Patch 9.1 Hotfixes - July 21, 2021, Activision Blizzard Sued By California

Update: Added Blizzard's statement on the lawsuit

Patch 9.1 Hotfixes - July 21, 2021
Originally Posted by Blizzard (Blue Tracker / Official Forums)
Classes
  • Druid
    • Born Anew's (Conduit) primary stat bonus reduces to 20 upon the beginning of a new encounter.
      • Developers’ note: The intent of this bonus is to provide a benefit when using resurrections in combat. But it is best to avoid situations where players might feel compelled to min/max something like this before starting a pull.
  • Priest
    • Shadow
      • Shadow Crash's (Talent) ground visual will now match the area effect.
      • Void Volley's (PvP Talent) ground visuals will now match the area effect and has more defined edges.
  • Warrior
    • Arms
      • Fixed an issue where Swift Patrol (Niya Soulbind) caused the auto-attack timer to reset.

Creatures ad NPCs
  • Players now have a 2 second grace period to keep their vision of targets within the area contained by the Soul Chains between the Soul Cages during the Mor'geth encounter.
  • Reduced the number of Prince Renathals in Sinfall. Press F to pay respects.

Dungeons and Raids
  • Sanctum of Domination
    • Defeating Sylvanas Windrunner on Mythic difficulty will now reward 2 Vengeance’s Reins.
    • Remnant of Ner’zhul
      • Players can no longer cause a second orb to become non-interactable while carrying an Orb of Torment.
  • Plaguefall
    • You must now defeat the first three bosses of the dungeon before the door to Margrave Stradama opens on all difficulties.
      • Developers’ note: The first two bosses of the dungeon were frequently being skipped in lower-difficulty dungeons, typically by groups who were trying to earn Renown much faster than intended. To improve players' Renown earnings, we've also added a chance for Renown to be earned by completing layers in Torghast (see hotfix below).

Items and Rewards
  • Teleporter Repair Kits should no longer have a Unique count and will now stack to 50.
  • Repaired Riftkeys will also now stack to 50.
    • Developers’ note: Early in development, Teleporter Repair Kits and Repaired Riftkeys were only available from the vendor. Based on player feedback of not knowing if they were worth purchasing, we decided to have them drop occasionally as well. Now that these items dropped and became out of player’s control, we should have removed the unique cap on the Teleporter Repair Kits then. Also, since you have access to purchasing the Teleporter Repair Kits or Repaired Rift Keys, we are disabling them from going to mail if you loot one with a full inventory so they will no longer fill up your mailbox.

  • The item levels of Conduits sold by the Rated PvP vendor have been corrected.
  • Fixed an issue where the Salvaged Fusion Amplifier was not dropping for Marksmanship and Beastmaster Hunters.

Quests
  • Fixed an issue during “Nal’ragas” that caused internal text to be visible to users of certain nameplate addons.

Torghast
  • Renown is now a possible reward from Torghast completions, with better chances at Renown coming from higher Torghast difficulties.

Activision Blizzard Sued By California
According to a Bloomberg law article, Activision Blizzard is being sued over 'frat boy' culture after a 2-year investigation by the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing. For more information, check out the article below, and read the full court filing.



Blizzard provided Polygon with a statement responding to the lawsuit:

Originally Posted by Blizzard Entertainment
We value diversity and strive to foster a workplace that offers inclusivity for everyone. There is no place in our company or industry, or any industry, for sexual misconduct or harassment of any kind. We take every allegation seriously and investigate all claims. In cases related to misconduct, action was taken to address the issue.

The DFEH includes distorted, and in many cases false, descriptions of Blizzard’s past. We have been extremely cooperative with the DFEH throughout their investigation, including providing them with extensive data and ample documentation, but they refused to inform us what issues they perceived. They were required by law to adequately investigate and to have good faith discussions with us to better understand and to resolve any claims or concerns before going to litigation, but they failed to do so. Instead, they rushed to file an inaccurate complaint, as we will demonstrate in court. We are sickened by the reprehensible conduct of the DFEH to drag into the complaint the tragic suicide of an employee whose passing has no bearing whatsoever on this case and with no regard for her grieving family. While we find this behavior to be disgraceful and unprofessional, it is unfortunately an example of how they have conducted themselves throughout the course of their investigation. It is this type of irresponsible behavior from unaccountable State bureaucrats that are driving many of the State’s best businesses out of California.

