Phil Spencerhas no response to controversial comments made byActivision BlizzardCEO Bobby Kotick, saying that he hasn’t even read the interview they were shared in. This is despiteMicrosoftcurrently fighting to acquire Activision Blizzard, a company infamous for its abuse allegations,some of which revolve around Kotick himself.
This comes from an interview with a Bloomberg reporter just after the Xbox Games Showcase, with Spencer seemingly eager to distance himself from Kotick’s numerous controversies. In Kotick’s interview, the CEO said thatActivision Blizzard has never had a systemic issue with harassment. This contradictsclaimsmadebynumerousemployees, particularly women, who have shared accounts of a sexist and “frat boy” culture within the workplace.
Related:We Need to Stop Being Toxic to Video Game Developers, With the Exception of Bobby Kotick
“We’ve had every possible form of investigation done. And we did not have a systemic issue with harassment — ever,” said Kotick, speaking with Variety a couple of weeks ago. Kotick went on to attack “mischaracterizations reported in the media”, and the “aggressive labor movement”.
Considering Xbox’s comments on the matter have been much more diplomatic and PR-friendly, it’s no wonder that Spencer was asked about this interview. However, when asked for comment by Bloomberg reporter Cecilia D’Anastasio, Spencer says he hasn’t even read the article.
Some are finding this difficult to believe, considering it’s an interview with the head of the very company Xbox wants to acquire. The gaming giant knew going into the deal that abuse and harassment claims wouldn’t be going anywhere anytime soon, so it stands to reason that figures like Spencer will be questioned on these matters.
Yet it is noteworthy that Spencer isn’t supporting Kotick’s claims either. This might suggest that the two companies don’t have a joint PR strategy when it comes to addressing these questions, or perhaps more concerningly, no joint plans in addressing the issues themselves. Xbox has at least previouslypromised to cooperate with unionsandreflected on its own sexist history. Before the merger announcement, Spencer also said that abuse claims in the industry haveleft him “saddened and sickened”, although he stopped short of calling Activision Blizzard out by name.
As for what happens with Kotick if the merger goes through, that remains to be seen. We’ve had conflicting reports on whether he’ll leave or stick around. In any case, figures fromacrosstheindustryhave long called for his resignation, and with the number of negative headlines he’s attracted over the years, many are expecting Microsoft to push him out.
Next:Citizen Sleeper 2’s Pirate Radio Station Is More Exciting Than The Game Itself
