The State of California Has Charged More People At Activision Blizzard With Sexual Harassment
This article contains references to sexual harassment and transphobic behavior.
The state of California has updated its lawsuit against Activision Blizzard to include a broader group of people.
The lawsuit was filed last month when the state of California discovered a “frat boy” working culture within Activision Blizzard. This culture was alleged to have caused discrimination against women at the company, as well as regular harassment and unequal pay for women. Transgender employees at the company claim they are regularly deadnamed at work as well.
Employees and fans staged several walkouts and protests, both virtual and real. Call of Duty Vanguard’s developer, Sledgehammer Games, issued a statement regarding the matter, stating that harassment of any kind goes against everything the studio stands for.
The lawsuit was initially filed by the state of California on behalf of Activision Blizzard employees. The word ‘workers’ has now been added to that language. As a result, temporary workers and contractors may also have been discriminated against at Activision Blizzard.
The state also accuses the publisher of tampering with evidence that could prove crucial in the investigation. The company, according to Axios, has stifled comments on the lawsuit by issuing NDAs that require employees to speak to the company before contacting DFEH [Department of Fair Employment and Housing]. Moreover, the company has ordered its personnel staff to shred critical documents that should have been retained for the investigation of the suit.
Activision Blizzard’s spokesperson denied these allegations. Shredding documents did not destroy information, contrary to claims made by the spokesperson. A relevant piece of information pertinent to the investigation of the DFEH was preserved.
The lawsuit led to a wave of departures at Activision Blizzard. Shortly after the news broke, Blizzard’s president J. Allen Brack resigned from his position. Luis Barriga and Jesse McCree, Diablo 4’s Director and Lead Designer, have also left the company.
