15 votes

How Blizzard's reputation collapsed in just three years

4 comments

  1. [2]
    nacho
    Link
    Remember how there was this huge scandal with the bro-culture at Riot Games a couple years back, and how terrible that company was towards women? There's absolutely no surprise that the rest of...

    Remember how there was this huge scandal with the bro-culture at Riot Games a couple years back, and how terrible that company was towards women?

    There's absolutely no surprise that the rest of the industry leaders who recruit from the same folks, have similar game communities and leadership face exactly the same issues. This time at Blizzard.

    I just hope we get an industry-wide conversation this time, not just one focusing on an individual company. That's the only way of changing things in the whole gaming industry.

    13 votes
    1. DeFaced
      Link Parent
      You know it’s funny because a lot of those people at blizzard that probably let the bro-culture build now work at riot. It’s not surprise to me at all that riot is the same way as blizzard...

      You know it’s funny because a lot of those people at blizzard that probably let the bro-culture build now work at riot. It’s not surprise to me at all that riot is the same way as blizzard considering they’re essentially made from the same mold.

      6 votes
  2. bkimmel
    Link
    Plaintiffs bar attorneys and state AG offices aren't nearly as reluctant as they used to be with respect to holding evidence away from the public during legal proceedings. From what I read, the CA...

    Plaintiffs bar attorneys and state AG offices aren't nearly as reluctant as they used to be with respect to holding evidence away from the public during legal proceedings. From what I read, the CA department that is prosecuting this offered a mediated settlement to Blizzard and Blizzard told them to take a hike. Blizzard's counsel was likely anticipating what normally happens: A case gets filed and they drag it out for years and slow it down until everyone loses interest, the case gets dropped and the victims get no justice, or some paltry settlement at the end... All with no real negative consequences to speak of for Blizzard.

    Plaintiffs bar attorneys are getting wise to this and engaging PR efforts to attack the company's "brand" with their alleged offenses in parallel with legal proceedings in an effort to put real pressure on the defendants. I have very mixed feelings about this: on one hand, it is much better for the victim to get actual justice out of the process... But on the other, you are basically trying these companies in the " court of public opinion".

    10 votes
  3. Adys
    Link
    One thing this article is missing is the chain of departures a few years ago at Team 5, the Hearthstone team. Blizzard lost the entirety of the seniority at that team, in a period of months. They...

    One thing this article is missing is the chain of departures a few years ago at Team 5, the Hearthstone team.

    Blizzard lost the entirety of the seniority at that team, in a period of months. They had to scramble and look in other teams to fill the gaps.

    This happened early 2018, just ahead of the events talked about here. For me at least it was very telling and i was glad to be preparing to leave the Hearthstone scene myself.

    8 votes