Xbox head Phil Spencer reportedly reevaluating relationship with Activision Blizzard
Spencer states he is “disturbed and deeply troubled” by the news coming from Activison Blizzard.
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
What you need to know
Head of Xbox Phil Spencer sent an email to employees, in which he stated that he and the rest of Xbox leadership are “disturbed and deeply troubled by the horrific events and action,” as reported byBloomberg. Spencer reportedly goes on to note that Xbox is “evaluating all aspects of our relationship with Activision Blizzard and making ongoing proactive adjustments.”
Activision Blizzard is currently facing a lawsuit, alleging the company fostered sexist workplace practices and allowed abusive behaviors to go unpunished. Hundreds of Activision Blizzard employees have signed a petitioncalling for the removal of CEO Bobby Kotick, as well as for the remaining shareholders to vote in a new CEO. The board of directors is currently standing with Kotick, saying in a press release that the board " remains confident" Kotick has handled past situations appropriately.
A recent report from the Wall Street Journal indicates that Kotick knew of and assisted in covering upmultiple instances of sexual harassmentat Activision Blizzard. Sony Interactive Entertainment CEO Jim Ryan also recently spoke on the situation, noting that he was “disheartened and frankly stunned” by the recent reports on Activision Blizzard.
The report also indicated that former Blizzard co-lead Jen Oneal was not paid as much as fellow co-lead Mike Ybarra, with Oneal claiming she had also faced sexual harassment during her time at Activision Blizzard.
Get the Windows Central Newsletter
All the latest news, reviews, and guides for Windows and Xbox diehards.
Samuel Tolbert is a freelance writer covering gaming news, previews, reviews, interviews and different aspects of the gaming industry, specifically focusing on Xbox and PC gaming on Windows Central. You can find him on Twitter@SamuelTolbert.
