Activision Blizzard lawsuit alleges discrimination, sexual harassment, and ‘frat boy’ culture

The California Department of Fair Employment and Housing has filed a lawsuit against Activision Blizzard with claims that employees have faced “constant sexual harassment, including groping, comments, and advances” due to a “frat boy workplace culture”. The suit, which comes after over two years of investigation, also alleges that women at Activision Blizzard were paid less than men in the same roles and promoted more slowly than them. Activision Blizzard has vigorously denied the claims in a response today.

The filing states that “women were subject to numerous sexual comments and advances, groping and unwanted physical touching, and other forms of harassment,” at the studio. “Female employees working for the World of Warcraft team noted that male employees and supervisors would hit on them, make derogatory comments about rape, and otherwise engage in demeaning behavior,” reads the complaint. A former chief technology officer is accused of “groping inebriated female employees at company events and was known for making hiring decisions based on female applicants’ looks.”