Harassment settlement costs Activision £29m
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Call of Duty creator Activision Blizzard agrees to £28.9m settlement over handling of discrimination and harassment allegations
Call of Duty creator Activision Blizzard agreed a £28.9 million settlement yesterday over its handling of discrimination and harassment allegations.
The video game company was aware from 2018 to 2021 that its business units lacked controls and procedures to handle complaints of misconduct, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) said.
The regulator said Activision, which has been hit by workplace scandals, knew retention issues “posed a particularly significant risk in its business.”
Under fire: The creator of Call of Duty has been hit by recent employment scandals
The game maker had a staff strike in 2021 after management dismissed allegations that it fostered a “frat boy” culture as “inaccurate.”
Last year, it reached a settlement with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which oversees civil rights issues in the workplace.
Activision said it was “happy to have resolved this matter amicably” and improved workplace reporting and contract language.
The company was bought by Microsoft last year in a £56 billion bid that UK watchdogs are now investigating over potential competition concerns.