Activision-Blizzard Sued By California

[Edge-]

The point is that the issue has been known and ignored at a level above them.

These were separate issues within Activision proper and their studios.

It doesn't make things better for Blizzard, but Kotick and the board now cannot pretend that all of those scandals hit them out of the blue and they themselves share responsibility because they knew of those issues but refused to implement any systemic changes.

The board likely can, because now we know that Kotick lied to them. Which puts his job in a bit of jeopardy. He's made them a ton of money over the years, but he's currently more and more of a liability and boards aren't big fans of their CEO's lying to them.

Kotick could've interfered but chose not to, it doesn't absolve Blizzard itself of the guilt, but Activision is now unable to wash their hands clean.

Again, separate issues. I doubt most of what happened within Blizzard filtered up to the Activision executive level, it stayed in-house. Just like what happened at Activision, including the recent allegations against Kotick, were purely within Activision and didn't filter down to Blizzard. Except for the bullshit with Jen and her getting paid less, which is so hilariously incompetent it's amusing.

Any talk of "Kotick should've kept Blizzard on a tighter leash" now goes out of the window.

I don't know anyone that was actually saying this, considering we've all largely assumed that the other shoe would drop for Activision sooner rather than later and even the earlier reporting did not present them in a positive light.

[Kralljin]

These were separate issues within Activision proper and their studios.

Doesn't change the fact that Activision had similiar issues and as such cases aren't exactly a fringe occurrence in the industry, company wide policies should've been implemented.

Again, separate issues. I doubt most of what happened within Blizzard filtered up to the Activision executive level, it stayed in-house. Just like what happened at Activision, including the recent allegations against Kotick, were purely within Activision and didn't filter down to Blizzard. Except for the bullshit with Jen and her getting paid less, which is so hilariously incompetent it's amusing.

Something i doubt, especially HR is used to have a bit more "indirect" influence as parent company and i can absolutely imagine that Blizzard HR "was told" to handle such reports in a more discreet manner.

I'm not saying Kotick knew of every single case but rather helped to create the enviroment where these reports lead to nothing.

[Cosmic Janitor]

Except for the bullshit with Jen and her getting paid less, which is so hilariously incompetent it's amusing.

That is actually the most hilarious part. They can't even set up the token character properly to the point where they undermine her whole existence as a PR tool by cheaping out on paying her at least the first couple of years fully like Yibarra. That is just a headscratcher. I mean seriously, how can you fuck it up this badly, it's not like they get millions each year, they can probably pay a scuffed leadership position from their petty cash drawer.

[dope_danny]

So now theres a walkout at activision asking for bobby to be canned.

Boy the shills ready to push season of mastery in a few hours are in a tight spot huh?

[Edge-]

That is actually the most hilarious part. They can't even set up the token character properly to the point where they undermine her whole existence as a PR tool by cheaping out on paying her at least the first couple of years fully like Yibarra. That is just a headscratcher. I mean seriously, how can you fuck it up this badly, it's not like they get millions each year, they can probably pay a scuffed leadership position from their petty cash drawer.

Between fucking up Jen's promotion as the "token woman" (which isn't to insult or discredit her, she's legit as fuck and did a fantastic job running VV), and the revelation that the note from Fran Townsend was actually written by Kotick, who sent it to her to send out - functionally throwing her under the bus for his own vitriol - I'm left wonder who Kotick thinks he's convincing when he says he's totally not sexist and totally respects women and shit.

Fuck Fran for plenty of other reasons, still, but she got done dirty by Kotick with that bullshit letter.

Seriously, the whole leadership team needs to go, but at the very least I hope the board shitcans Kotick and finds some way to claw back as much of his golden parachute as they can.

[Kallisto]

Yeah i don't think theres any salvaging these company reps at this point.

Nah all it will take is for another company to have something found against them (since they're all in on it) and everyone will forget about Activision-Blizzard. Lots of people forgot about the same shit going on at Ubisoft, Square-Enix accusations etc.

[dope_danny]

Nah all it will take is for another company to have something found against them (since they're all in on it) and everyone will forget about Activision-Blizzard. Lots of people forgot about the same shit going on at Ubisoft, Square-Enix accusations etc.

People having been going to bat for blizzard saying this since blitzchung. That was over two years ago and the shitshows never stopped. Theres only so long you can go "i-its all going to be forgotten and blow over!" before it has to ring hollow.

[Cosmic Janitor]

Between fucking up Jen's promotion as the "token woman" (which isn't to insult or discredit her, she's legit as fuck and did a fantastic job running VV), and the revelation that the note from Fran Townsend was actually written by Kotick, who sent it to her to send out - functionally throwing her under the bus for his own vitriol - I'm left wonder who Kotick thinks he's convincing when he says he's totally not sexist and totally respects women and shit.

