Activision Blizzard is a company that has never been a stranger to controversy. Be it cases of harassment or unhappy employees in the workspace, it seems there’s always something cooking at the offices where Call of Duty games are in the spotlight. In a recent case, a 57-year-old employee was let go, and according to him the reasons feel unfair and discriminatory.
It’s not the first time there have been reports of problems at Activision’s offices, and the ex-employee has much to say about the company’s discrimination against ‘old white guys’ like him. Based on his statements, he believes younger white men have been preferred over him, and that’s the topic of the lawsuit that followed.
Lawsuit Claims Activision Prefers Younger Employees Instead of Keeping Older Ones
In what seems to be just another day at Activision’s offices, a lawsuit has emerged which shines light on the life of a 57-year-old employee who was recently fired from the job. According to a report by Law360, the ex-tech executive had been with Activision since 2014, but was required to exit the premises as a consequence of the latest restructuring process. This took place at the Central Tech department in 2023.
The lawsuit reveals details citing the company’s discrimination against older employees and marks a preference for younger minds to be a part of the team. The claim alleges that former CEO, Bobby Kotick, said there were too many ‘old white guys’ at Activision, and that it needed to change.
Whether it’s old policies or new ones, the suit seems to infer that the company is determined to bring in new employees, instead of keeping old-timers active at the offices. Furthermore, the claim highlights toxicity faced by employees at the workplace, such as a terrifying manager and salaries based on merit, which just aren’t enough.
Moreover, the lawsuit suggests that the experienced ex-employee wasn’t protected by the company when facing any kind of defamatory or discriminatory accusations. This isn’t the whole story, but it provides a glimpse of all that could go wrong within the company. Despite wrongful termination, there seem to be a lot more problems that the organization and its authorities need to be handling.
Above 47? You Might Not Make It At Activision
Things get interesting as the lawsuit attempts to explain the reality behind laying off employees. Ever since the restructuring, within the team of 200, six men (including the plaintiff) who happened to be 47 or older, were asked to resign.
While we don’t have exact details about why they were fired, a common theme emerges. Age appears to be a criterion for judgment when it comes to layoffs at Activision. What seems even more disappointing, is that there are no job openings in the same department.
The lawsuit also brings about questions of the ex-employee’s mental state, and whether there is emotional distress related to a termination which seems to have no solid reason. There may be plenty more issues at hand, but the case so far has revealed only part of the story.
A controversy like this, unfortunately, isn’t new when it comes to Activision. Five years ago, 800 employees were laid off from the company, while the CEO managed to make $30 million a year. The company’s name continues to spark concern as false practices appear to be on the rise all over the gaming industry.
Recent controversies surrounding Bobby Kotick and the organization’s possible malpractices seem to be the highlight of 2024’s start. This isn’t just a reflection of what can go wrong at a multi-billion dollar organization, but how thousands can potentially suffer at the hands of those in power.
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