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Activision Blizzard launched a report detailing an uptick in harassment incidents reported by workers in 2022 after CEO Bobby Kotick claimed the corporate “didn’t have a systemic problem” with misconduct in opposition to girls.The corporate launched its inaugural transparency report yesterday, displaying that it acquired and investigated 114 reviews of harassment, discrimination, or retaliation filed by workers final 12 months. Out of these incidents, investigators substantiated 29 of them, a few of which concerned a number of workers.The report was printed publicly on the request of stockholders, and comes after Kotick claimed in an interview with Selection that Activision Blizzard by no means had any points concerning rampant abuse and harassment in the direction of feminine workers, regardless of quite a few reviews saying in any other case within the final two years — reviews he deemed “mischaracterizations.” As an alternative, he blamed “outdoors forces” for the scandals and took a shot a union drives which have cropped up.”We’ve had each doable type of investigation carried out. And we didn’t have a systemic problem with harassment — ever. We didn’t have any of what have been mischaracterizations reported within the media,” Kotick mentioned. “However what we did have was a really aggressive labor motion working arduous to attempt to destabilize the corporate.”Activision Blizzard additional said within the report that it took corrective actions on account of these harassment incidents, together with termination for inappropriate or discriminatory language, bodily assault, misgendering, undesirable advances, retaliation, and non-consensual touching.The transparency report comes after a number of lawsuits have been filed in opposition to Activision Blizzard since July 2021, together with one from the California Division of Truthful Employment and Housing over allegations of sexual harassment and “frat boy tradition,” which resulted in some senior builders getting fired, workers and different trade figures calling for Kotick to resign, and the ramping up of union actions.After The Wall Road Journal printed a report later that 12 months alleging the CEO had data of the harassment however ignored and perpetrated it (together with an incident during which he left a voicemail threatening to have his assistant killed), he apologized for a number of the allegations whereas denying others.The report additionally comes within the midst of Microsoft making an attempt to shut the Activision Blizzard acquisition, which has already been accepted by China and the European Fee. It’s nonetheless awaiting approval from the FTC.Cristina Alexander is a contract author for IGN. To paraphrase Calvin Harris, she wears her love for Sonic the Hedgehog on her sleeve like an enormous deal. Comply with her on Twitter @SonicPrincess15.
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