Nintendo of America President Doug Bowser responds and speaks out against Activision Blizzard amid discrimination and harassment lawsuits.
One of the biggest game news stories of 2021 is California sues Activision Blizzard for sexism. To say the least, the details gleaned from the two-year investigation are disturbing, and the leak is still ongoing. Along with the ongoing new lawsuits against Activision Blizzard, sponsorships, lawsuits within the company, etc., other organizations have taken strong stances against the video game giant. Nintendo can now be added to that list, as the President of Nintendo of America recently offered a response on the situation.
Nintendo of America President Doug Bowser took over the spot in 2019 for fan-favorite Reggie Fils-Aime. Bowser didn’t often take center stage as Reggie did during his tenure. But he seems to have strong leadership positions regarding the ongoing Activision Blizzard situation, calling it “distressing and disturbing”.
According to Fanbyte, Nintendo of America President Doug Bowser recently sent out an email to all Nintendo US employees and internal development teams, including the likes of Retro Studios and Next-Level Games. In the email, Bowser shared how malicious and sexual harassment in Activision Blizzard works against what Nintendo stands for. He also noted that Nintendo is a company that stands for openness and inclusion, and that it is even working with the ESA to strengthen its stance against harassment and abuse in the workplace.
With all of you, I’m following Activision Blizzard’s latest developments and the ongoing reports of sexual and toxic harassment at the company. I find these accounts sad and disturbing, They go against my values and Nintendo’s beliefs, values and policies.
Nintendo is not the first major game company to issue a statement and stand against the publisher’s behavior. Recently Xbox’s Phil Spencer says Xbox is evaluating its relationship with Activision Blizzard. PlayStation director Jim Ryan also recently weighed in, expressing his personal disagreement, as well as that of Sony. In the past, companies like Coca-Cola, Kellogg, and State Farm have pulled ads from Overwatch due to lawsuits. Time will tell how Nintendo, Sony and Xbox will have a view beyond lip service.
While things have been hot at Activision Blizzard since the summer, recently staff and fans signed petition to remove Bobby Kotick from Activision Blizzard’s position as CEO in light of the new reports. In particular, the Wall Street Journal reported that the CEO was aware of sexual harassment claims and acted in his own interest and defense of alleged abusers. This is part of the reason why Sony, Xbox and now Nintendo have released new statements on the matter.
The source: Fanbytes
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