- A new report claims that Bobby Kotick was secretive about the company’s layoffs and disciplinary actions
- The company denied those claims, saying that they are simply untrue
- It confirmed that 37 people have been fired and 44 more have been a subject of disciplinary action
Activision Blizzard denied the claims that Bobby Kotick tried to hide information about the company’s layoffs and disciplinary actions.
Activision Blizzard CEO Allegedly Refrained from Speaking About the Layoffs
Activision Blizzard has been the target of mass fan and employee disgruntlement. Because of a lawsuit by the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing, it came to be known that for years Blizzard has nurtured an unhealthy workplace where the male employees mistreat the female ones.
In the latest developments, the Wall Street Journal claims that sources told it that over 37 Blizzard employees have been fired and 44 more have been disciplined as the company seeks to change. However, what’s curious is that Bobby Kotick, the chief executive of Activision Blizzard, reportedly hid information once again and refrained from announcing these numbers publically, despite promising to do so for the holidays.
Allegedly, communicating those numbers might have made the company’s internal problems seem far bigger than they are which might have influenced the public’s opinion.
Blizzard Denied Trying to Hide Information
On a later date, Activision Blizzard released a statement where it denied trying to hide the aforementioned information.
The company explained that every report it receives matters and that it is committed to fixing its internal struggles. The statement added that Blizzard is now putting more resources into ensuring that all reports are heard loud and clear and acted upon. The statement then confirmed the above information, saying that indeed 37 people have been fired and 44 more have received reprimands, warnings or another form of disciplinary action. However, the company is firm that this information was never hidden from the public:
“The assertion that Mr. Kotick blocked the release of this information is simply inaccurate. An interim update to our employees is still being worked on, and the company remains committed to continuing to provide periodic updates on its progress.”
Blizzard statement
Activision Blizzard has been trying hard to demonstrate to the public that it is willing to change and make amends. The company implemented much stricter workplace conduct rules and has been harsh on those who refuse to obey them.
Still, many remain reluctant to place their faith in Blizzard. Some of the biggest woes of the firm were the WSJ claims that Bobby Kotick knew about the workplace misconduct all along and yet refrained from doing anything about it. The public opinion on the company has been heavily damaged and it is likely that some time will pass before people are willing to trust Activision Blizzard once again.
