The president of Activision's Blizzard Entertainment is stepping down weeks after the maker of video games like “World of Warcraft” and “Call of Duty,” was hit with a discrimination and sexual harassment lawsuit in California as well as backlash from employees over their work environment.
The state sued Activision Blizzard Inc. last month citing a “frat boy" culture that has become “a breeding ground for harassment and discrimination against women."
The lawsuit alleges that female employees face constant sexual harassment, that few women are named to leadership roles and when they are, they earn less salary, incentive pay and total compensation than male peers.
Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick sent a letter to employees after the lawsuit was filed, stating that the company was “taking swift action to be the compassionate, caring company you came to work for and to ensure a safe environment."
“There is no place anywhere at our Company for discrimination, harassment, or unequal treatment of any kind," he wrote.
On Tuesday it was announced that J. Allen Brack was leaving the company in a letter from Activision Blizzard President and COO Daniel Alegre to employees. Brack joined Blizzard in January 2006 and held multiple leadership roles before being named president in October 2018, according to the company's website.
The complaint alleges that as far back as 2019, Brack had been told that employees were leaving the Santa Monica, California, company because of rampant sexual harassment and sexism. It also alleged employees had approached the company's human resources department with complaints of unfair pay and assignments.
The complaint says that despite the numerous complaints to human resources personnel and executives including Brack, no effective remedial measures were taken.
The lawsuit also claims that Brack only gave verbal counseling, deemed a “slap on the wrist," to Alex Afrasiabi, former senior creative director for “World of Warcraft." Afrasiabi is accused in the complaint of engaging in blatant sexual harassment and the state alleged that the company refused to deal with it because of his position.
Jen Oneal and Mike Ybarra were named co-leaders of Blizzard, sharing responsibility for development and operational accountability for the company, it said Tuesday.
Oneal served as executive vice president of development at Blizzard, while Ybarra served as executive vice president & general manager of platform and technology.
“With their many years of industry experience and deep commitment to integrity and inclusivity, I am certain Jen and Mike will lead Blizzard with care, compassion and a dedication to excellence," Alegre wrote.
Updated on August 3, 2021, at 11:15 a.m. ET with additional details.
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A big-screen adaptation of the anime “Chainsaw Man” has topped the North American box office, beating a Springsteen biopic and “Black Phone 2.” The movie earned $17.25 million in the U.S. and Canada this weekend. “Black Phone 2” fell to second place with $13 million. Two new releases, the rom-com “Regretting You” and “Springsteen — Deliver Me From Nowhere,” earned $12.85 million and $9.1 million, respectively. “Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc” is based on the manga series about a demon hunter. It's another win for Sony-owned Crunchyroll, which also released a “Demon Slayer” film last month that debuted to a record $70 million.
The Federal Aviation Administration says flights departing for Los Angeles International Airport were halted briefly due to a staffing shortage at a Southern California air traffic facility. The FAA issued a temporary ground stop at one of the world’s busiest airports on Sunday morning soon after U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy predicted that travelers would see more flights delayed as the nation’s air traffic controllers work without pay during the federal government shutdown. The hold on planes taking off for LAX lasted an hour and 45 minutes and didn't appear to cause continued problems. The FAA said staffing shortages also delayed planes headed to Washington, Chicago and Newark, New Jersey on Sunday.
Boeing workers at three Midwest plants where military aircraft and weapons are developed have voted to reject the company’s latest contract offer and to continue a strike that started almost three months ago. The strike by about 3,200 machinists at the plants in the Missouri cities of St. Louis and St. Charles, and in Mascoutah, Illinois, is smaller in scale than a walkout last year by 33,000 Boeing workers who assemble commercial jetliners. The president of the International Association of Machinists says Sunday's outcome shows Boeing hasn't adequately addressed wages and retirement benefits. Boeing says Sunday's vote was close with 51% of union members opposing the revised offer.
The stunning indictment that led to the arrest of more than 30 people — including Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier and other NBA figures — has drawn new scrutiny of the booming business of sports betting in the U.S. The multibillion-dollar industry has made it easy for sports fans — and even some players — to wager on everything from the outcome of games to that of a single play with just a few taps of a cellphone. But regulating the rapidly-growing industry has proven to be a challenge. Professional sports leagues’ own role in promoting gambling has also raised eyebrows.
