Almost 40 people have been fired or "pushed out" from Activision Blizzard as the company attempts to right allegations of harassment and misconduct.
That's according to company spokesperson Helain Klasky, who told the Wall Street Journal that 37 people had "exited" the US publishing giant, while another 44 had faced some kind of disciplinary action. The rep also disputed the fact that around 700 people had reported concern over harassment and misconduct, saying that the reality was smaller than that.
"Across Activision Blizzard, our team is working tirelessly so that every employee feels safe, equal, heard and empowered. Whether a comment about culture, an incident or suggested improvements, every single report that the company receives matters, and we have significantly increased the resources available to ensure that we can quickly and thoroughly look into each one," an Activision Blizzard spokesperson told GamesBeat.
"Through our expanded Ethics & Compliance function, we have completed reviews of more than 90% of the reports since July. From these completed reviews, 37 employees have exited the company and another 44 received written reprimands, formal warnings or other discipline.
"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."
This came in the wake of a report from the Wall Street Journal in November of last year, in which the publication alleged that CEO Robert Kotick had not only known about harassment and misconduct at the company but had also withheld this information from the board, but also that he was guilty of similar behaviour.
