Discrimination, sexual harassment, mistreatment and other abuses committed against employees have always been a problem across most industries and professions, with those in leadership or other privileged positions getting away with just about anything. The video game industry is no exception - if anything, things are worse there than the average. Recent lawsuits against major companies prove as much, and the responses prove how little these companies care.
Across many industries, there's been a shift from these abuses being quietly and unquestioningly tolerated, accepted and even encouraged to them... still being tolerated, accepted and even encouraged, but no longer unquestioningly. More and more voices can be heard, more and more observers and victims speak out, even under threat of losing jobs or being blacklisted from entire industries. We're a long, long way from solutions, but these things aren't being swept under rugs anymore - no matter how hard Riot Games, Activision-Blizzard, Ubisoft and other game companies try.
These three were the highest profile companies targeted by sexual harassment accusations in recent years, but the list could just go on and on - toss in EA for good measure - filled with major companies sheltering abusers in management and among executives. Ubisoft has sort of coasted out of the public eye, mostly due to the lack of a major legal push and the spotlight being diverted. Riot Games has investigated itself and cleared itself of wrongdoing, but are still in hot water. Meanwhile, Activision-Blizzard's controversy sent the most shockwaves.