Activision Settles Sexual Harassment Lawsuit For Shamefully Low Amount
A lawsuit has been filed against Activision Blizzard by the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing, which alleges the company has engaged in abuse, discrimination, and retaliation against its female employees. Activision Blizzard has denied the allegations. The full details of the Activision Blizzard lawsuit(content warning: rape, suicide, abuse, harassment) are being updated as new information becomes available.
An ongoing sexual harassment lawsuit against publisher Activision Blizzard, filed back in 2021, has now been settled for a measly $18 million. Two high-profile lawsuits allege that the holding company fostered a workplace culture of dramatic discrimination against and harassment of its female employees. A wrongful death lawsuit against Activision Blizzard was also filed in March 2022, further demonstrating the severity of the toxic environment created within the company.
The original harassment and discrimination lawsuit was filed against Activision Blizzard by California’s Department of Fair Employment and Housing, with a second lawsuit from the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission following afterward. The two Activision Blizzard lawsuits have named specific employees, including CEO Bobby Kotick, who were alleged to have created and supported this toxic workplace for women and others.
As reported by Kotaku, the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's sexual harassment lawsuit against Activision Blizzard has officially been settled for $18 million. While this may seem like a substantial sum, Twitter users responding to Kotaku are quick to point out that the massive publisher will likely recover this amount within a week of business. Kotaku explains that the EEOC settlement also includes a clause that allows Activision Blizzard to remove sexual harassment allegations from the files of settlement claimants. There is also a clause that allows for unclaimed money from this EEOC settlement to go to Activision Blizzard's own women's charity fund, but Kotaku points out that some are worried that this may simply end up letting Activision Blizzard recoup some of that money themselves.
Amidst the ongoing lawsuits against the publisher, Microsoft purchased Activision Blizzard in a shocking acquisition back in January. The Xbox developer will soon have ownership of the company and its vast collection of beloved game franchises like Call of Duty, World of Warcraft, Overwatch, and more. However, the purchase seemed to have had little impact on the legal proceedings surrounding Activision Blizzard or its specifically-named staff. The deal is not expected to fully close until 2023, however.
Activision Blizzard's $18 million sexual harassment lawsuit settlement is seen by many to be a victory for the entertainment juggernaut. Titles like Call of Duty Mobile make the publisher millions of dollars every day, and the settlement may have a negative effect on the other ongoing lawsuit by the DFEH. With the continued presence of employees like Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick, who remains at the company, the $18 million settlement seems a paltry amount. Given the effects of this settlement, many feel Activision Blizzard is getting off easy.
Sources: Kotaku, Kotaku/Twitter