The picture the DFEH paints is not the Blizzard workplace of today. Over the past several years and continuing since the initial investigation started, we’ve made significant changes to address company culture and reflect more diversity within our leadership teams. We’ve amplified internal programs and channels for employees to report violations, including the “ASK List” with a confidential integrity hotline, and introduced an Employee Relations team dedicated to investigating employee concerns. We have strengthened our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion and combined our Employee Networks at a global level, to provide additional support. Employees must also undergo regular anti-harassment training and have done so for many years.

We put tremendous effort in creating fair and rewarding compensation packages and policies that reflect our culture and business, and we strive to pay all employees fairly for equal or substantially similar work. We take a variety of proactive steps to ensure that pay is driven by non-discriminatory factors. For example, we reward and compensate employees based on their performance, and we conduct extensive anti-discrimination trainings including for those who are part of the compensation process.

We are confident in our ability to demonstrate our practices as an equal opportunity employer that fosters a supportive, diverse, and inclusive workplace for our people, and we are committed to continuing this effort in the years to come. It is a shame that the DFEH did not want to engage with us on what they thought they were seeing in their investigation.
This article was originally published in forum thread: Patch 9.1 Hotfixes - July 21, 2021, Activision Blizzard Sued By California started by Stoy View original post
Published on 2021-07-22 02:18 AM
356 Comments
Comments 355 Comments
  1. Xilurm's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by ArenaDk View Post
    Where is the proof ?! People saying something is no proof.

    - - - Updated - - -



    Because english isnt my native tongue. Iam sorry if that made it harder to understand. But Again, from what we know the US GOV , hasnt released any effidence, so you believe them on a promise that they may have some. Thats called a witch hunt
    If this wasn't legit then why did Blizzard have to explicitely make a statement about it? They literally say that Blizzard was like this. Obviously they are not going to go, "well we still are like this" now will they?
  1. ArenaDk's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Xilurm View Post
    If this wasn't legit then why did Blizzard have to explicitely make a statement about it? They literally say that Blizzard was like this. Obviously they are not going to go, "well we still are like this" now will they?
    Because Blizzard is always doing damage prevention? remember the Kael voice actor? got removed forever seconds after the allegations came out , even so they turned out to be false
  1. NordWitcher's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Xilurm View Post
    They are virtual signaling so damn hard.

    Bitch, no one cares about you preaching about diversity if the people you hire are gonna be treated like shit.
    Hit the nail on the head. In age of social media where almost everyone is virtual signaling to gain attention I hope we can finally get rid of this crap. Its even worse than the act itself at times cause you are simply using the act to make you feel special regardless if you care about the said act or not.
  1. azuraji's Avatar
    It's virtue signaling, not "virtual" signaling *sigh*
  1. Fastlane_hellscream's Avatar
    From the article:
    “The picture the DFEH paints is not the Blizzard workplace of today,” the company said.
    Talk about the most stupid response in history. Kind of like admitting you are a rapist, however... today you haven't found a victim yet.

    The investigation likely looked at complaints from a very large segment of time, so how in the fuck does it matter if the workplace of today is great or not. They need to pay a firm for damage control...cause the shit they are saying makes them look like complete fuckin idiots.

    - - - Updated - - -

    My biggest complaint about blizzard previous to this lawsuit news...was simply they take forever to get new content out. Pretty obvious that there is a good reason it takes so long now...
    cube crawling
    .

    "Hey Dave, did you troubleshot bug xIv45 yet?"
    "Not yet, I'm searching for my whiskey under Suzie's desk, I'll be right with you!"

    What a piece of shit company...
  1. Josyel's Avatar
    Woah, woman trying to get money using the "SEX ABUSE BY MEAN MALES" card. Im surprised it took that long.
  1. Vasilisa's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Josyel View Post
    Woah, woman trying to get money using the "SEX ABUSE BY MEAN MALES" card. Im surprised it took that long.
    Especially the dead one /facepalm
    I agree that we should wait before starting witch hunting against Blizzard but at the same time we should wait with claiming that Blizzard is innocent and the charges are false. That's what court trial is for.
  1. Xilurm's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by ArenaDk View Post
    Because Blizzard is always doing damage prevention? remember the Kael voice actor? got removed forever seconds after the allegations came out , even so they turned out to be false
    They were just trying to save their own skin.

