Former Activision Blizzard Worker Sues, Alleges ‘Frat Boy’ Culture and Years of Sexual Harassment
A former Activision Blizzard employee is suing the gaming giant after 14 years in its sound department, alleging she endured a "frat boy" workplace filled with sexual harassment, unwanted touching, retaliation, and pornography displayed openly at work.
The woman, identified as Jane Doe, accuses 10 men of misconduct during her employment from 2009 until her discharge in April 2024, including one co-worker she says attempted to rape her after luring her to his apartment.
According to the lawsuit filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court, the man allegedly blocked Doe from leaving, threatened her with violence and continued pursuing and demeaning her at work afterward.
Doe alleges male employees and supervisors openly objectified women and made demeaning sexual comments in her presence. She is seeking unspecified compensatory damages, including lost wages, benefits, and diminished earning capacity.
The same employee who allegedly assaulted Doe later demanded dates and spread sexual rumors about her, according to the complaint. She alleges he called her a "bitch" and a "slut" in front of colleagues and a male manager.
Another employee, a re-recording mixer who worked with Doe for several years beginning in 2010, allegedly subjected her to repeated sexual harassment and warned that reporting him could jeopardize her career.
Doe also accuses Blizzard's audio director of touching her leg in a sexual manner without her consent. After she rejected his advances, the lawsuit alleges, he retaliated by interfering with her work and preventing her from receiving a promotion.
The complaint states that Doe repeatedly raised concerns with supervisors and human resources, but the company failed to take timely or effective corrective action. She also alleges she was required to work excessive hours and instructed not to report overtime.
Doe says the alleged conduct took a serious toll on her mental health and that she required ongoing psychiatric treatment for depression before her employment ended.
A Blizzard spokesperson told the Los Angeles Times that the company takes the allegations seriously and pointed to policies designed to prevent and address harassment, discrimination, and retaliation.
"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," the spokesperson said.
Activision Blizzard has denied wrongdoing.
The lawsuit follows years of scrutiny over workplace conditions at the company.
California's Civil Rights Department sued Activision Blizzard in 2021, originally accusing the company of sex discrimination, unequal pay, denied promotions, retaliation, and widespread sexual harassment.
The state and Activision Blizzard later reached a settlement worth approximately $54.9 million. About $45.75 million was set aside to compensate women who worked for the company in California between October 2015 and December 2020, while roughly $9.1 million covered the state's legal fees and costs.
The settlement did not amount to a finding that Activision Blizzard maintained a culture of systemic sexual harassment. The agreement stated that no court or independent investigation had substantiated allegations of systemic or widespread sexual harassment at the company or that senior executives had ignored or tolerated that type of culture.
Activision Blizzard also reached a separate agreement with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. A federal court approved that settlement in 2022, including an $18 million fund for eligible workers who alleged sexual harassment, discrimination, and other workplace misconduct.
Doe's allegations are part of a separate civil case and have not been proven in court. She is seeking monetary damages based on the treatment she says she experienced during her years at Activision Blizzard.
