Activision Blizzard Sued Over ‘Frat Boy’ Culture, Harassment

All other video games not related to the main farming series - Pokemon, Stardew Valley, My Time at Portia, and other indie-developed games.
User avatar
Terranigma Freak
Ultimate Farming Fanatic
Ultimate Farming Fanatic
Posts: 1401
Joined: Oct 31, 2000 8:07 am

Post  Posted:

https://news.bloomberglaw.com/daily-lab ... oy-culture

Video game giant Activision Blizzard Inc., maker of games including World of Warcraft and Diablo, fosters a “frat boy” culture in which female employees are subjected to constant sexual harassment, unequal pay, and retaliation, according to a lawsuit filed by the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing.

A two-year investigation by the state agency found that the company discriminated against female employees in terms and conditions of employment, including compensation, assignment, promotion, and termination. Company leadership consistently failed to take steps to prevent discrimination, harassment, and retaliation, the agency said.

According to the complaint, filed Tuesday in the Los Angeles Superior Court, female employees make up around 20% of the Activision workforce, and are subjected to a “pervasive frat boy workplace culture,” including “cube crawls,” in which male employees “drink copious amounts of alcohol as they crawl their way through various cubicles in the office and often engage in inappropriate behavior toward female employees.”

Also, one of their female employees committed suicide on a company trip. Many people believe it was Blizzcon. People harassed her and passed around her nude photos during company holiday party.
User avatar
Mikodesu
Huggy Chickens
Huggy Chickens
Posts: 313
Joined: Apr 07, 2016 7:45 pm

Post  Posted:

Hot damn let's GO! (The claims read EXACTLY like claims against Rockstar. And I don't think ANYTHING has come of that yet.) Wonder if it's just a general class action against the company or if they're suing anyone specific. Known waste of skin Bobby Kottick, perhaps? We can only hope.

I wonder if this will impact their tax status (Activision gets millions in subsidies...by the way, to say nothing of their tax evasion). Probably only if there's some conviction.

I follow enough gaming news to believe that I'll hear more as this goes on. Ubisoft next! *clap*
User avatar
Kikki
UNoT Extreme Mooomber
UNoT Extreme Mooomber
Posts: 4252
Joined: Apr 14, 2015 6:01 am

Post  Posted:

I hope everyone involved gets what they truly deserve.
User avatar
Terranigma Freak
Ultimate Farming Fanatic
Ultimate Farming Fanatic
Posts: 1401
Joined: Oct 31, 2000 8:07 am

Post  Posted:

Mikodesu wrote:Hot damn let's GO! (The claims read EXACTLY like claims against Rockstar. And I don't think ANYTHING has come of that yet.) Wonder if it's just a general class action against the company or if they're suing anyone specific. Known waste of skin Bobby Kottick, perhaps? We can only hope.

I wonder if this will impact their tax status (Activision gets millions in subsidies...by the way, to say nothing of their tax evasion). Probably only if there's some conviction.

I follow enough gaming news to believe that I'll hear more as this goes on. Ubisoft next! *clap*
I don't recall anything about Rockstar. This instance seems to be the state is suing Activision/Blizzard. It is « Cow Poopy » of Rockstart got away with something similar.
User avatar
Mikodesu
Huggy Chickens
Huggy Chickens
Posts: 313
Joined: Apr 07, 2016 7:45 pm

Post  Posted:

I'd say what Ubisoft got away with is probably worse - shuffling around executives who got accused of sexual abuse a la the Catholic Church. Very little has come of it, other than execs getting to resign with cushy bonus packages... very cool.

I'm to the point that I think if I get Mario + Rabbids 2, I'll get it used. I don't want to give these companies money anymore.

A lot of the accusations about Rockstar work culture came out around the release of Red Dead Redemption 2. Sexual abuse got overshadowed by crunch culture, but...yeah. Very, 'boys club' type horse « Cow Poopoo ». And I don't think anything has changed.
User avatar
Terranigma Freak
Ultimate Farming Fanatic
Ultimate Farming Fanatic
Posts: 1401
Joined: Oct 31, 2000 8:07 am

Post  Posted:

Mikodesu wrote:I'd say what Ubisoft got away with is probably worse - shuffling around executives who got accused of sexual abuse a la the Catholic Church. Very little has come of it, other than execs getting to resign with cushy bonus packages... very cool.

I'm to the point that I think if I get Mario + Rabbids 2, I'll get it used. I don't want to give these companies money anymore.

A lot of the accusations about Rockstar work culture came out around the release of Red Dead Redemption 2. Sexual abuse got overshadowed by crunch culture, but...yeah. Very, 'boys club' type horse « Cow Poopoo ». And I don't think anything has changed.
Yeah, Ubi Soft is always on my « Cow Poopoo » list. I am aware of crunch for Rockstar games, but I guess I shouldn't be surprised.

I don't buy or own games from any of these accused companies, luckily.

Also don't play Free-To-Play « Puppy Doodoo » from a certain authoritarian government.
User avatar
Bluie
UNoT Extreme Mooomber
UNoT Extreme Mooomber
Posts: 3262
Joined: Jun 29, 2005 11:02 am

Post  Posted:

Annnd the exodus from WoW to FFXIV is going to get even larger now. Several world servers are super congested right now due to a few very popular WoW streamers deciding to quit the game in favor of FFXIV, but that was mostly because the newest expac was disappointing. With this now out in the open, I can guarantee there's going to be even more people making the jump to both clean their hands of the company and continue having something to play.

That being said, « Snuggly Bunny » Blizzard and all the asswipes involved.
User avatar
Terranigma Freak
Ultimate Farming Fanatic
Ultimate Farming Fanatic
Posts: 1401
Joined: Oct 31, 2000 8:07 am

Post  Posted:

Several Gaming sites have now vowed to not cover news for Acti/Blizz after this came out.
Post Reply