cake · @cakebrxd
17th Apr 2017 from TwitLonger
Details on the Riot Investigation
- On March 17th few days after going public, I get contacted by a Riot esports Central guy, that says they are willing to help out with the situation and investigate everything that happened. He asks me 3 things, if I've been fully paid, what my contractual status was, and if Tainted Minds proposed any resolution to me. On the same night, I tell him that I just got paid a few days ago my OPL salary, but that I'm still missing my december's invoice. I also tell him I've terminated my contract in February, and that the only solution Tainted Minds offered us where buyout amounts or team transfer with a buyout. Considering I asked for my buyout in early january and never got an answer up to the end of February, it would be ironic to buy ourselves out after terminating our contracts. We we're willing to go forward with arbitration but Tainted Minds declined. I get offered to be interviewed in a skype call by one of Riot's League Ops manager, to which I answered that I would be more interested in answering a written interview, so I could make sure all of my answers are appropriate.
- On March 20th, I receive confirmation from the rioter that they would send me a written interview. I also got asked if TM offered to release me by signing a deed. I confirm it was true, but I specify that sinceI evaluate my damages at more than 15,000 $, I will not sign any agreement with them unless I get paid part of those damages. I also let him know that Riot OCE has their part of responsability in this, since they were aware of our issues since january and did nothing.
- On March 21, Tainted Minds says they are willing to go forward with arbitration. Nick got released on march 17th by Tainted Minds, and Ryan gets released soon after, both signing an agreement with Tainted Minds. Both parties we're not supposed to make any comment on the situation (which is interesting since the day after they signed, TM released their "statement", which inherently breaks the agreement they just signed.) It is not in my best interest to go through arbitration alone, due to the costs of arbitration not being split anymore. Paying 2,750$ out of my own pocket by day of arbitration is simply not a valid option for me. On that date I release the library of chat logs.
- On March 26, I ask how long the investigation will take. I knew I had OQ/NACS/LCS tryouts coming up, so solving this as soon as possible and knowing my player status was really important to me. That exact date, Daniel Ringland and John Mcrae are seen hanging out together at the Riot studios, quite surprising due to the fact that they are both under Riot investigation!
- On March 28, I ask for an update, since it's been 11 days since the investigation started and I still had not received my written interview. I receive it that same day (I'd say 95 % of the questions were information already released and proven with chat logs previously). I get told a classic PR answer, that it takes time and they need to verify everything. I answer the written interview on march 28th, and that is my last communication with anyone from Riot. I do not think this can be considered as an unbiaised "investigation".
- On april 4th, TM tweets that I have been released from the database due to my "continued repudation of my contract" and that "Tainted Minds had been focused on reaching an amicable resolution with me, which was proven unsucessful". I do not believe that is "good faith" shown by Tainted Minds (a term used in the ruling that came up 9 days later), since they straight up lied again, and are trying to hurt my reputation publicly.
- On April 13th, the ruling comes out (http://www.lolesports.com/en_US/articles/competitive-ruling-tainted-minds) to which I replied (http://www.twitlonger.com/show/n_1sppkj7). In 27 days of investigation, I answered 1 written interview of less than a page. I'm wondering who's point of view got heard the most. Also worth mentionning that no fingers are pointed at Riot OCE, even though they completely dropped the ball on the situation. Daniel Ringland communicating private information to his friend John Mcrae seems to be acceptable by Riot.
Since nothing I have said was challenged by anyone, by Riot standards, treating your players this way and breaking OPL rules cost you less money than sharing an account with someone else as a pro player. Riot is fine having an organisation treat players this badly, since they consider the organisation capable of running a profesionnal League of Legends team. My manager is still owed multiple thousands of dollars, but Riot doesn't seem to care. Never was it mentionned that we asked for our buyout multiple times and never got it, but Riot doesn't seem to care. Tainted Minds signed an agreement with Ryan and Nick, which they broke within 24 hours. Riot doesn't seem to care. Tainted Minds lied publicly in their statement about almost everything they covered (they said everyone got paid on time, which has been denied by Riot). Tainted Minds releases me by saying I broke my contract, Riot doesn't seem to care. Riot OCE stopped me from looking for a team for 7 weeks, but Riot doesn't seem to care.
TLDR Riot doesn't care at all about players. It's probably going to be my last comment on the whole matter, there isn't much else to say outside of NDA stuff, which I will not release unless Riot denies anything I said.