one of my favorite Rioters out there,” said one Reddit user upon hearing the news of Riot Stellari’s departure. “I’m really going to miss her, and I wish her the best wherever she goes.”

It’s unclear if Riot Stellari’s leaving has anything to do with Riot’s recent gender discrimination allegations and reportedly toxic and sexist workplace.

Olivia Richman

About Olivia Richman

Olivia has worked in media ever since graduating from college, with her coverage ranging from traditional newspaper reporting to digital coverage of all things gaming, online betting, and nerd culture. She has traveled around the world pursuing that coverage, from the far coasts of the United States to the busy downtown core of Tokyo, Japan. Olivia’s favorite games include Overwatch and Super Smash Smash Bros, and she has been published at Esports Illustrated, Inven Global, EsportsInsider, Upcomer, and elsewhere.

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