Fuck Fran for plenty of other reasons, still, but she got done dirty by Kotick with that bullshit letter.

Seriously, the whole leadership team needs to go, but at the very least I hope the board shitcans Kotick and finds some way to claw back as much of his golden parachute as they can.

Yeah I'm not saying she did a bad job either, just that the whole promotion was clearly done for PR reasons, otherwise they wouldn't have needed Yibarra in the first place (I just already said that in the news topic, so I didn't want to repeat it). As for Townsend, I have very little sympathy for her. She made the bed in which she sleeps herself. This time the little goblin posted his dementi himself though, which is kinda funny, since he was rather quick about it. I wonder if he had already prepared it.

I also agree that the leadership needs to go, especially if they want any stability again in the forseeable future. Their stock already lost what little it had made back in the last 2 weeks and it's probably just going downhill from here until they stabilize in a believable way.

[Tsarez]

Isn't it like a self fulfilling prophecy? Neckbeard incels become wealthy making and selling video games, proceed to create toxic working environment for everyone who isn't like them.

Good thing I've quit playing their garbage games. Too bad for me that my battle.net holds personal information, otherwise I'd just sell it right away.

[Edge-]

Isn't it like a self fulfilling prophecy? Neckbeard incels become wealthy making and selling video games, proceed to create toxic working environment for everyone who isn't like them.

Kotick ain't a gamer, he's a business guy.

[Lorgar Aurelian]

Kotick ain't a gamer, he's a business guy.

It's true that it wouldn't apply to kotick but it would be right on the money for morheime alex and co.

[infinitemeridian]

https://twitter.com/jasonschreier/st...95834677366794

Kotick is going nowhere unfortunately.

[NoiseTank13]

lmao @ some rich good ole' boy reaping the consequences of his actions, that is a hilarious thought

they've always played by different rules in a different game than the rest of us schlubs

[Cthulhu 2020]

Kotick is a sex pest with anger issues.

Blizzard themselves have been sued while under J Allen Brack for paying women less.

Also sounds like, according to Oneal, Blizzard had a sexy party with women dancing on stripper poles and the DJ encouraging women to drink more so the men could have a good time.

Activision has a huge history of sexual harassment that seemed to bleed into Blizzard for a time.

Also bonus video, World of Fruitbowls patch 4.2:

[Very Tired]

So if I'm not mistaken, Blizzard's stock was around $100 until news of this lawsuit broke and caused it to dip hard. News of D4 and Overwatch 2 delays caused it to dip again, and now this is probably going to send it even further down.

Scumbag of a man working for a scumbag of a company, glad to see his giant bonus shrinking down.

[Kralljin]

these kinds of moves baffle me. I literally can't fathom taking this stance when you have a CEO just totally screwed due to the consequences of *his* actions. from a business and moral perspective, i am baffled. how do you stick by this?

He may be an asshole, but he's an asshole that makes money and thus he's staying.
It's pretty much a cost benefit analysis, sticking to Kotick may cost them in the short term, but because he's a business shark, they're still going to profit in the long term.

You just gotta be valueable enough and you can get away with a lot of shit.

[Relapses]

Anybody else notice the strange parallels with what's going on at Blizzard and the current season 3 plotline of HBO's Succession?

[Slowpoke is a Gamer]

lmao @ some rich good ole' boy reaping the consequences of his actions, that is a hilarious thought

they've always played by different rules in a different game than the rest of us schlubs

You mean rich good ole' boy being given a pass for his actions by fellow rich good ole' boys.

You don't get to survive the lawsuit in the first place unless your Board of Directors are complicit in it as well. To borrow a famous phrase from a Blizzard game, "This entire company must be purged."

[Easo]

Anybody else notice the strange parallels with what's going on at Blizzard and the current season 3 plotline of HBO's Succession?

Art is just an expression of our lives, themes and motives repeat. So nothing strange there. Think the "Simpsons predicted it!" meme.
(I also have no idea what the show is about :P )

[Relapses]

Art is just an expression of our lives, themes and motives repeat. So nothing strange there. Think the "Simpsons predicted it!" meme.
(I also have no idea what the show is about :P )

It's about a massive media mogul (think Rupert Murdoch) in the midst of a corporate meltdown as he is aging and not quite as sharp as he used to be. The main impetus of the show are how his spoiled children who are vying for a seat on the throne as he is very clearly on his way out (hence the name of the show); however, a recent plot point this season has been dealing with the repercussions of the company's cover-up of years of sexual misconduct by many powerful people within the organization.