Activision Blizzard J. Allen Brack described the allegations as “extremely troubling.”
This week, the California Fair Jobs and Housing Department (DFEH) lodged a lawsuit against Activision Blizzard for alleged sexual harassment and discrimination against women. Activision Blizzard Entertainment President J. Allen Brack wrote in a statement to staff obtained by Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier that “the claims and harm suffered by current and former employees are extremely troubling.”
Brack wrote that “it is totally unacceptable for anyone in Activision Blizzard to encounter discrimination or harassment,” and that everyone should feel safe in Activision BlizzardActivision Blizzard. He noted that people need courage to come up with their stories and that all the claims made to the company are taken seriously and investigated.
“ToActivision Blizzard, our teams and our player community, people with different backgrounds, viewpoints and experiences are essential,” Brack wrote. “I disdain ‘brother culture’ and have been fighting it for my career.”
The DFEH sued former World of Warcraft Senior Creating Director Alex Afrasiabi for a series of allegations. The Agency alleged that Afrasiabi “was allowed to engage in flagrant sexual harassment with little or no impact,” and that the activity was an open secret.
Brack is said to be among those who knew of the alleged actions of Afrasiabi. Brack, DFEH claimed, “allegedly had several discussions with Afrasiabi about his drink and was “too friendly” to women at company events but gave Afrasiabi a hand-slap in response to these incidents.” After the alleged talks, Afrasiabi “continued to make unwanted strides for female employees,” including toppling one of them.
DFEH reported that in early 2019 a Activision Blizzard employee informed Brack that people left the company due to sexual harassment and sexism. The worker alleges that the Battle.net team of women has “fallen under discredit comment,” that “the environment is similar to working in the frat house,” and that women who are not “great gamers” or “in the party scene” are “excluded and treated as outsiders.”
The allegations were denied by Activision Blizzard. It claimed that the complaint “included distorted and often false descriptions of the past of Activision Blizzard.” The company also accused the DFEH of “disgraceful and unprofessional” behavior, which investigated Activision Blizzard for two years, and claimed that it did not make a “good faith efforts” to resolve complaints before recourse to legal proceedings.
Latest: September 2024
