Activision Blizzard Responds To Controversy Over Bizarre Diversity Tool

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Editor’s Note: 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.

Activision Blizzardrecently received some backlash for a diversity tool it shared online, and the organization has issued a subsequent statement addressing the controversy. Diversity in gaming has been a hot topic of discussion in recent years, with praise being given to games like The Last of Us Part 2 while other popular games and organizations have been subjected to criticism for not being diverse enough in their hiring and storytelling practices.

When it comes to controversial and criticized game companies in the modern age, Activision Blizzard is one that will spring to mind for many. The Call of Duty and Overwatch publisher is currently juggling multiple lawsuits related to allegations of internal sexual assault, abuse, and the propagation of a generally toxic culture where racism and sexism were allegedly allowed to run rampant. Current and former Activision Blizzard employees have reported regularly hearing racial slurs, and homophobic hiring practices have been alleged as well. In addition to various testimonies from employees, Activision Blizzard failed to comply with a California law that required the company to add another woman to its board of directors, a shortcoming that the company attributed to the nascent Microsoft purchase.

Related: Don't Let Activision Blizzard