A chronological look at how theCall of DutyandOverwatchpublisher got here
One of the biggest stories of this year has been the investigation of Activision Blizzard and its internal workplace culture. What started with a lawsuit filed by the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing has escalated as employees, shareholders, and executives have responded to reports coming out of Activision Blizzard.
With the most recent round of reports prompting another walkout, petitions, and a response from the likes of Sony’s Jim Ryan and Microsoft’s Phil Spencer, I thought it would be a good time now to look at how we got here. This will be a brief timeline, tracking everything from the initial DFEH filing to today. We’ll be working to keep it updated moving ahead too, as new developments occur. We’ll be tracking our own coverage, as well as the reports from other outlets.
So let’s go back to earlier in 2021, to see how this all kicked off.
July 2021
Activision Blizzard issued by the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing, as the result of a two-year investigation from the agency, citing allegations of harassment, discrimination, and a toxic workplace culture.
Blizzard executives J. Allen Brack and Fran Townsendaddress the suit in internal memos. (Townsend’s letter waslater found to be written by Kotick.)
Activision Blizzard employeessign a letter, declaring leadership’s response to the lawsuit “abhorrent and insulting.”
Employeesorganize a walkoutand also set forth demands, including a removal of required arbitration and new practices for recruiting, hiring, and promoting.
Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotickcalls the company’s response to lawsuit “tone deaf”and promises “swift action.” Employeesrespond to the letter, highlighting several demands that were not addressed.
Ubisoft employees, who “no longer trust” Ubisoft management to address lingering issues from issues brought to light the year prior,file their own letter calling for change. In it, they specifically reference the worker response at Activision Blizzard: “We need real, fundamental changes within Ubisoft, within Activision Blizzard, and across the industry.”
AKotaku report at the timedetails, among other things, a “Cosby Suite” and other reports of misconduct within the company.
August 2021
Aclass action suitalleges Activision Blizzard misled investors over its failure to disclose internal problems.
Workers at Activision Blizzardform a coalition, theABK Workers Alliance. They send a joint letter to the CEO and leadership criticizing the firm brought on to handle an internal review, WilmerHale, for itsprevious record of discouraging collective action.
Blizzard Entertainment president J. Allen Brack leaves the company to “pursue new opportunities.” Mike Ybarra and Jen Oneal are installed as co-leaders of Blizzard moving forward.Bloomberg’s Jason Schreieralso reports that Blizzard head of HR, Jesse Meschuk, is no longer at the company.
Shareholder group SOC calls Activision Blizzard’s response to the lawsuit “inadequate.”
The state of California expands its lawsuit against Activision Blizzard,alleging the publisher has interfered with the investigation.
Several Blizzard developers, including the director ofDiablo IVand the namesake forOverwatch‘s gunslinging cowboy hero,leave the company.
As part of its ongoing efforts toremove in-game references to real-life employees, Blizzard Entertainmentconfirms it will be renamingits cowboyOverwatchcharacter.
September 2021
Diablo II: Resurrecteddesign director encourages players to “do what they feel is right” in regards to purchasing theDiabloremake.
The Communications Workers of Americafiles unfair labor chargesagainst Activision Blizzard.
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)launches its own investigation into Activision Blizzard.
Activision Blizzardreleases a statementsaying it is cooperating with the SEC’s investigation, as well as those from regulators at the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, National Labor Relations Board, and the California DFEH.
Blizzard Entertainment’s chief legal officer Claire Hartleaves the company.
The U.S. EEOC and Activision Blizzardreach an $18 million settlementin lawsuit over the company’s reported harassment and discrimination.
Overwatchexecutive producer Chacko Sonnyleaves Blizzard Entertainment.
October 2021
Blizzard Entertainment confirms the new name for its cowboy sharpshooterwill be Cole Cassidy.
BlizzConline 2022 is cancelled, as the company says it will be putting its energy into supporting its teams and progressing development of games instead.
Areport from Polygonsays Vicarious Visions will be losing its studio name as part of its merge into Blizzard Entertainment.
Activision Blizzard announces itwill be dropping required arbitrationand adopting a company-wide zero-tolerance policy for harassment, including immediate termination of those found to have retaliated against anyone for compliance complaints. CEO Bobby Kotick says he will take a pay cut to minimum salary under California law, and also says he’s asked not to receive any bonuses or be granted equity, until the Board of Directors has determined certain goals have been met.
November 2021
Blizzard co-leader Jen Oneal confirmsshe is leaving the company at the end of the year, with her co-head Mike Ybarra assuming her responsibilities.
Blizzard Entertainment delays bothOverwatch 2andDiablo IVtounspecified but “later” launch datesthan originally envisioned.
AWall Street Journal reportalleges CEO Bobby Kotick was aware of sexual misconduct at the company for years. The story also sheds light on the departure of Oneal, who was reportedly paid less than her counterpart at the helm of Blizzard, and on Kotick’s own alleged interactions with his employees.
Kotickresponds to the report, saying that “anyone who doubts my conviction to be the most welcoming, inclusive workplace doesn’t really appreciate how important this is to me.” The Board of Directors says it “remains confident” in Kotick’s leadership.
Activision Blizzard workersorganize another walkout, calling for the removal of Kotick as CEO.
Sony Interactive Entertainment president and CEO Jim Ryan sends out an email to employees,as reported by Bloomberg, that criticizes Activision Blizzard’s response to the report. Ryan says Activision Blizzard has “not done enough to address a deep-seated culture of discrimination and harassment.”
Over 1,000 Activision Blizzard employees and contractorssign a public petitioncalling for Kotick’s removal as CEO.
Xbox head Phil Spencer says he’s “evaluating all aspects” of their relationship with Activision Blizzard and making “ongoing proactive adjustments” in light of the reports, asreported by Bloomberg. “This type of behavior has no place in our industry,” said Spencer.
