The hits keep on coming for Activision Blizzard. It looks like BlizzCon 2022 has been canceled. Then again, considering what’s been happening it’s not really a surprise.
Back in May of this year, BlizzCon Executive Producer Saralyn Smith shared that they were “planning a global event” scheduled for the early part of 2022. It was going to offer an online show along with smaller in-person gatherings.
The Lawsuit
Since that announcement, a lot has happened. In July, various reports revealed that the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing filed a lawsuit against Activision Blizzard. This suit alleges that the company allowed, and even encouraged, sexual misconduct to its female employees. The DFEH also asserted that the company had a “frat boy” culture and that its hiring and employment practices were discriminatory, especially against women.
This suit, along with other factors, resulted in some players canceling their subscriptions to the company’s games. There were also streamers who no longer streamed its games.
Put on Hold
So how did the company come to this recent decision? In a post, the company shared that when it comes to BlizzCon, it’s an event that involves everyone and it’s due to sharing what they created with the community. This time, the decision was made so the energy for this show would better be directed to “supporting our teams and progressing development of our games and experiences.”
It’s been 16 years since the very first BlizzCon was held. The company said that a lot has changed since then, especially how players and communities have come together. If BlizzCon is to be held again, the company wants it to be a “safe, welcoming, and inclusive” event.
The company also announced that while BlizzCon is “paused,” they’ll continue to make announcements and updates for their games. In particular, they have a lot of exciting news to release.
What do you think about the decision to put the event on “pause”? Should Activision Blizzard continue to hold such an event in the future even if the litigation hasn’t been resolved? Tell us your thoughts.
