By Tom Warren, a senior editor covering Microsoft, PC gaming, console, and tech. He founded WinRumors, a site dedicated to Microsoft news, before joining The Verge in 2012.
17.12.2023 - 02:01 / tech.hindustantimes.com
Activision Blizzard will pay nearly $55 million to resolve its legal fight with the state of California over allegations the gaming company permitted a widespread and systemic workplace harassment. The state's lawsuit had alleged the maker of video games including World of Warcraft and Diablo had a ‘frat boy culture” and subjected women to unequal pay, constant sexual harassment, and retaliation. The video games maker will pay approximately $54,875,000 to cover direct relief to workers and litigation costs, the state's Civil Rights Department said in a statement Friday. About $45,750,000 of that money will go to a settlement fund dedicated to compensating workers.
The litigation, which at times has involved the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, has played out across federal and state courts in California since 2021.
The state is withdrawing its claims as part of a comprehensive settlement and proposed consent decree, resolving all open regulatory investigations or complaints relating to employee workplace conduct, according to Activision. The agency's withdrawal would come more than two years after it said it had conducted an investigation into the the game maker's culture and compliance practices.
In its agreement, the CRD—formerly known as the Fair Employment and Housing Department—expressly acknowledged that “no court or independent investigation has substantiated any allegations that there has been systemic or widespread sexual harassment at Activision Blizzard,” the Santa Monica, California-based company said.
No court or independent investigation, including CRD's own investigation, substantiated that the company's Board or CEO acted improperly with regard to handling instances of workplace misconduct, the games maker added.
Women who worked as employees or contract workers for the company in California between Oct. 12, 2015 and Dec. 31, 2020 may be eligible for compensation, the state said.
The state also will drop its appeal of a federal judge refusing to allow it to intervene in Activision's court-approved consent decree with the EEOC, according to the company's statement.
Activision agreed to pay $18 million there to resolve claims the gaming company allegedly discriminated against and harassed female workers. The state agency's appeal is now before a three-judge panel of the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
CRD and Activision Blizzard also agreed to resolve unproven claims of unequal compensation and promotion practices from 2015-2020 with the games maker denying it had any pay or promotions inequities, Activision said.
The games maker will hire “an independent consultant to evaluate and make recommendations regarding Activision Blizzard's compensation and promotion policies and
By Tom Warren, a senior editor covering Microsoft, PC gaming, console, and tech. He founded WinRumors, a site dedicated to Microsoft news, before joining The Verge in 2012.
Long-time Activision Blizzard boss Bobby Kotick is leaving the company following its acquisition by Microsoft in October. Kotick will depart on 29th December, with Microsoft largely keeping the company’s core leadership intact outside of this.
Long-time Activision Blizzard boss Bobby Kotick is leaving the company following its acquisition by Microsoft in October. Kotick will depart on 29th December, with Microsoft largely keeping the company’s leadership intact outside of this.
The products discussed here were independently chosen by our editors. GameSpot may get a share of the revenue if you buy anything featured on our site.
It’s official: The Bobby Kotick era at Activision Blizzard will end on December 29. According to The Verge, Instead of appointing a new replacement, the top Activision Blizzard executives will now report to Microsoft’s game content and studios president Matt Booty. Several more higher-level Activision Blizzard employees will also leave the company in the new year with departures planned through March 2024.
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Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick is officially resigning from the company after the completion of Microsoft’s $68.7 billion acquisition of the gaming developer and publisher. Kotick’s last day is Dec. 29, when Microsoft studio head Matt Booty will take lead of the Activision Blizzard executive leadership team. Kotick led Activision Blizzard for 32 years.
US publishing giant Activision Blizzard is requiring quality assurance staff to come into the office for work.
California’s Civil Rights Department reached a settlement with Activision Blizzard late last week two years after the state regulator brought a lawsuit alleging gender discrimination, pay inequities and a culture of sexual harassment at the video game company.
Activision Blizzard has agreed to pay more than $54 million (and an additional $47 million for affected employees) to settle a lawsuit filed by California’s Civil Rights Department in 2021. The lawsuit was filed over accusations of sexual and gender harassment, along with discrimination, including pay disparities.
The products discussed here were independently chosen by our editors. GameSpot may get a share of the revenue if you buy anything featured on our site.
Activision Blizzard will pay over $50 million to settle a 2021 lawsuit filed by the state of California alleging that the video games giant discriminated against women by offering them lower pay and fewer promotion opportunities.