A new court filing has put Activision Blizzard's workplace practices back under legal scrutiny.
A woman who spent 14 years working at Activision Blizzard has filed a lawsuit alleging the company allowed sexual harassment and retaliated against her after she raised concerns about her treatment.
According to a report by the L.A. Times, the former employee filed the complaint in Los Angeles County Superior Court on Wednesday (9 September) under the pseudonym Jane Doe. She worked in Activision Blizzard's sound department beginning in 2009 and is seeking unspecified compensatory damages for lost wages, benefits, earning capacity, and other alleged losses.
The lawsuit claims Activision Blizzard “fostered and tolerated a pervasive ‘frat boy’ workplace culture,” and accuses 10 men of conduct ranging from inappropriate comments and touching to harassment and physical assault.
Blizzard responded to the lawsuit in a statement. “We take these allegations seriously. We strive to maintain a respectful and inclusive workplace, and we do that through best-in-class policies and systems designed to prevent and address harassment, discrimination, and retaliation, and by holding employees accountable for their behavior,” a Blizzard spokesperson said.
Former Activision Blizzard employee alleges sexual harassment and retaliation in lawsuit
Among the allegations, the former employee claims a co-worker took her to his apartment between 2011 and 2012, where he touched her leg and “blocked her exit, threaten[ing] her with physical violence and attempted to rape her.” She alleges he later continued asking her for dates and spread sexual rumours about her at work. Another colleague allegedly sexually harassed her repeatedly over five years and warned that she would “be risking her career if she reported him.”
The lawsuit also accuses a Blizzard audio director of touching her leg “in a sexual manner without her permission.” After she rejected his alleged advances, she claims he retaliated by interfering with her work and preventing her from receiving a promotion. The plaintiff says she reported incidents to supervisors and human resources, but alleges the company “failed to take timely or effective corrective action.” She also claims she was required to work excessive and unsafe hours while being told not to report overtime. The lawsuit states that she later required psychiatric care before her employment ended in April 2024.
Activision Blizzard has previously faced employment-related legal action. In 2023, the company reached a settlement with California's Civil Rights Department, including up to US$45.75 million in compensation for eligible female employees. It also settled a separate case with the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in 2022, establishing a US$18 million fund for eligible workers.
Activision Blizzard also agreed to pay a US$35 million penalty to settle US Securities and Exchange Commission charges in 2023. The SEC said the company failed to maintain adequate disclosure controls relating to employee complaints of workplace misconduct and violated a whistleblower protection rule. Activision Blizzard agreed to the settlement without admitting or denying the SEC's findings.
