Activision Blizzard: Action raises serious allegations: toxic corporate culture, discrimination and harassment at work

* Update of 28 July 2021, 14:02: * Robert A. Kotick (Bobby Kotick), the boss of Activision Blizzard, has broken his silence and also issued an official opinion. In the letter that can be seen in public, he described the first reactions on the part of the company to the submitted action as inappropriate or insensitive and praised the courage of those who had reported in the context of the abuse of abuse.

Bobby Kotick: "We absolutely need to acknowledge all perspectives and experiences and respect the feelings of those who were mistreated / injured in any way. I'm sorry that we did not have the right empathy and understanding. (...) We take rapid measures to become the understanding, caring companies (...) and to ensure a secure environment. In our company there is no place for discrimination, harassment or unequal treatment of any kind. We will do everything to make sure we are Together to improve and build the type of integrative workplace that is essential for the promotion of creativity and inspiration. "

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I Find the Video Embarrassing and I Apologize to the Player Who Asked The Question and All Others Who Were Disappointed with our "Answer." I Think There Are More Important Voices That WE Need to Hear Right Now. BUT THE VIDEO CAN BE A REMINDER THAT WE CAN BE BETTER.

GC OUT

• Greg Street (@Ghostcrawler) July 25, 2021

Update of 25 July 2021, 12:15 pm:

While the executives of Activision Blizzard can not decide whether the allegations raised are "disturbing" or "unfounded" (see below), over 20 employees have publicly criticized the company's reactions to the reports on sexual harassment and discrimination in the workplace. Some WoW developers have laid their work from "solidarity with women".

"Many of us do not work today from solidarity with the women who have written to speak," Jeremy Feasel wrote (Lead Game Designer of World of Warcraft). "The statements of abbey [Activision Blizzard King] do not represent our attitude. We believe the women and we will continue to strive to make it better and to take others to take responsibility." Tats speak louder than words. "

The WoW team has a "mixture of outrage, grief and pain through," said Narrative Designer Steve Danuser. The statements from the publisher referred to as "bullshit statements". It is much more important to generally improve the corporate culture and the games industry, he said.

Olivia Burkhart (Associate Producer at Blizzard): "The last days made me angry with the company, for whom I work, but so proud of the people I work with. Everyone gather, listen, speak against the cruel Reactions and demand measures. We are here, we are angry and not so easy to silence. "

Chris Metzen, who had worked until 2016 as a Senior Vice President of Story and Franchise Development at Blizzard, found more clear words than the former Blizzard boss Mike Morhaime and apologized. "We failed and I'm sorry," he started his opinion. "I would like to apologize to all at Blizzard - those I know; and those I've never met - for the role I've played in a culture that promoted harassment, inequality and indifference."

This is Later Than It Should Have Been. Here's my Response. pic.twitter.com/0h8if6a1jr

• Chris Metzen (@Chrymetzen) July 24, 2021

Original message from 24th July 2021, 14:18 clock:

The working conditions and the corporate culture of Activision Blizzard has been violently in criticism for several days. In a lawsuit of the "California Department of Fair Employment and Housing" (DFEH) based on a multi-year investigation of the US authority, heavier allegations are charged against the company, etc.. Sexual harassment of female employees. Further disadvantages in case of payment, promotion opportunities, work allocation and the general treatment of women are listed. The corporate governance failed to take measures to prevent discrimination and harassment as well as equality, states (for the application). The aim of the action is to achieve improving working conditions.

An "ubiquitous frate-boy culture in the workplace" (Frat-Boy: a young man who behaves in an impetuous or silly way, which is considered typical of members of some university chances; Frat-Boys think that was Better than anyone else are because they belong to a student connection). Added to drinking in the office, sexist jokes, open jokes about rape and the delegation of tasks to women, so that men could play. From carriage women should often have been exempt because they can become pregnant. Even casual sayings, when women picked up their children from the Kita, were mentioned by way of example. In the action, an Activision employee is mentioned, which took life, while she was with a (male) supervisor on a business trip. Sexual harassment and the transfer of nude photos (during a company party) will be described in the context.

In the course of the lawsuit (Bloomberg and Jason Schreier), numerous former employees of Activision Blizzard have reported to speak and published their own reports on working conditions (list at reddit). Their experiences in part hardening the charges raised.

In a first statement (Kotaku), Activision Blizzard refers to the DFEH and its action as a "irresponsible behavior of irresponsible state bureauc rates". The Corporate Speaker writes that the action would be included in the past of Blizzard in many cases incorrect or from context and the Dfeh did not communicate the results of its investigation to the company in advance. It is said that a total of a rupture was created, nothing to do with today's workplace.

"We appreciate diversity and strive to promote a job that offers for all inclusion. In our company or in our industry, or in any industry, there is no room for sexual misconduct or harassment of any kind. We take every allegiance seriously and go All allegations. In cases associated with misconduct, measures were taken to solve the problem, "says the statement.

In the further course, some executives of Activision and Blizzard Entertainment have speaked in internal letters. They are dismantled over the allegations. They assume, to finen the reports and to find solutions. Even Mike Morhaime (ex-president of Blizzard; until 2018) was shocked, expressed his compassion and apologized for any mistakes he had done back then.

As a result of the allegations, The Gamer, Gamexplain, and other websites / outlets do not want to publish reports more about games, events and products of Activision Blizzard until the work and corporate culture would improve. Some of this reporting latter is valid for Ubisoft's title. In World of Warcraft, numerous players demonstrate their solidarity and posed in Oribos and / or drained the WOW channels on Reddit.

At Activision Blizzard Spokesman Sent Me a Length Statement Calling The Allegations "Distorted, and in Many Cases False" and Refring to the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing as "Unaccountable State Bureaucrats." pic.twitter.com/l9rinw0uz9

• Jason Schreier (@jasonschreifere) July 22, 2021

Activision Blizzard Executive Fran Townsend, Who What The Homeland Security Advisor To George W. Bush From 2004-2007 and Joined Activision in March, Sent Out A Very Different Child of Email That Has Some Blizzard Employees Fuming. pic.twitter.com/bxGem turyf

• Jason Schreier (@jasonschreifere) July 23, 2021

Activision president Rob Kostich emailed employees yesterday calling the DFEH allegations "deeply disturbing," claiming that the "behaviors described are not reflective of our Activison company values." https://t.co/bVioTSOM5y pic.twitter.com/dCqQ7PSSYV

— Nicole Carpenter (@sweetpotatoes) July 23, 2021