Phil Spencer says Xbox has ‘changed how we do certain things’ with Activision, following abuse allegations
Xbox boss Phil Spencer has said he doesn’t believe it’s his job “to punish other companies” like Activision Blizzard for their transgressions.
However, the exec confirmed he’s “changed how we do certain things” with the Call of Duty publisher, following recent abuse allegations.
Activision Blizzard is currently facing multiple investigations over alleged sexual assaults and harassment of female employees.
A Wall Street Journal report last November claimed the company’s CEO Bobby Kotick was aware of various sexual misconduct allegations and had even personally blocked the termination of former Treyarch boss Bunting after the Call of Duty veteran was accused of sexual harassment in 2017.
A few days later, Spencer reportedly wrote in an internal email sent to staff that Xbox was “evaluating all aspects of [its] relationship with Activision Blizzard and making ongoing proactive adjustments”.
But in a New York Times interview published on Monday, the exec was cagey about what this actually meant in practice, after it was pointed out that Xbox Live played a significant role in the early and continued success of Call of Duty.
“The work we do specifically with a partner like Activision is something that, obviously, I’m not going to talk publicly about. We have changed how we do certain things with them, and they’re aware of that.”
Spencer reiterated that reports of workplace toxicity “saddened and sickened” him, while also noting that “Xbox’s history is not spotless”. He went on to discuss what he called the company’s “GDC dance party moment” in 2016, when scantily clad women were hired to perform on platforms.
While regretful, he said Xbox had learned to be a better company because of the event and that he’d rather help others to do
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