Content warning: this article contains explicit references to sexual harassment, sexual assault, and other forms of abuse.
PlayStation boss Jim Ryan has reportedly said Activision has not done enough in the fight against the misconduct allegations. Responding to allegations of harassment, assault and discrimination, the PlayStation boss has been critical of Activision Blizzard.
This week a damning report from the Wall Street Journal came to light stating that Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick knew of the allegations for years. Furthermore, it is reported that the CEO was not only aware of the allegations, but also made attempts to cover them up.
However, in a new report from Bloomberg, it is claimed that PlayStation boss Jim Ryan sent an email to his employees addressing the allegations against Activision Blizzard. It’s claimed that Ryan told employees that he is “disheartened and frankly stunned to read” that Activision “has not done enough to address a deep-seated culture of discrimination and harassment.”
“We reached out to Activision immediately after the article was published to express our deep concern and to ask how they plan to address the claims made in the article,” wrote Ryan. “We do not believe their statements of response properly address the situation.”
If the reports are true regarding the email sent from Jim Ryan, it will be interesting to see how PlayStation reacts to future collaborations with Activision. The relationship between PlayStation and Activision has been ongoing for decades. Most recently, it’s involved timed-exclusive content with the likes of Call of Duty.
We’ll keep you updated as this ongoing story develops.
HERE’S HOW YOU CAN SHOW YOUR SUPPORT
Activision Blizzard protest organisers are urging supporters to use the hashtag #ActiBlizzWalkout and #EndAbuseInGaming, accompanied by a blue heart emoji. In addition, organisers have listed several charities if supporters wish to show financial support.
- Black Girls Code – https://www.blackgirlscode.com
- Futures without Violence – https://www.futureswithoutviolence.org
- Girls Who Code – https://girlswhocode.com
- RAINN – https://www.rainn.org
- Women In Animation – https://womeninanimation.org
- Women in Games International – https://www.getwigi.com
Featured Image Credit: PlayStation