Activision Blizzard has been the topic of scrutiny for a number of years now, because of the firm’s extensively criticized “Boys’ Membership” tradition. Sleazy scams. And now, late Friday night, earlier than the vacation season begins in earnest, The Wall Road Journal The embattled gaming firm reportedly introduced on December 15 that it might pay $50 million to settle a 2021 gender discrimination and harassment lawsuit — the identical lawsuit that seems to have prompted Microsoft’s historic $69 billion acquisition of Microsoft. Name of responsibility And Remark and management The writer that was Lastly it’s inexperienced lit After an 18-month authorized battle in October this yr.
The California Division of Civil Rights sued Activision once more in 2021, alleging that the corporate’s management deliberately ignored worker complaints about pay disparity, harassment primarily based on intercourse and gender, and discrimination.
Activision has repeatedly denied these accusations. Firm representatives have additionally claimed that Inside investigation Its board of administrators concluded that the allegations towards the corporate have been baseless. When the Microsoft acquisition closed earlier this yr, longtime Activision CEO Bobby Kotick “requested” to take action Keep for an additional two monthstill the tip of 2023.
In accordance with the journalwhich revealed the story of the settlement, the state of California initially estimated Activision’s legal responsibility at a lot higher than $50 million.
In 2021, the state estimated Activision’s legal responsibility at about $1 billion to 2,500 workers who might have claims towards the corporate, courtroom paperwork present. Activision had about 13,000 workers as of the tip of 2022.
Citing nameless sources acquainted with the matter,… journal It goes on to assert that authorities companies “initially sought an quantity considerably bigger than the settlement paid by Riot Video games earlier this yr to settle the lawsuit.” Which Judgment in Could 2023 It touched on related grievances associated to poisonous office tradition and resulted in a $100 million settlement For plaintiffs.