Activision Blizzard quietly announces a “Workplace Responsibility Committee,” chaired by two existing board members. The company also says it will seek out a “new, diverse director” to add to the board.
Jessica Gonzalez, a senior test analyst who was one of the organizers of the July walkout,announces on Twitterthat she is leaving Activision Blizzard, with her last day on Dec. 10. In a message to CEO Bobby Kotick, she says that his “inaction and refusal to take accountability is driving out great talent and the products will suffer until you are removed from your position as CEO.”
December 2021
U.S. State Treasures from California, Delaware, Illinois, Massachusetts, Nevada, and Oregon co-authoreda statement of intent to meet with Activision’s board, with the general intent seeming to be confronting the company about the ongoing situation at the publisher.
The Game Awards showrunner Geoff Keighley confirms thatActivision Blizzard will not be featured at this year’s eventoutside of the categories its games have been nominated in. Following backlash over an interview with The Washington Post that suggested indecision on how to “navigate” the situation, Keighley posteda series of statements to Twitter. “The Game Awards is a time of celebration for this industry, the biggest form of entertainment in the world,” he wrote. “There is no place for abuse, harassment or predatory practices in any company or any community.”
Following sudden layoffs at Raven Software in the QA department,developers at the studio walked out. They demanded members of the QA team, including those laid off, be offered full-time positions. Reports soon circled that they were promised a pay restructure for months, only to be called in one-by-one and let go.One report indicated employees moved citiesfor the roles just a few weeks prior.
ABK Workers Allianceannounces a strike fundto support Raven devs and other Activision Blizzard studios who have joined onto what’s become an ongoing work stoppage.The Washington Postreports that employees are asking others to sign a union authorization card.
January 2022
Xbox boss Phil Spencer says the company has “changed how we do certain things” with Activision Blizzard. Uh, put a pin in that.
Lego delays anOverwatch 2set, asthe company re-examines its relationshipwith Activision Blizzard.
Microsoft announces that itintends to purchase Activision Blizzard for a whopping $68.7 billion, bringing the entire publisher under the Xbox umbrella. Spencer confirms that until the transaction closes, the two companies will continue to operate independently, with Kotick still at the helm of Activision Blizzard for the time being. (Thoughreports have since indicatedhe may leave the company once the ink is dry.)
Spencer comments on several of the major questions, withpotential Xbox exclusivity as an obvious question. He also discusses the possibility ofsome franchise revivalsfrom the Activision vault.
Raven Software QA workersannounce they are forming a union, Game Workers Alliance. The group calls for voluntary recognition from Activision Blizzard. A spokesperson for the publisher says it is “carefully reviewing the request for voluntary recognition from the CWA.”
February 2022
Microsoft president Brad Smith tellsCNBCthat the company is looking towards the Activision Blizzard leadership team to “make culture and workplace safety a top priority every single day,” leading into the potential closure of the deal.
Axios reportsthat Activision Blizzard CEO Kotick could receive a hefty chunk in stocks, should company culture improve.
March 2022
Activision Blizzardsued for wrongful deathby the family of employee who died by suicide, claiming a significant factor was the sexual harassment they experienced.
Microsoft says itwill not stand in the wayof union efforts at Raven Software.
California court indicates it willapprove an $18 million settlementbetween Activision Blizzard and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, or EEOC, over its lawsuit.
April 2022
Activision Blizzard employeesstage a walkoutover removed vaccinate mandate, and the publishersoon reverses course.
Activision Blizzard makesover 1,000 testers full-time employees, though those unionizing at Ravendo not receive a pay increasealongside the other QA workers.
A lawyer leaves the California DFEH’s suit against Activision Blizzard,allegingthe governor’s office of interfering with the case.
Activision Blizzard stockholdersvote to approvethe Microsoft deal.
May 2022
New York officialsfile complaint over Kotick and the board, claiming they may have breached their duty and affected the company’s value.
Raven Software QA workersofficially vote to unionize, marking one of the first unions at a major AAA company. Phil Spencersays he will recognize the uniononce the acquisition closes.
June 2022
The parents of the Activision Blizzard employee who died by suicidefile to dismiss their lawsuitover wrongful death.
Internal investigation at Activision Blizzard finds “no evidence” it ignored harassment.
Microsoftsigns a neutrality agreementwith the Communication Workers of America (CWA), promising to take a neutral approach to Activision Blizzard unionization efforts if and when the buyout goes through.
July 2022
Blizzard Albany (formerly Vicarious Visions) QA workers announce theywill hold a union vote.
The UK Competition and Markets Authorityconfirms it’s looking intoMicrosoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard, and whether it could harm competition.
September 2022
Phil Spencerreaffirmsthat Microsoft wants to bringCall of Duty,Overwatch, andDiabloto Game Pass.
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadellaexpresses confidencein the Activision Blizzard acquisition getting approved.
October 2022
The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) says Activision Blizzardwithheld raises from unionizing workers.
A filing from the CMA investigation reveals Microsoftwants to start a new Xbox mobile platform, to compete with the Google Play Store and App Store.
November 2022
Activision Blizzardmoves to postponethe Blizzard Albany union vote validation.
Blizzard Entertainmentannounces it will suspend servicesfor its games in China, starting in 2023.
December 2022
Blizzard Albany QA developersvote to unionize, forming a second union under Activision Blizzard.
ZeniMax QA employees announce theywill vote on unionization.
Phil Spencer announces10-year commitmentto bringCall of Dutyto Nintendo, pending approval of the Activision Blizzard acquisition.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC)sues to blockMicrosoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard.
AWashington Post reportdetails allegations of poor working conditions and mismanagement of theDiablo IVteam at Blizzard.
