A Letter From CEO Bobby Kotick Regarding Progress and Commitments Made at Acti-Blizz

[rogoth]

are you impying women or non binary people dont have skills for the job? wow dude...wow

no, he is saying, based on the wording of the letter, that activision blizzard will be hiring based purely on gender/sexual orientation bias, meaning that even if they aren't the best qualified they may likely get the job ahead of others because of 'tokenism', i suggest you learn to understand what is written and not apply your own stupid logical fallacy to things in turn putting your own agenda/spin on it taking it out of context, it seems to be a real skill people these days posses as a way of derailing any kind of arguement/talks.

[khazmodan]

Well that's a bit harsh....

I think he meant their employment will be terminated immediately?

Bobby thinks he can terminate his way back to profits...

[Indigenously Abled]

That bastard really thinks people are dumb enough to lap this shit up.

He's a genius.

[OokOok]

"We will increase the percentage of women and non-binary people in our workforce by 50% and will invest $250 million to accelerate opportunities for diverse talent"

So this is how a king kills itself. RIP, OH WELL.

[anveena]

As if diversity quota hires will save this company.

Specifically, I have asked the Board to reduce my pay to the lowest amount California law will allow for people earning a salary, which this year is $62,500

Oh boy the billionaire decided to reduce his salary for some pr.

[Voidism]

So, I can just "identify" as NB and then be regarded as a minority? I love modern feminism, giving men an out from materially being the oppressive class. LibFems <3

Kotick needs to go. Now.

[Noblia]

I am actually quite surprised such a thing doesn't exist yet.

They don't want such a system because it is absolutely fair and reasonable. Hiring people on their qualifications and synergies with a company. It is an elegant solution.

[Voidism]

That bastard really thinks people are dumb enough to lap this shit up.

He's a genius.

I mean, he's (allegedly) a psychopath like most CEOs. (in that case) He doesn't feel shame and can say anything to make more money. *shrug*

[Niwes]

i will eat warm, tasty, yummy popcorn, while watching this company die to the ground.

even giving a 4 year old kid 2 bottles of coke and a loaded 45“ magnum has less chances for an undeterrable accident.

this guy is just great. i assume next step for Bobby should be candidating for president.

[Noblia]

Experience shows it wouldn't. It's a better more fair process and eliminates the 'bros' who apply because they have a contact in the company. Symphony orchestras now do this as a matter of course. Applicants for a position in an orchestra audition behind a screen for a panel of would-be peers. Selections are made purely based on how competent they are. And guess what: Most professional symphony orchestras are no longer bastions of exclusively male players. This would work for IT development as well.

Thank you for proving my point. Hiring based on qualification regardless of gender, race etc. to get the best candidates for the job. So who cares? if the orchestras of the world are employing more woman? As long as they are the most qualified without any shenanigan's. The solution offered was to remove all the racism, sexism etc. from the hiring system. And it would if implemented by a company because it is literally the least racist, sexist way of hiring. Currently we have a SUPER sexist, racist system of hiring people. I am surprised no one has actually taken this to the supreme court.(probably because it is now compromised of mediocrity that cannot read and comprehend the constitution)

Anyone that calls for diversity etc. is calling for mediocrity and essentially the downfall of society. I will go so far as to say had universities(biggest criminals) not implements diversity quotas 40 years ago, we would now have a cure for the vast majority of cancers. Instead we have mediocre scientists, Mediocre doctors(keep on giving the kill shot no questions asked), mediocre lawyers(incredibly mediocre judges) etc.

And if you are right about the Software developer sector hiring more woman if this was implemented, again who cares? as long as they are the most qualified. Period. You dont see Sports teams hiring the worst players so they can lose every game, nor should companies, universities etc. be forced to do the same.

[Sialina]

Don’t be stupid. We get to this point because “blind hiring” has never been a widespread thing. Nor would blind hiring NOW fix what decades worth of discriminatory practices have done. Qualified people will still get hired even with a more focused eye on diversity.

Ah, so not being racist or sexist is being stupid now, great take you got there.
In my opinion diversity can fuck right off, and I say that as a woman, and a "poc"
It's disgusting if you hire based on skin color or genitals, also a great way to make people sexist and racist.
"See that chick over there working IT? Probably a diversity hire, she wont' know shit"

All hires should be blind hires, let the best people get the jobs, a high tide raises all boats.

[Zmagoslav]

Hiring based on quotas...
Firing based on accusations...
Pay equity...


yes, that's how you get a healthy, productive, roster of developers. /s

[tomolak]

More racist then your command you can’t get.
You are one of those people that think that when a baby is born white he/she is a racist no matter what right…. You people are sick in the head.

Dude, you misunderstood my intentions. I'm making fun of white progressives who think they need to save all the minorities because said minorities don't have the capacity to save themselves.

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Spoken like a true rascist.

If course. You can't define it (see Ibram X. Kendi, "racism is things that are racist") you can't even spell it. But if someone disagrees with you, they're a racist.

[ClassicPeon]

A few points:

1. The meritocracy argument that so many are relying on doesn't hold up when you're talking about recruits for entry positions. Those recruits looking to get their first job in development, art, music, whatever are going to be pretty much blank slates. Othewise it wouldn't be an entry position. It's likely that a lot of the balancing will be done at this level.

2. Recruiting will be wider and more formalized. That's a good thing. Moves internally should be put up and applied for just like any other job including outside recruitment. A job bid is a job bid and should seek the widest possible range of applicants.

3. Hiring 'bros' of current employees will probably end.

The real takeaway from Kotick's memo is that better pay transparency and no forced arbitration are things that employees wanted. They won. Good for them. And, if they can manage it, there will be no more bullshit among what are supposed to be professional colleagues. That's good too.

