The on-going outcry surrounding a sexual harassment lawsuit filed against Activision Blizzard, as well as the company's incendiary official response, has resulted in development on World of Warcraft stalling and employees organizing a walkout in protest.
The latter has caused the company's shares to drop 9%, which seemingly prompted the first official response from Activision's CEO Bobby Kotick.
While predictable, the fact that the CEO only cared to acknowledge the situation after his shares took a hit is still disappointing. In his carefully manicured letter, Kotick claims that the company will make sweeping changes including with respect to personnel, the introduction of employee support and listening sessions, and altered hiring practices.
Kotick has hired law firm WilmerHale to review company policies and conduct, and he encourages employees to approach WilmerHale with any relevant information and experiences related to harassment, discrimination and unequal treatment.