As much as the video game industry has evolved technologically the past few decades, it has unfortunately only found its workplaces to foster toxicity and cases of harassment. Video Game community managers on social media have been known to receive the brutal backlash from disgruntled fans, and last year Ubisoft became the big focus of numerous claims of sexual harassment and general toxicity. Activision Blizzard has faced criticisms in recent years in regards to its management decisions and its top leaders earning exceedingly high bonuses, but now it seems that the company has even deeper rooted problems related to harassment and discrimination throughout.

CW: Harassment, alcohol, & suicide

“Activision Blizzard Sued By California Over ‘Frat Boy’ Culture”

Reports of “cube crawls,” kicking women out of lactation rooms to hold meetings, and one woman committed suicide on a work trip after harassment.https://t.co/UHWYnNjWso pic.twitter.com/2WIyYaqiui

— Overbuff (@Overbuff) July 22, 2021

The California Department of Fair Housing and Employment has shared documents pertaining to their lawsuit filed against Activision Blizzard. The state has based their lawsuit against the company based off of findings from an investigation two years in the making. According to the investigation, numerous reports of sexual harassment and discrimination taking place at the company were recorded. As the lawsuit document states:

DFEH alleges that women were subjected to constant sexual harassment, including groping,
comments, and advances. The lawsuit also alleges that the company’s executives and human resources
personnel knew of the harassment and failed to take reasonable steps to prevent the unlawful conduct, and
instead retaliated against women who complained.”

The varied accounts when viewed collectively have painted a sort of “frat boy culture” at Activision Blizzard, with workplace drinking known to be common and leading to many of the instances of direct harassment. The lawsuit also claims that women of color were especially harassed, as were pregnant women, who would have their privacy in lactation rooms breached. While Activision has yet to comment on the lawsuit, many former female employees have spoken on social media confirming their own experiencing at Activision and other developers matching these accounts. Hopefully this lawsuit helps bring change throughout Activision Blizzard, and the rest of the industry as a whole in regards to preventing the harassment of women and toxic workplace cultures and behaviors. Video games should be a fun, welcoming pastime for all, not just in the playing of them, but in the making of them too.

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