Activision Blizzard Says Over 20 Employees “Exited” Over Allegations of Sexual Harassment

Entertainment gaming company Activision Blizzard Inc. has announced that over 20 employees have “exited” and at least 20 others have received disciplinary action as part of an internal investigation into allegations of sexual harassment or misconduct over the past three months.

The U.S. video game publisher, which is the largest in the United States, has been facing a lawsuit since July by the state of California that alleges the company fosters a “frat boy” culture.

Although the company was originally dismissive of the lawsuit, the company’s executives later vowed to investigate and take action.

The president of the Blizzard game division stepped down as a result of the allegations, along with several other high-level developers.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is additionally investigating the company’s disclosures regarding workplace issues and has subpoenaed Chief Executive Officer Bobby Kotick.

This week Activision Blizzard Chief Compliance Officer Fran Townsend promised further action in an email to staff, detailing new investigation processes. “We know there’s a desire to know about the outcome when misconduct is reported,” she wrote.

According to Townsend, the company will add 19 new full-time roles to its ethics & compliance team, expand and consolidate its investigations and triple its investment in training resources.

“We are committed to making meaningful and positive change, and this is just the start,” she wrote.

Disclaimer: We have no position in any of the companies mentioned and have not been compensated for this article.