DCalifornia is suing video game companies Activision Blizzard Because of abuse allegations and a gender-discriminatory corporate culture. In the lawsuit filed in Los Angeles, the company’s workplace culture was described as “a hotbed of harassment and discrimination against women.”
These allegations are the result of a two-year investigation by the Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH), which is responsible for complying with fair working conditions in California. According to the report, the company paid less salaries to women and categorically ignored them when they were promoted. Activision Blizzard employees have suffered sexual assaults and insulting comments.
African American women and other minorities are particularly affected. Male employees often play video games during working hours and delegate tasks to female colleagues. Reports of drinking in the workplace and jokes about rape complete the allegations and portray the chilling working atmosphere of video game manufacturers.
Activision Blizzard denied these allegations and accused the agency of “irresponsible behavior” that is driving “many of the country’s best companies out of California.” The group pointed out that “significant changes have taken place in corporate culture in the past few years.” The allegations by the occupational safety and health authorities convey a distorted picture, which is partly false. There have been similar allegations in the past, claiming that the working atmosphere of women in video game makers Ubisoft and Riot Games is poor. The lawsuit against Activision Blizzard does not seem to surprise some in the industry. Since publication, former employees of the Group have reported similar experiences on social media.