    Quote Originally Posted by azuraji View Post
    It's virtue signaling, not "virtual" signaling *sigh*
    Oops, my bad.
  1. Verdugo's Avatar
    I love how in current political climate people cant help themselves and admit they are rotting pieces of human waste, definitely taking notes here.
  1. Voidwielder's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Vasilisa View Post
    Especially the dead one /facepalm
    I agree that we should wait before starting witch hunting against Blizzard but at the same time we should wait with claiming that Blizzard is innocent and the charges are false. That's what court trial is for.
    These cases are extremely difficult to tilt in favour of the defendant, it's usually ''my word against his/hers''. Unless they have actual text messages, audio and video recordings but that stuff can also be easily invalidated in court if gathered improperly but US laws are weird in this regard.

    Odds are, ActiBlizz will lawyer up and settle quietly.
  1. ArenaDk's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Vasilisa View Post
    Especially the dead one /facepalm
    I agree that we should wait before starting witch hunting against Blizzard but at the same time we should wait with claiming that Blizzard is innocent and the charges are false. That's what court trial is for.
    but blizzard currently is inoccent lmao . if you all want to do witch hunts log in to twitter and join there
  1. I HATE CHAOS's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by ArenaDk View Post
    but blizzard currently is inoccent lmao . if you all want to do witch hunts log in to twitter and join there
    They are not... If you read the lawyer talk carefully while they claim its exaggerated they in no way deny the claim.
  1. SinR's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by I HATE CHAOS View Post
    They are not... If you read the lawyer talk carefully while they claim its exaggerated they in no way deny the claim.
    BINGO!

    "The picture the DFEH paints is not the Blizzard workplace of today."
  1. Yooginava182's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Antherios View Post
    The investigation started 2 years ago .. my (very uninformed) guess is that's why they stepped down.

    But yeah, I share your sentiment
    Metzen left the company in 2016. Morhaime announced in 2018 that he was leaving then officially stepped down in 2019. I don't think Metzen is in that boat... I hope. But Mike could possibly... but I agree.. i hope they aren't involved...
  1. korijenkins's Avatar
    You know, the statement they gave is kinda hard to take seriously given the woman who killed herself due to workplace harassment.

    That alone is damning. That alone warrants criminal charges against people at that office. Obviously they won't happen and the most we'll see is a fine, but damn.
  1. Simpson123's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Josyel View Post
    Woah, woman trying to get money using the "SEX ABUSE BY MEAN MALES" card. Im surprised it took that long.
    Tell me you’ve never spoken to a female in real life without telling me you’ve never spoken to a female in real life.
  1. Deferionus's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by anon5123 View Post
    And now we get to have another round of people shitting all over Blizzard based on accusations and allegations.

    We've learned nothing from the last bajillion times this happened and the allegations turned out to be greatly exaggerated / false.
    "Allegations" in this case is following a two year investigation by the state of California, is accompanied by dozens of former Blizzard employees on twitter saying they saw the behavior first hand, a signed death certificate, and a legal response from Blizzard that does not outright deny that claims, but only states "This is not Blizzard today." What more do you need? This isn't some disgruntled 25 year old cute blonde pointing fingers in a civil lawsuit.
  1. shise's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Siglius View Post
    You can't be serious right? The one man actually named in the lawsuit is Alex Afrasiabi who has been with Blizz since before WoW launched and he was allegedly involved in an incident in 2013. This goes waaaaay back. You don't get to blame this shit on Activision or whatever.

    This is as old Blizzard as it fucking gets.
    Honestly, the old team created the best version of WoW. So I am willing to look away... At least they created a masterpiece.
    I do hope that nothing of this is true, but if it is, I hope it is the newer people, so we finally get ride of them.
  1. Kolvarg's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Deferionus View Post
    "Allegations" in this case is following a two year investigation by the state of California
    And allegations they are until evidence is prevented and judged in court, no matter who is making them.

    Quote Originally Posted by Deferionus View Post
    a legal response from Blizzard that does not outright deny that claims, but only states "This is not Blizzard today." What more do you need? This isn't some disgruntled 25 year old cute blonde pointing fingers in a civil lawsuit.
    No, it isn't. But then again, from reading the actual document, until they actually present the evidence, it seems to be basically a compilation of reports/complaints by employees. The odd one out being the suicide, which in my opinion should be criminally investigated and the involved people charged criminally.


    Don't get me wrong, I certainly don't believe they are innocent, as far as I'm concerned it's possible that indeed some of the reports are exaggerated, as is possible that it's actually worse and even shadier things than they are alleging have happened. But ultimately they should be judged based on facts, not on what I or anyone else believes.
  1. Zandalarian Paladin's Avatar
    Lots of wolves disguised as sheeps in this. Sometime the loudest voices are the worst offenders.

    With that said, bro culture has to go. People need to understand each others and it's not going to happen if you're all acting like 20 years old college students in a fraternity.
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