A Formal Thread about Activision/Blizzard

SilentPony

Previously known as an alleged "Feather-Rustler"
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Its high noon!

It won't be too difficult. Just say McCree was a code name the entire time.
The real challenge is going to be naming him something that doesn't cause outrage. Aren't many names that didn't have someone named it do something terrible.
 

TheMysteriousGX

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The real challenge is going to be naming him something that doesn't cause outrage. Aren't many names that didn't have someone named it do something terrible.
If all those somebodies worked for Blizzard, Blizz is in more trouble than I thought
 

Gordon_4

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The real challenge is going to be naming him something that doesn't cause outrage. Aren't many names that didn't have someone named it do something terrible.
Easy mode solution, rename him to McCrae. That way its a one letter change for most of the assets and they can make a joke about everyone mispronouncing and misspelling his name but he's just been too darn considerate to correct them until now.
 

Topaz

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I had no idea McCree was named after a real person. And I bet I wasn't the only one.

Now everybody knows. They should've just kept quiet about this.
 

Gordon_4

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I had no idea McCree was named after a real person. And I bet I wasn't the only one.

Now everybody knows. They should've just kept quiet about this.
It’s listed on most trivia sites about the game and it’s characters. Is it a fact known to the whole human race? No. Is it a fact likely known by a large number of players and fans? Yes, especially since it’s been reused a few times in other places. And given the sheer depth of the shit Blizzard find themselves in, kicking an easy (if wholly meaningless) PR goal is a good idea from their perspective.
 

The Rogue Wolf

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We've finally hit the threshold where something might actually get done about a culture of abuse: It might cost rich people money.
 

Dirty Hipsters

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The OWL is dead as far as I'm concerned. Sorry players.

I feel like no one cared about OWL after the first season ended. Overwatch just isn't spectator friendly in the way that something like Counter Strike or League of Legends is and watching it was a bad experience. I'm kind of shocked anyone is still tuning into it 4 (5?) seasons in. I don't think Blizzard is actually making money on it.

Call of Duty league as well is just utterly unwatchable.
 
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CriticalGaming

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I feel like no one cared about OWL after the first season ended. Overwatch just isn't spectator friendly in the way that something like Counter Strike or League of Legends is and watching it was a bad experience. I'm kind of shocked anyone is still tuning into it 4 (5?) seasons in. I don't think Blizzard is actually making money on it.

Call of Duty league as well is just utterly unwatchable.
Overwatch is there only real milkable cow at this point. Considering theyve all but forgot that Starcraft still exists. Overwatch is there only current excuse for competetive play next to WoW Arenas which has also mostly died.

Overwatch still currently has about 200k active players consistently and has peaks nearing the million mark, so there is still a lot of potential audience there. And with the league being forced into OW2 testing, people will tune in to see what the next game is like.
 

XsjadoBlayde

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Naughty naughty Activision.


Employees have filed a new lawsuit against Activision Blizzard accusing the company of using "coercive tactics" to prevent organisational efforts to improve working conditions - amid ongoing legal action by the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing alleging sexual harassment, discrimination, and a "frat boy" work culture at Blizzard.

Following that first filing, organisational efforts by employees saw more than 2,000 current and former Activision Blizzard staff sign a petition describing the company's initial, widely lambasted response to the lawsuit as "abhorrent and insulting", with subsequent strike action seeing more than 500 workers walk out and "hundreds" more participate virtually around the world in an effort to improve working conditions.

However, the new lawsuit, filed to the National Labor Review Board by the ABetterABK worker collective in conjunction with the Communications Workers of America, alleges Activision Blizzard has, within the last six months, "engaged in and is engaging in unfair labour practices" that violate laws laid out in the National Labor Relations Act.

"Activision Blizzard management is using coercive tactics to attempt to prevent its employees from exercising their rights to stand together and demand a more equitable, sustainable, and diverse workplace," the CWA wrote in a press release announcing the legal action. "It is their right as workers to organize for a work environment free from abuse, discrimination and sexual harassment, and this right is protected by federal labor law.

According to the filing, Activision Blizzard has "threatened employees that they cannot talk about or communicate about wages, hours and working conditions", has told employees they "cannot communicate with or discuss ongoing investigations of wages, hours, and working conditions", has "maintained an overly broad social media policy" and enforced that policy "against employees who have engaged in protected concerted activity" (ie. worker activity protected under federal law), has "treated or disciplined employees on account of protected concerted activity", "engaged in surveillance of employees engaged in protected concerted activity", and "engaged in interrogation of employees about protected concerted activity".

That "protected concerted activity" has included petitioning for improved working conditions at Activision Blizzard, with ABetterABK having continued to list four demands: an end to forced arbitration in employment agreements, the adoption of inclusive recruitment and hiring practices, increases in pay transparency through compensation metrics, and an audit of ABK policies and practices to be performed by a neutral third-party.

Activision Blizzard has so far met one of those demands by commissioning a third-party audit of ABK practices and policies. However, its choice of company, WilmerHale, has come in for considerable criticism given the law firm's reputation for union-busting.

This latest legal action isn't the first to accuse Activision Blizzard of shenanigans in its response to the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing's initial allegations, of course. The DFEH recently updated its lawsuit, alleging Activision Blizzard's HR department had shredded documents related to staff complaints and internal investigations - a claim the Call of Duty publisher described as "not true".
 
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Gordon_4

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BrawlMan

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Thanks for putting the link in the general gaming news thread, @hanselthecaretaker.



Activision really needs to be taken down. I really don't care what happens to all their franchises at this point. Not that I did much in the first place.

Hey Naughty Dog, you think you can buy Crash Bandicoot back?