Call of Duty publisher rattled after sexual discrimination suit

Employees at Activision Blizzard Inc. are calling for a walkout on Wednesday to protest the company’s responses to a recent sexual discrimination lawsuit.

Employees at Activision Blizzard Inc. are calling for a walkout on Wednesday to protest the company’s responses to a recent sexual discrimination lawsuit and demanding more equitable treatment for underrepresented staff. Last week, California’s Department of Fair Employment and Housing sued the publisher behind games like Call of Duty and World of Warcraft, detailing disturbing incidents of sexual harassment and assault and a culture in which women faced unequal pay and retaliation. Activision called the allegations false and distorted in a statement last week, and Fran Townsend, executive vice president for corporate affairs, sent a letter to staff echoing that claim. Infuriated Activision employees have spoken out on social media, and more than 2,000 staff signed an open letter calling the company’s responses “abhorrent and insulting.” Now they’re planning a strike.