The scandal surrounding Activision Blizzard has been ongoing throughout much of 2021, which included an Activision Blizzard employee being allegedly demoted for reporting sexual harassment. Now, more gaming companies have had allegations made against them by employees, with many now finally feeling like they are able to speak out about what has been going on behind closed doors.
Destiny 2 developer Bungie comes under fire by employees who highlight a racist and sexual workplace culture. Bungie was partnered with Activision Blizzard between 2010 and 2019 following its departure from Microsoft in 2007.
A recent report by IGN revealed new accusations against the company, with claims of sexual comments and harassment that have spanned years which “cultivated a pervasive atmosphere in which women were inferior.” The report states that women were often talked over in meetings and ignored, with some of their ideas later being used by male employees who took credit for the work.
Accusations of racism were also a focal point of the report, with several managers and lead developers of the Destiny series allegedly making racist remakes when referring to the more diverse Destiny characters, as well as using slurs towards an employee at the company.
Transgender employees have also accused members of the company of discriminating against them, which included questioning which bathroom they should be using, as well as asking inappropriate questions and refusing to use the person's correct pronouns.
Shortly after the release of IGN's report, Bungie's CEO Peter Parsons made a statement on the company's website, explaining how the company has handled this situation over the past few years, including creating a more diverse workplace and firing many of the "bad actors from the studio," further adding that Bungie has not always been as transparent as they should have been, but stated they would not tolerate toxic behavior from any employee, regardless of their status in the company or their connections.
Parsons also highlighted the steps that the company has taken in recent years towards a more diverse company, which has included the creation of many employee-led inclusion clubs. These have included Black@Bungie, Women@Bungie, Trans@Bungie, and Accessibility@Bungie.
The statement also noted the steps that Bungie has taken in recent years to create a more diverse workforce, with 22.5% and 20% of the leaders in the company identifying as women or people from underrepresented communities, as well as 40% of Bungie’s executive team being women or people from underrepresented communities. The work that the company's done over recent years has been apparent, with Bungie publicly supporting movements and organizations. In 2020, Bungie released a Black Lives Matter pin and an in-game emblem in support of the Black Lives Matter movement following the death of George Floyd.
Source: IGN
