2022 Update - Activision Blizzard Lawsuits & Allegations Explained
Content warning: The following article contains references to rape, suicide, verbal abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, and harassment.
The original harassment and discrimination lawsuit filed against Activision Blizzard has made predictably slow progress. Major litigation of any kind takes its time, offering the plaintiffs and defendants ample opportunity for pre-trial mediation and out of court settlement. Since the time of the lawsuit filed by California’s Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH), a second lawsuit was filed by the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) that promptly settled on the same day for $18 million. Activision Blizzard employees have pushed for unionization and faced an uphill battle due to the company’s retention of a reputed “union-busting” law firm. Microsoft recently purchased the company for $68.7 billion despite the pending litigation against Activision Blizzard, adding to the complications and controversies surrounding the high-profile game developer.
The state of California’s Department of Fair Employment and Housing filed a lawsuit against video game publisher Activision Blizzard Inc. on July 20, 2021. The suit, which named specific Activision Blizzard employees like Alex Afrasiabi, the former creative director of World of Warcraft, alleged that the company had "fostered a pervasive 'frat boy' workplace culture" that is "a breeding ground for harassment and discrimination against women." These accusations were the result of more than two years of investigation by the DFEH, which, according to the suit, "found evidence that Defendants discriminated against female employees in terms and conditions of employment, including compensation, assignment, promotion,
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