Activision Blizzard Sued By California Over ‘Frat Boy’ Culture

[Lucavi]

There was an interview with Kaplan around the time that OW2 was announced that made it sound like a lot of the team started work on OW2 after the first year.

Which makes it even more mind-blowing how the sequel is reportedly so far from release.

The decision always smacked of corporate bullshit, mandating that development stop immediately and proceed to the new one in order to hit some stupid deadline.

[Nitsuki]

Just call him Blitzchung McShoot

[6souls]

https://twitter.com/GamesBeat/status...41246769102856

[6souls]

https://www.axios.com/activision-18-...b1739e0db.html
https://investor.activision.com/cons...cree-with-EEOC

ActiBlizz is settling with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission for $18M.

• In a 49-page consent decree, the company technically denied any wrongdoing but agreed to a three-year period of extensive oversight.
• According to the agreement, which is subject to a judge's approval, Activision Blizzard will establish "an $18 million fund to compensate and make amends to eligible claimants." (Activision's operating income for its most recent quarter was $959 million.)
• Eligible employees have to have worked for one of the company's U.S. locations since Sept. 1, 2016.

Between the lines: The EEOC lawsuit from earlier today said the agency investigated Activision for over 2 1/2 years and found that employees were "subjected [to] sexual harassment" and that the company, when notified, "failed to take corrective and preventative measures."

• It also alleged that the company discriminated against pregnant employees and retaliated against workers who took issue with the aforementioned behaviors.
• The EEOC sought a jury trial, adding to pressure Activision is facing from a harassment and discrimination suit by the state of California, and investigations by the National Labor Relations Board and the SEC.
• Beyond the compensation fund, settlement terms include improved anti-harassment training, oversight by an independent consultant, regular reports to the EEOC, explicit policies about the consumption of alcohol at company events and the expansion of mental health support for employees.

[synistar]

https://twitter.com/KirstenGrind/sta...41844346298371

[Deejay]

they also paid the woman co-lead less than the man co-lead along with sexually harrassing her before she left after her 3 month tenure

certified yikers

[arus2001]

Kotick makes PR vomit in reply, board rejoices, some employees arranging walk-outs wanting him fired. The circle of shit continues.

[Prothescar]

theyll just release another cash shop mount and turn some more women into bowls of fruit, the meme articles and reddit posts will drown out all the serious ones again

[Bweigelt]

they also paid the woman co-lead less than the man co-lead along with sexually harrassing her before she left after her 3 month tenure

certified yikers

To top it off this all happened after the lawsuit was revealed. So even after having all their BS revealed, they still pulled this shit with her. Just unbelievable.

[synistar]

She was a victim of harassment as well as being paid less for her position as an executive - https://twitter.com/benfritz/status/1460641027295903746

[6souls]

https://twitter.com/KirstenGrind/sta...41844346298371

https://www.gamedeveloper.com/busine...damning-report
https://investor.activision.com/news...ment-regarding

The Activision board supports Kotick.

"The Activision Blizzard board remains committed to the goal of making Activision Blizzard the most welcoming and inclusive company in the industry," the board said in a statement following the report.

The statement is attributed to the wider Activision Blizzard board of directors, which includes directors Reveta Bowers, Robert Corti, Hendrik Hartong III, Barry Meyer, Peter Nolan, Dawn Ostroff, and Casey Wasserman, along with chairman Brian Kelly, lead independent director Robert Morgado, and Kotick himself.

"Under Bobby Kotick's leadership the company is already implementing industry leading-changes including a zero tolerance harassment policy, a dedication to achieving significant increases to the percentages of women and non-binary people in our workforce and significant internal and external investments to accelerate opportunities for diverse talent.

"The board remains confident that Bobby Kotick appropriately addressed workplace issues brought to his attention."

[6souls]

Also,

https://twitter.com/RBryant2012/stat...17347111534592

[Karbuncle]

I've always hated Bobby Kotick and this is just another reason too. Wish I could say this would have any consequences for him but even best case scenario he gets a golden parachute and retires on a giant fortune while likely still receiving kickbacks until he dies.

[Melena]

https://www.gamedeveloper.com/busine...damning-report
https://investor.activision.com/news...ment-regarding

The Activision board supports Kotick.

Some major shareholders are starting to revolt though. Lifted from an update from a Kotaku post about it.

A group of shareholders, led by union pension group the SOC Investment Group called for the resignation of Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick and the retirement of two other members of the board of directors: Brian Kelly and Robert Morgado. The letter was also signed by a handful of other investment groups, several of which focus on supporting women across various industries. While the total shares held by investors calling for Kotick to resign is unknown, any calls for a CEO’s resignation are seen as a very bad sign for the state of a company. It’s extremely rare that the interests of labor and shareholders align, which is a testament to just how badly Bobby Kotick has continually fucked up, damaging not only his company but also the lives of dozens of women therein.

[Krandor]

Unless it can be proven that his being CEO is costing the major shareholders money he won't be going anywhere.

[6souls]

https://twitter.com/jasonschreier/st...856858629?s=20

[6souls]

https://www.gamedeveloper.com/busine...damning-report
https://investor.activision.com/news...ment-regarding

The Activision board supports Kotick.

https://www.gamedeveloper.com/cultur...-hands-meeting

ActiBliz doubles down on it's support of Kotick.

Sources speaking to Game Developer say that Activision Blizzard leadership continued to stand by Kotick in that internal call (which took place earlier this morning, and wasn't recorded), and tried to address employee concerns about yesterday's damning report (via the Wall Street Journal).

Members of the leadership team led the meeting itself, and read and responded to pre-screened questions submitted by employees. Though much of the meeting reiterated the company's defenses issued yesterday, employees learned two key revelations about how leadership has been managing the crisis. Multiple sources described the meeting to Game Developer, and confirmed the following points were made:

First, it was revealed that Activision Blizzard extended the company's Thanksgiving break to a full week after learning that the Wall Street Journal article would be published this week. This seems to indicate that Activision Blizzard was well aware of the Journal's investigation, and planned its defenses of Kotick and company leadership in advance.

Second, employees who asked about if Activision Blizzard's zero-tolerance policy would apply to Kotick himself, given his alleged past actions at the center of the WSJ report, were told that the company did not "have evidence" of claims against him, because they happened over a decade ago.

[Katlan]

they are all going to support him and within a week he will be stepping down. That way everyone gets what they want and he walks away with a gold ticket paycheck

[Shenrien]

Some major shareholders are starting to revolt though. Lifted from an update from a Kotaku post about it.

I see so many people that mention this but the group of stakeholders that are calling for him to step down make up 0.8% of the company with how many shares they hold, said group also has demanded he step down multiple times through out the years. He aint going anywhere.

[Melena]

Stock is down over 28% this year, in part due to all the controversy. It may not cause anything now, but if it continues to slide, patience will wear thin.