Content Warning: This article contains mentions of alleged sexual harassment and sexual assault.
Since the state of California announced its lawsuit against Activision Blizzard regarding allegations of sexual assault and discriminatory practices against minorities, the company has been embroiled in controversy. Some of the allegations accused the publisher of harboring a "frat boy" culture and treating female employees less favorably with derogatory remarks. After the announcement of the lawsuit, employees at Activision Blizzard organized walkouts and signed a letter by current and former developers listing a demand of changes the publisher needed to make.
On Monday, the state announced they were expanding the "scope" of their investigation, alleging that the human resources department of the publisher interfered with the investigations of the Department of Fair Employment & Housing. The lawsuit alleges that HR was instructed to report to Activision Blizzard before the DFEH, with documents about complaints supposedly being shredded by the HR Panel.
Following the declaration of the lawsuit, Activision Blizzard announced the departure of three senior developers employed at the company, including then Creative Director Luis Barriga of Diablo 4. The developers were seen posing with a photo of Bill Cosby in a hotel suite dubbed, "The Cosby Suite."
Activision Blizzard responded by saying:
We have a deep, talented roster of developers already in place and new leaders have been assigned where appropriate. We are confident in our ability to continue progress, deliver amazing experiences to our players, and move forward to ensure a safe, productive work environment for all.
Diablo II: Resurrected, the remake of the original classic, will be the first released by the publisher since the lawsuit was announced. The game will release on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC on September 23. Call of Duty: Vanguard, was recently announced within Call of Duty: Warzone, with the Alpha beginning on August 27 at 10 AM PT and will be available until August 29. Call Of Duty: Vanguard will launch on November 5 and is available for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One X, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.