CEO Bobby Kotick allegedly knew about sexual abuse at Activision Blizzard for years. According to the Wall Street Journal report, the evidence is chilling.
An article published by the Wall Street Journal on Tuesday shows that Blizzard boss Bobby Kotick allegedly knew about the accused sexual misconduct at Blizzard Activision even before the company was sued. In the initial investigation into the allegations, Kotick claimed that he was unaware of the harassment cases at his company.
However, a few hours after the lawsuit was filed, over 500 Activision Blizzard employees:inside came forward with individual cases. Kotick, on the other hand, claimed that he had solved “cultural problems” at the company years ago. There is evidence that Kotick was not only aware of the misconduct but also protected those who were forced to leave the company. The CEO is even said to have received several allegations of sexual harassment against himself, but these were quickly and quietly settled out of court.
Bombshell story from the Wall Street Journal this morning that lays out how much CEO Bobby Kotick knew about sexual harassment and misconduct at Activision Blizzard https://t.co/9awZ6NwA7i pic.twitter.com/lRlSpRy4dQ
– Jason Schreier (@jasonschreier) November 16, 2021
Shortly after the lawsuit was made public, several strikes and protests were held against Activision Blizzard games. In response, Kotick lowered his massive salary from $154 million to $62,500, while the company reportedly adopted a “zero tolerance” policy.
Since then, other Activision Blizzard stakeholders have come forward to claim that “it was clear that the company would never properly prioritise our employees”. Kotick allegedly retained several employees, particularly those responsible for producing the highly successful Call of Duty franchise, even after allegations of sexual harassment were noted.
Bobby Kotick is doubling down. In a video to employees this morning, passed along to me, he attacked the WSJ article and defended Activision. “Anyone who doubts my conviction to be the most welcoming and inclusive workplace doesn’t really appreciate how important this is to me. “
– Jason Schreier (@jasonschreier) November 16, 2021
Bobby Kotick defended himself after the article was published, condemning the allegations and telling Activision Blizzard employee:s: “Anyone who doubts my belief in being the most welcoming and inclusive workplace doesn’t really know how much I care.” While the lawsuit continues, it is likely that Kotick’s involvement in these events will continue to come to light.
