Facing an employee walkout, Activision Blizzard CEO says his company”s response to lawsuit was ”tone deaf”

Wednesday, 28 July 2021, 06:19:31
Activision Blizzard”s CEO Bobby Kotick admitted that the gaming company”s response to a California discrimination lawsuit was “tone deaf” amid a growing employee backlash and accusations of a “frat boy” work culture.
— CNN

WoW will remove ”inappropriate references” following California lawsuit

Wednesday, 28 July 2021, 05:55:10
The official World of Warcraft Twitter account has announced that it will take immediate action to “remove references that are not appropriate for [its] world.” While it didn”t elaborate on what those references are, they may pertain to in-game elements connected to its senior creative director Alex Afrasiabi, as Kotaku has noted. Afrasiabi was singled out in the lawsuit filed by California authorities accusing Activision Blizzard of fostering a “frat boy” culture that”s become a “breeding ground for harassment and discrimination against women.” A message from the #Warcraft team. pic.twitter.com/3gWCz1gu8T World of Warcraft (@Warcraft) July 27, 2021 According to the lawsuit, Afrasiabi is known for hitting on and touching female employees inappropriately in plain view of other male employees who would try to intervene and stop him. He apparently has such a notorious reputation within the company that his suite was nicknamed the “Crosby Suite after alleged rapist Bill Crosby.”(The lawsuit has misspelled Bill Cosby”s name.) In addition, executives allegedly knew about his behavior but “took no effective remedial measures.” Blizzard President J.
— Engadget

Activision Blizzard CEO Apologizes For ”tone Deaf” Response To Sexual Harassment Allegations

Wednesday, 28 July 2021, 05:09:14
(RTTNews) – In a letter to employees in the wake of a lawsuit alleging widespread sexual harassment and discrimination at the company, Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick described that the company”s initial responses to the lawsuit as “quite frankly tone deaf.” The CEO promises that the company is immediately evaluating managers and leaders
— Business Insider Markets

Activision Blizzard employees plan to walk out following the announcement Companys abhorrent response to discrimination lawsuit

Wednesday, 28 July 2021, 05:08:27
[We] appeal to the executive leadership team for improved conditions at the company for employees, particularly women. Activision Blizzard workers are organizing a walkout on the 28th of July to protest their response to Californias Department of Fair Employment and Housings recent lawsuit alleging that Activision Blizzards work culture was a breeding ground of harassment [] Activision Blizzard employees plan to walk out following the announcement Companys abhorrent response to discrimination lawsuit
— Newslanes

Activision Blizzard CEO says company response to sexism lawsuit was “tone deaf”

Wednesday, 28 July 2021, 05:07:12
CEO Bobby Kotick announced an investigation and deletion of in-game content
— Axios