As a developer, president, and co-founder of Riot Games, the development and release of League of Legends in 2009 and Valorant in 2020, changed the course of competitive gaming, becoming the most-watched esports game with over forty-four million concurrent viewers for the 2019 League World Championships. Merrill’s shift from company president back into development exemplifies an unwillingness to coast, always looking to innovate and improve in spite of leaving an indelible mark on competitive gaming for generations to come.
