Principal Publishing Product Manager – Unpublished R&D Product

Riot Games is looking for a Principal Publishing Product Manager to embed with an early-stage development team working on an unannounced project.

As an embedded member of the development team, you will bring player, market, and publishing perspectives into product development from its earliest stages. You will help shape the product vision, define target audiences and target markets, validate player value, and identify what must be true for the experience to succeed. 

Working closely with Product, Design, Insights, Development, Publishing, and regional teams, you will drive learning, inform product decisions, and build the publishing strategy from the ground up. As the product moves to launch, you will lead publishing readiness and go-to-market planning, helping prepare the product for a successful global launch and long-term player success.

Responsibilities:

• Serve as the senior publishing product partner embedded within the development team, representing player and publishing perspective in product tradeoff discussions, ensuring publishing considerations meaningfully influence development and launch decisions. 
• Define target audiences, player needs, value propositions, and market opportunities.
• Bring player, audience, market, and publishing insights into product strategy & roadmap decisions 
• Develop the publishing strategy, positioning, and go-to-market plan from concept through launch and into live operations. 
• Evaluate product scope, sequencing, and investment recommendations based on player value and market opportunity. 
• Identify potential ecosystem, connected player experiences, community, competitive, and regional opportunities early in development.
• Define success metrics for product validation, launch readiness, and long-term player engagement + value.
• Align senior stakeholders around strategic choices, risks, tradeoffs, and next steps.
• Lead cross-functional publishing readiness, ensuring the product is prepared for successful regional launches and long-term live operations. 

Required Qualifications: 

• 10-12+ years of experience in publishing product management, product management, product strategy, go-to-market strategy, or a related discipline.
• Expertise in shaping a digital product or platform during early development.
• Expertise in translating will be player and market insights into product strategy and prioritization.
• Expertise in  developing and testing audience, positioning, or product-market-fit hypotheses.
• Strong understanding of digital products, live-service games, and player lifecycle strategy.
• Expertise in  leading ambiguous, cross-functional initiatives with senior stakeholders.
• Strong strategic thinking, communication, facilitation, and influence skills.
• Ability to operate independently with limited oversight.

Desired Qualifications:

• Experience working within game development or R&D environments.
• Experience supporting products from concept through validation, early production, and launch.
• Experience developing products that span multiple player touchpoints or connected experiences. 
• Familiarity with competitive ecosystems and social play.
• Experience with global audience development and regional market testing.
• Experience developing phased go-to-market or test-and-learn approaches.
• Personal interest in games and emerging player experiences.

For this role, you'll find success through craft expertise, a collaborative spirit, and decision-making that prioritizes the delight of players. We will be looking at your past studies, experience, and your personal relationship with games. If you embody player empathy and care about players' experiences, this could be your role!

Our Perks:

Riot focuses on work/life balance, shown by our open paid time off policy and other perks such as flexible work schedules. We offer medical, dental, and life insurance, parental leave for you, your spouse/domestic partner, and children, and a 401k with company match. Check out our benefits pages for more information.

At Riot Games, we put players first. That mission drives every decision in our quest to create games and experiences that make it better to be a player. Whether you’re working directly on a new player-facing experience or you’re supporting the company as a whole, everyone at Riot is part of our mission. And just like in our games, we’re better when we work together. Our goal is to create collaborative teams where you are empowered to bring your unique perspective everyday. If that sounds like the kind of place you want to work, we’re looking forward to your application.

It’s our policy to provide equal employment opportunity for all applicants and members of Riot Games, Inc. Riot Games makes reasonable accommodations for handicapped and disabled Rioters and does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, handicap, veteran status, marital status, criminal history, or any other category protected by applicable federal and state law. We consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with criminal histories, in a manner consistent with applicable federal, state and local law, including the California Fair Chance Act, the City of Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers, the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, and the Washington Fair Chance Act.

Per the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance, the following core duties may create a basis for disqualifying candidates with relevant criminal histories:

• Safeguarding confidential and sensitive Company data
• Communication with others, including Rioters and third parties such as vendors, and/or players, including minors
• Accessing Company assets, secure digital systems, and networks
• Ensuring a safe interactive environment for players and other Rioters

These duties are directly related to essential operations, safety, trust, and compliance obligations within our organization. Please note that job duties may evolve based on business needs and additional responsibilities may be assigned as necessary to maintain operational efficiency and security.