I dont understand your first argument. Do people really believe that new recruits with little to no work experience is equal and blank slates?
There are worlds of difference between people who graduate from the same university/technical college or whatever background they have. You act as if you could just aswell take 20 random strangers from a pool of 50 graduates and they would all be equal to the task at hand. Its pure nonsense

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Even at Blizzard there are entry-level positions that start an employee on the path to development. QA is one of them. There are others including internships which should be aggressively and fairly recruited with an eye toward diversity. Some internships work out, many don't. But the opportunity should be handed out in a fair manner.

I have no argument with your comments on 'crunch' culture. It needs to go and it's acceptance in IT culture is more a manifestation of how badly projects are run, how unrealistic project target dates are, and the incompetence of team leaders, managers, and producers who should know better. As has been said earlier candidates that submit good portfolios of work likely have more value to the applicant than a computer science degree.

This is one of the main reasons my old education institution has issues atm. You needed to have internship experience to graduate and there where very few positions available. The few that where was heavily handed out to females and other diverse people because the companies themselves didnt expect much off them anyway and got most of their pay refunded - so they might aswell get some diversity hires.

What you are talking about here is literally sexist but because the narrative fits the male being the bbeg being sexist towards men just isnt seen as a bad thing

[Niwes]

when i read the thread it sometimes sounds like „just get the best person for the job“ and „fire/deny harass ppls“ is mutually-exclusive. you can do both !?!

[Xath]

idk in what progressive paradise you must live,but in the usa and eastern europe this is still very much the mentality,heck only in the 70's were women able to even take out loans withouth their husbands permition,this mentality doesnt just go away in a generation or two

also at an old job i used to have i was promoted over my more qualified and older female colleague and was told jokingly ''atleast you wont ever drop us for 9 months''

Sure that definitely happened /s

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You're talking about equally skilled. Qualifications are just the bar to pass.

It's more like you don't know what qualified means.

So you don't understand qualifications as well as equally got it.

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Even at Blizzard there are entry-level positions that start an employee on the path to development. QA is one of them. There are others including internships which should be aggressively and fairly recruited with an eye toward diversity. Some internships work out, many don't. But the opportunity should be handed out in a fair manner.

I have no argument with your comments on 'crunch' culture. It needs to go and it's acceptance in IT culture is more a manifestation of how badly projects are run, how unrealistic project target dates are, and the incompetence of team leaders, managers, and producers who should know better. As has been said earlier candidates that submit good portfolios of work likely have more value to the applicant than a computer science degree.

You cannot fairly recruit "with an eye towards diversity" that literally means discriminating in your recruiting.

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Appeal to meritocracy is a joke when minorities aren't given the same opportunities to cultivate their merits because of their socioeconomic status. In your case it's nothing more than an attempt to hide your own racism.

Serious question do people understand that just because you are white doesn't mean you are rich or even well off? The middle class has basically vanished and it isn't coming back. The majority of labor jobs that used to comprise have been outsourced and aren't coming back. Our minimum wage is a joke. Most of the people who will benefit from this type of hiring policy will likely be advantaged much like how the group that benefits the most from AA is affluent white women rather than disadvantage minorities.

[Adamas102]

Ah, so not being racist or sexist is being stupid now, great take you got there.
In my opinion diversity can fuck right off, and I say that as a woman, and a "poc"
It's disgusting if you hire based on skin color or genitals, also a great way to make people sexist and racist.
"See that chick over there working IT? Probably a diversity hire, she wont' know shit"

All hires should be blind hires, let the best people get the jobs, a high tide raises all boats.

Hey, being a woman and/or a POC doesn’t mean you can’t be racist, sexist, or stupid. “Diversity can fuck right off” definitely puts you in at least one of those categories.

You, like many of the other posters in this thread regurgitating the same reactionary bullshit, simply don’t know what diversity even entails. You don’t understand how these initiatives tend to work, how they help, or why they’re needed. IF you’re under the impression that flawless, highly qualified, 140 IQ white male candidates are being kicked to the curb just to hire mediocre minorities then you have no idea what’s actually going on anyway.

On top of that, the idea that diversity hiring practices make people suddenly start assuming that all minorities are unqualified is fucking LAUGHABLE. Those people were already racist/sexist to begin with. Same fucking people who 20 years ago would have said “See that chick over there working IT? Probably just here cuz she sucked the boss’ dick, she won’t know shit”. But hey, if diversity hiring helps to out them then at least those zero-tolerance policies can be put to use.

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You cannot fairly recruit "with an eye towards diversity" that literally means discriminating in your recruiting.

That’s not what “discrimination” means. No one is saying that being white or male makes someone less qualified. People really need to stop with this bullshit idea that having a diverse workforce means you’re discriminating against people you want included in your diverse workforce. White males are part of a diverse workforce. It’s not discriminatory to try to bring other sorts of people in as well.

[Dontrike]

"I wouldn't do this normally, but because half a dozen lawsuits and governments are breathing down our necks I have to." Is what he wanted to say.

I'm all for inclusivity, but let's face it, he would not be doing this if it weren't for all the shit he's in.

[MoanaLisa]

You cannot fairly recruit "with an eye towards diversity" that literally means discriminating in your recruiting.

No, it means you recruit fairly, not giving the white guy automatic preference because you think "guys make better developers" or because your recruit knows someone at a desk on the 3rd floor offices.

The fact is the current system, as history shows and many are admitting, has been discriminating against everyone else in preference of white males.

[Kynario]

Just hire talented people, stop it with the gender and diversity crap, no one cares, we just want good and passionate games. It doesn’t matter who a person is as long as they’re talented. Everyone should be given an equal chance regardless of gender/race/etc. and full stop.