Around 200 Activision Blizzard employees have staged a walkout, with the Activision Blizzard Workers Alliance calling for CEO Bobby Kotick to be replaced.
As reported by Eurogamer, roughly 150 employees at Activision Blizzard have staged a physical in-person walkout, in the wake of a damning report that alleges CEO Bobby Kotick has known of sexual misconduct claims since 2018.
According to Valentine Powell – a senior UI engineer at Blizzard Entertainment – “over 150 people” attended the protest in person, with “a lot more participating remotely”. Activision Blizzard Workers Alliance later added that a further 90 employees attended a virtual walkout.
So heartened to see so many people show up to make their voices heard. Over 150 people at last count in person, and a lot more participating remotely. #actiblizzwalkout pic.twitter.com/PdU3QrDiAK
— Valentine Powell
(@valentine_irl) November 16, 2021
As voiced by the Activision Blizzard Workers Alliance on Twitter yesterday (November 16), the group has said it “will not be silenced until Bobby Kotick has been replaced as CEO”. The post also reiterates earlier demands for an employee-chosen third party to review the company, after Activision Blizzard selected a third-party law firm with a reputation for union busting.
The group has also addressed a statement from the company’s board of directors, which said it “remains confident in Bobby Kotick’s leadership“. In response to this statement, the Workers Alliance said “the board is just as complicit if they let this slide” and added that “it’s past time for Bobby to step down”.
Under Bobby Kotick's leadership the company has been accused of mistreatment, sexual harassment, rape, and a death threat made by Kotick himself. The board is just as complicit if they let this slide. It's past time for Bobby to step down. #EndAbuseInGaming #ABetterABK pic.twitter.com/4RYepNdDUc
— ABetterABK
ABK Workers Alliance (@ABetterABK) November 16, 2021
In response to claims that Kotick has known about sexual misconduct within Activision Blizzard since 2018, Kotick issued a statement claiming that the recent reports paint “an accurate and misleading view of our company, of me personally, and my leadership”.
In other news, Riot Games has removed four player squads from competitive Valorant modes, stating that it was causing an increase in toxicity. Explaining why the change has been made, the studio said that “these types of groups tend to leave the remaining solo queue player with a relatively poor play experience”.
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