I’m not sure not buying their games is much of a punishment in this case, because it’s going to take money out of the pockets of both the perpetrators and the victims, but unless you have stock to sell to show your displeasure, no idea what else consumers can do, it’s not like all the victims have left to form “Good Blizzard”.
I can confirm that there is definitely a creative exodus going on from AB, rightfully so. Myself and other peers have seen resumes from the same people, so they are just shotgunning them out trying to reposition.
I doubt those 20 positions are growing the team haha.
“Morhaime, who ran the company for 27 years, courted and then married a Blizzard business director in 2010. Another founder, Frank Pearce, left his wife for a Blizzard customer service representative, and they wedded in 2012. J. Allen Brack, the outgoing president, also married a lower-level employee.”
People who work together sometimes grow close, fall in love and get married. It may be “unprofessional” but I don’t think there will ever be a timeline when that doesn’t happen even if fraternization among employees of the same company gets outlawed on global level.
I was typing almost the exact same thing. While I completely understand and agree that it is a ripe situation for abuse when it is between manager and subordinate, it isn’t always. After all, these are people you are spending a LOT of time with.
Frank is clearly an ass though.
EDIT: On reflection though - pretty much all companies have rules in place against things like this right? And the usual solution is that one or the other needs to leave the company if the relationship is to continue. So, er…
That’s been my experience, yeah. For exactly this reason. If Frank Pearce wants to have a relationship with a CSR at the company? Great. One of the two of them should get a different job. Because look what kind of liability that opens the company up to. What if their relationship doesn’t work out and she gets fired or misses out on a promotion for something completely unrelated, then makes the accusation? What if they are in a relationship and she does get the promotion over other people? Did she get it because she was the best or was it because she was fucking a co-founder?
It’s almost like some of these issues are solved things! Maybe someone like a state agency should look into this stuff. :)
Yes, that’s pretty much SOP in any sane company.
But apparently big game companies are not sane?
After all, these are people you are spending a LOT of time with.
All I know is, nobody better look at the movie industry, LOL.
Disney, of all places, doesn’t have formal rules against fraternization amongst employees. Ol’ Walt did marry his secretary though.
Cool story bro.
I will continue to not give Blizzard money though.
I wouldn’t say that story was “full” of details not previously reported.
Just more of the same really, but with some new stories. Mike Morhaime looks really bad out of this though, he was the “great ceo” and good guy that also happened to look the other way at the bad stuff. He probably could have used his prestige and clout within the company to do a lot more. A real missed opportunity.
I would like to hear a lot more about the Activision/Blizzard dynamic though, as it sounds like the Activision pressure is really fucking up Blizzard’s design philosopy and products. (I mean, Warcraft 3 reforged was just so bad) It really does feel like the golden days are over.
Also, hey, if you are running a large company, stop fucking letting people drink on the job and have open bars at events. You are just asking for trouble.
I’m gonna have to disagree with the midwest mindset on this. That was one of the big culture shock moments moving to the PNW from Chicago, beer and/or wine are common offerings at team parties, and available from the company cafeterias even.
And you know what, it’s fine. Obviously there can be limits where it becomes not fine. But having a few cases of beer available for our tech group when we have a team bonding afternoon? No big deal.
Clearly it is not fine though.
Also, from a liability mindset, why even take the risk?
Company culture. Blizzard has a problematic culture, alcohol is not the source of that. But having it available can certainly make existing problems worse.
But here’s the thing, out west having beer or wine with lunch or at company parties isn’t just possible, but more the norm. And most people can behave like adults.
Like I said, you have a very midwest mindset about this, I would know! It’s what I lived with for 30+ years myself
Completely agree, their culture was the problem. Adding alcohol didn’t help, but this sort of thing comes from the top.
At my workplace, early on, I got a look at work relationships and how management takes care of its own.
Married male director, married female manager reporting to him. Her first day, they meet for the first time. He is smitten and it is obvious to a half dozen others in the room.
Rumors of an affair abound. Denied by both. Top management calls him in, tells him it’s ok. He can keep his job and she will be transferred to another Director.
He still denies it. Another month goes by. Rumor mill has the affair as certain, and both parties have initiated divorces with respective spouses.
Top management calls him in again. Tell him they know it’s happening, it’s not an issue, the offer stands but he has to come clean.
Still denies it. Top management gets pissed and tells him he’s under suspension, banned from the premises, until they meet again next week. And Top dogs tell him he needs to think this situation over.
The idiot comes in the next day, a Saturday, completely plastered, raves to a lowly tech about getting some stuff for a lake trip. Leaves (hope he wasn’t driving)
That got him fired, finally. She got to keep her job. They get married.
I don’t have a moral to this story other than holy fuck I wish someone gave me that many chances to save myself. But I’m not a manager of any sort.
Used to lived in California (for over 30 years), never saw this. Mostly in construction-related businesses, but several of those years in businesses catering to wine collectors ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Maybe its a development of the past decade or so since I left, or is industry-specific. Or plebes like me didn’t get invited to those parties.
Heh, well I work in tech, and my wife in home remodeling, and have both seen this locally, and from multiple companies. So maybe it’s new, or maybe it wasn’t in your area. I don’t know. I have just seen it at a few big, and small, companies in the area. Maybe it’s just a PNW thing and California didn’t get them memo yet. Just like you haven’t sorted your DST thing yet so we’re all waiting for you.