We’ve all heard about Blizzard, the video game company, but are you aware of its dark side? Sadly, the company’s nefarious activities have been as vile as its name implies. Here’s what you need to know about this controversial company:
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Activision Blizzard
The gaming community is abuzz with controversy over Activision Blizzard. Employees, incensed by the company’s recent sexual harassment lawsuit, considered unionizing. Unionization is rare in the gaming industry, and this decision was criticized by many. Employees signed an authorization card to join the Communications Workers of America. Hundreds of employees are now a part of the union.
Activision Blizzard’s workplace culture
Many people have wondered why Activision Blizzard has such a bad workplace culture. The reasons range from a lack of respect for women to a culture that encourages sexual harassment. However, it seems like Blizzard’s culture has been around for years. According to recent reports, women at the company were targeted unfairly during the 2019 layoffs. Women were denied promotions and were disproportionately targeted. While Activision has said they resorted to sex-based discrimination, the company has still failed to make any changes.
Activision’s merger with Blizzard
Employee advocates are asking regulators to investigate Activision’s merger with Blizzard, a major online gaming company. They say Blizzard’s management practices have resulted in unequal pay for men and women. In addition, Activision has been promoting men to positions of authority while promoting women to under-appreciated roles. But is Activision a bad company?
Activision’s lawsuit against Blizzard
The latest lawsuit against Blizzard came after the company was accused of sexual harassment. The lawsuit claims that some employees experienced “cube crawls,” in which men drank copious amounts of alcohol and crawled through cubicles. This behavior, among other things, included groping and inappropriate behavior. One employee even committed suicide as a result of this harassment. Activision’s response to the accusations was not satisfactory.
Activision’s settlement with the Journal
The latest Wall Street Journal report on the scandal at Activision Blizzard continues to focus on CEO Bobby Kotick’s inability to handle complaints of workplace harassment and rape. The Journal reports that Kotick knew about the abuse and failed to disclose it to the board. The Journal cites an email sent to Kotick that contains allegations of rape.
Activision’s sexual harassment lawsuit
A recent sexual harassment lawsuit against Activision Blizzard has been accompanied by several responses from executives and players. The lawsuit is based on multiple allegations of sexual harassment and workplace misconduct. The Activision Blizzard lawsuit claims that male employees abused women, joked about rape and passed off responsibility to female coworkers. In one instance, a female employee claimed that she was passed over for promotion due to her pregnancy. She also claims that a male employee retaliated against her when she complained about being sexually harassed by her coworkers.
Activision’s shady side
The recent investigation of Activision Blizzard has gotten a lot of attention. It started with a lawsuit filed by the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing, and escalated as employees, shareholders, and executives reacted. Fortunately, the company is attempting to address these issues, and it has made some positive steps to that end. However, the company is still facing criticism and has many negative elements that it must address before its reputation can become completely restored.