Activision Blizzard “will not be a part of this year’s #TheGameAwards” outside of its nominations, according to Geoff Keighley, executive producer and host of The Game Awards. This comes in light of reports of the company’s poisonous culture, as well as CEO Bobby Kotick’s history of sexual harassment and abuse.
Keighley alluded to Activision Blizzard’s possible exclusion from the award event in an interview with The Washington Post, saying he was thinking about how to “handle” the issue with the firm without damaging its developers or staff.
Despite the fact that Activision Blizzard will not be present at this year’s Game Awards, the business may have some influence over the event. The Game Awards’ board of advisors includes Rob Kostich, president of Activision Blizzard. While the board has no control in whether games earn nominations or awards, it does assist The Game Awards “guide and develop the objective.”
Other gaming firms have weighed in on the Activision Blizzard situation, with PlayStation issuing a company-wide statement condemning the charges and Xbox head Phil Spencer stating that Microsoft is reevaluating its partnership with the business.
“Abuse, harassment, or predatory tactics have no place in any firm or society,” Keighley said. “We must all work together to create a better and more inclusive atmosphere in which everyone feels secure to create the finest games in the world.”
