So, important news. The current president of Dreamhaven, Mike Morheim, broke his silence over allegations of sexual discrimination made by a California agency at the company he founded in a lawsuit filed this week. In a statement released late Friday evening Pacific Time, Morheim apologizes for the culture that existed at the company, saying that he is “extremely sorry” for having” let down ” the victims.
In case you missed it earlier this week, the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing sued Activision Blizzard, accusing it of gender discrimination and allegations that the company allowed a culture to flourish in which women, especially people of color, were subjected to sexual harassment, unequal pay and much more. Activision Blizzard, for its part, responded to the claims in a sharply worded statement on Wednesday.
But this week, the management of Activision Blizzard also took two seemingly opposite positions, with a more remorseful note to the employees of J. Allen Brak, the current president of Blizzard Entertainment, in which Brak apologized to the employees. Meanwhile, in a more emphatic statement, Activision Blizzard chief executive Fran Townsend doubled down on the company’s position, calling the lawsuit filed by DFEH “deserved and irresponsible.””It is worth noting that, although Brak’s statement was a little more conciliatory, both his and Townsend’s statement does not directly admit any violations, as alleged in the lawsuit. In a statement posted on Twitter late on Friday, former Blizzard Entertainment president Mike Morheim said. who left Blizzard in 2019 shared his thoughts, apologizing for the pain caused by the culture that allowed Activision Blizzard to flourish, even during his stay there.
“I worked at Blizzard for 28 years. During this time, I tried very hard to create an environment that would be safe and welcoming for people of all genders and backgrounds. I knew it wasn’t perfect, but it was clear that we were far from that goal. The fact that so many women have been mistreated and not supported means that we have let them down. In addition, we have failed to make people feel safe by telling their truth. It is not comforting that other companies have faced similar problems. I wanted us to be different, better.” Harassment and discrimination exist. They are widely distributed in our industry. Management is responsible for ensuring that all employees feel safe, receive support and fair treatment, regardless of gender and origin. The responsibility of management is to eliminate toxicity and harassment in any form at all levels of the company. To the Blizzard women who have experienced any of this, I am very sorry that I let you down.”
Morheim continues in the statement, apologizing again, telling the victims that he is sorry that he ” let you down.” He then declares his support and uses his influence in his position in the industry to “encourage positive change and fight misogyny, discrimination and harassment.” Other companies have come forward with accusations, and many gaming publications have also blacklisted coverage of Activision Blizzard games until significant changes occur.