Activision Blizzard Inc. said more than 20 employees have “exited” and at least 20 others have received disciplinary action as part of an internal investigation into allegations of sexual harassment or misconduct over the past three months.
The biggest U.S. video game publisher has been facing a cultural reckoning following a lawsuit filed in July by the state of California that alleged Activision fosters a “frat boy” culture. Although the company was originally dismissive of the lawsuit, it quickly changed its tune, with executives vowing to investigate and take action. The president of the Blizzard game division stepped down as a result of the allegations, along with several other high-level developers. The Securities and Exchange Commission is also investigating the company’s disclosures regarding workplace issues and has subpoenaed CEO Bobby Kotick.