Activision Blizzard reaches $18M settlement for sexual harassment lawsuit

Activision Blizzard and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission have had an $18M settlement approved which will resolve their suit.

The settlement: The Call of Duty and Overwatch publisher is still in hot water outside of this situation.

• While the video game giant still faces multiple lawsuits, Activision Blizzard has had an $18M settlement with the EEOC approved by a judge, as reported by The Washington Post.
• "I'm going to sign the consent decree, which will close this case," U.S. District Judge Dale Fischer said during the hearing on the settlement. The judge added that she couldn't stop appeals from being filed.
• In addition to the $18M, Activision Blizzard is required to give sexual harassment training, expand its mental health services, and implement a new process that allows employees to give feedback about their managers.
• “Our goal is to make Activision Blizzard a model for the industry, and we will continue to focus on eliminating harassment and discrimination from our workplace," said Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick. "The court’s approval of this settlement is an important step in ensuring that our employees have mechanisms for recourse."

Looking ahead: Activision Blizzard has much more to do before things may settle down.

• The company was first sued by the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) in July 2021 with accusations of it having a "frat boy" workplace culture.
• A couple of months later, the company agreed to establish an $18M fund with the intention of compensating victims of harassment and discrimination in the workplace following another lawsuit. This amount was described as "woefully inadequate" by the Communications Workers of America.
• Earlier in March 2022, a new lawsuit was filed against the company by a current employee that alleges she has faced sexual harassment and discrimination and three of the company's investors were revealed to be under investigation for potential insider trading.
• The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has requested more information regarding the proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard by Microsoft, a deal that would cost $68.7B.