Activision Blizzard disinvited from speaking at SXSW due to misconduct allegations

“Given the ongoing and unfolding nature around the sexual harassment accusations being covered up at the executive levels of Activision, we decided it was best to not have high-profile speakers from Activision present at SXSW this year,” said Linda Park, VP of communications at SXSW, in a statement to The Post.

SXSW is scheduled to be held in Austin, Texas, from March 11 to 20 this year. Activision Blizzard did not respond to comment.

Activision Blizzard is one of the world’s biggest gaming companies, with 9,500 employees worldwide, a market capitalization of more than $60 billion and hit franchises like Call of Duty and World of Warcraft. Microsoft’s acquisition of the company in a nearly $69 billion all cash deal is expected to close by June 2023, pending regulatory approval.

One of Activision’s largest subsidiaries, Blizzard Entertainment, was named in a July 2021 lawsuit filed by California’s Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) over claims of widespread sexual harassment and gender-based discrimination. The DFEH sued Activision Blizzard in July, alleging the company had a “frat boy culture.” It was followed by a class-action suit from shareholders last August that claimed the company had violated federal securities laws.

Another major gaming event happening this month, the Game Developers’ Conference in San Francisco, will still include three panels featuring Activision Blizzard speakers.

Game Developers Conference spokesperson Katie Stern said that while “reports of systemic misconduct and toxicity at Activision Blizzard have been deeply upsetting,” the Conference sought to “uplift these individual developers, who have no record of wrongdoing, and to not punish them because of their association with poor leadership.” The featured speakers include a tools engineer, user researcher and the head of Activision’s ads business.

Last Friday, the Coca-Cola Company announced that Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick would not stand for reelection to Coca-Cola’s board of directors. Kotick had served on the board since February 2012.

Kotick said in a news release that he had to focus his “full attention on Activision Blizzard at this pivotal time as we prepare for our merger with Microsoft.” Coca-Cola declined to comment.