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July 28, 2021Employees are walking out.
According to TheWashingtonPost:
Employees from Activision Blizzard joined a walkout Wednesday, rallying at the headquarters of Blizzard Entertainment in Irvine, California, to protest the company’s response to a recent discrimination and sexual harassment lawsuit. The suit, filed by the state of California’s Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) against Activision Blizzard on July 20 in Los Angeles Superior Court, alleges multiple instances of gender-based discrimination, inequality and harassment throughout Activision Blizzard’s network of companies.
At the rally, attended by more than 350 people, one sign read: “Unaccountable corporate bureaucrats are driving the best employees out of Activision Blizzard.” Another read “Nerf Male Privilege,” using a game development term for weakening or tuning down an in-game mechanic. The walkout started at 10 a.m. Pacific time, and is slated to end at 2 p.m.
Companies in the area sent food trucks out to support Blizzard employees in the walkout, catering and porta potties were donated anonymously and people have been driving by, honking in support, according to current employees present at the walkout. The employees spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation for speaking to media.
Social media users also urged gamers to avoid crossing “the virtual picket line” by playing games published by Activision Blizzard, including “Overwatch,” “World of Warcraft” and any Call of Duty title.
The issues cited by the DFEH lawsuit against Activision Blizzard have been raised about a number of other video game publishing companies over the years. Employees of Ubisoft, another major video game publisher based in Paris that recently ousted several executives following reports of workplace harassment and toxicity, authored an open letter in solidarity with Activision Blizzard employees, sending it to the company’s CEO, Yves Guillemot.
“It is clear, from the frequency of these reports, that there is a widespread and deeply ingrained culture of abusive behaviour [sic] within the industry,” the letter, a copy of which was obtained by The Washington Post, reads. “It should no longer be a surprise to anyone: employees, executives, journalists, or fans that these heinous acts are going on.”
