Riot Games is investigating the founder of a leading e-sports team over allegations of bullying
One of the The esports industry’s most prominent leaders are being investigated for workplace misconduct. Current and former employees as well as the e-sports specialist have accused Team SoloMid founder and chief executive Andy Dinh of abusing and verbally bullying them, sources said with WIRED. Riot Games, executive League of Legends Championship Series, in which TSM competes, opened an investigation late last year into Dinh’s conduct. TSM also confirmed that it conducted its own investigation around that time.
“We are aware of the allegations against the CEO/owner of TSM,” Riot Games told WIRED via email. “As league operators, we have asked law firm O’Melveny & Myers LLP to conduct an independent investigation into misconduct claims made against team leadership. this ball, according to standard league procedure.” Both Riot and Dinh declined to comment on specific allegations, citing an ongoing investigation.
Dinh, 29 years old, has been leading the esports organization since 2009 and is known in the esports community for his “Reginald” gamepad. In 2020, Forbes named TSM is the most valuable esports company with an estimated value of $410 million. Last year, the organization changed its official name to TSM FTX after cutting a $210 million naming rights deal with the Hong Kong cryptocurrency exchange. TSM operates e-sports teams and has contracts with players and streamers Fortnite, Valuable substance, Apex Legends, Super Smash Bros., and other top games, to millions of followers on social media. Above all, TSM has become synonymous with competition League of Legends, the biggest e-sports title of all time, attracting a fervent international fan base.
The company is headquartered in southern California and has 51 full-time employees. Several employees told WIRED that they were attracted to TSM because of their high standing in the world of esports and their individual fan base. Many became frustrated by Dinh’s allegation of “mental abuse,” according to a current employee. All asked to remain anonymous for fear of professional influence in the tight-lipped world of e-sports. One said: “The esports industry is really young and toxic. “Your relationships lead to more work than anything else.” Two sources say that Dinh’s close relationship with other esports team owners and professionals has prevented current and former employees or players from pursuing accountability.
“He’s like a bully who shies away from being the bad guy because he’s strong, because people are afraid to stand up to him,” top League of Legends TSM player and former teammate Yiliang “Peter” Peng, better known as Doublelift, spoke publicly on a direct previous November. “I’m sick of someone who’s basically just a bully getting out of it because it’s in everyone’s best interest not to get in his way.”
Four individuals who have worked with TSM told WIRED that the esports organization is dominated by a culture of fear. They say that since 2013, Dinh has been known to curse and yell at players and staff. Two sources said he called employees “stupid” or “worthless”. Two sources said Dinh called staff after hours to yell at them. Three current or former TSM employees say that, at times, Dinh mocked employees for hours. His reign is often fueled by small mistakes. Another time, he yelled at employees in front of colleagues as part of an “exhibition,” a current employee said, which Dinh was proud of. A former employee recounted when he heard Dinh say that he wanted to “set an example”. a person who is publicly evaluated by him.
