no img no img

Write what you are looking for and press enter to begin your search!

Logo
live-news-icon

Live News

Wuthering Waves for PS5 Release Date Revealed: In an intense match, the Lone Wolves came out victorious. Read all about the big night here // Guilty Gear Strive's New Update Ensures Photo Mode Stays Classy: In an intense match, the Lone Wolves came out victorious. Read all about the big night here // Star Wars Outlaws Makes The Kessel Run To Steam: In an intense match, the Lone Wolves came out victorious. Read all about the big night here
post-16 post-13

Should You Boycott Activision Blizzard Games? Well, It’s Complicated

With all the news of Activision Blizzard being sued by the State of California for its hostile working environment, sexual harassment, and discrimination, alongside other pieces of news, fans are reconsidering their role in supporting the company and its games. These include the long-running MMORPG World of Warcraft, action RPG Diablo, and co-op multiplayer shooter Overwatch series.

Yep, it’s the “b” word surfacing again: “boycott”. Truth be told, it’s not as black-and-white a situation. There really is no simple fix-all solution. Here’s why:

No Profit Sharing Among Hard-Working Developers & Game Makers

A Blizzard senior producer shared on Twitter (via Axios) said that women are still fighting and working daily at Blizzard. A boycott on Blizzard games may not be ideal: when people aren’t buying Blizzard titles, this will affect profit sharing and potential bonuses for people who really deserve it -the developers, coders, marketeers/PR, and producers who make it all possible.

“The impact of this lawsuit might mean that in March, when my newborn goes to FT childcare and my maternity leave ends — I might not get the bonus I need to pay for that childcare.”

Boycotts do more harm than good; while a company losing money will catch the attention of executives and shareholders who allowed this to happen from the top, it doesn’t work that way. Another Blizzard employee said to Axios that any major boycott would be harmful to the people who work there and poured their blood and sweat to make the game they want and to make studios better places than before.

“We can’t fix these problems if we’re unemployed and we can’t elevate women if we’re boycotting all of the work they’ve done and are doing.”

No One Gives A S***

Boycotts aren’t effective because not many people care enough to get involved than dedicated fans think they will be. Said one Blizzard employee:

“Even if a critical mass were reached, it’s more likely to result in layoffs on the dev teams than any change in opinion or composition at the top.”

Is There Even A Solution?

This is not to say that boycotts and protests aren’t effective. Pokemon Go did go through a boycott; Niantic responded and reacted positively. But to stop buying a company’s games in the long run means a lot of talented people in these companies getting laid off.

The sad truth is unethical labour practices are built into many aspects of the games industry be it Rockstar (Red Dead Redemption 2) or Naughty Dog (The Last of Us Part 2). These two games won a ton of awards during their release year, meaning higher-ups can use the sad excuse of justifying crunch and said practices as a means for critical acclaim.

There is no clear solution to this. As of now, players who want to support developers and better working conditions in the games industry should help out developer initiatives like an Activision Blizzard walkout, or a form of protest that sends a message to a lot of people online and offline. And I should add, the extreme case would be to fire the top brass who were systemic in this version of Activision Blizzard; a wholly necessary tactic if we wish to see actual true change and not the PR fluff kind on Twitter.

Related News

post-07
HoYoverse Just Released A One Hour Video Of Burnice White's Dance Theme From ZZZ

This girl is on fire. This week, HoYoverse has updated its free-to-play action game Zenless Zone Zero with a few new events, quests, and a new char...

post-07
Malaysia-Made Postknight 2 Is Now In Early Access

Malaysian developer Kurechii has announced that Postknight 2, the sequel to the award-winning delivery mobile RPG Postknight, is now available in Earl...

post-07
Top Gun & Mission: Impossible Sequels Delayed Due To COVID-19

Sad news for 80s pilot-filled drama and spy thriller fans everywhere. Paramount is pushing back its two big Tom Cruise-starring films to mid-2022 (via...

Write a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Tournament Tool Kit

Kakuchopurei Community

Popular Posts

post-17
Ultraman Rising’s Ultraman & Emi Are In Gigabash: Check Out Their Moves Here
post-17
Indie Jam Returns for 2024: What You Need To Know
post-17
Vampire Survivors: Ode To Castlevania – All New Weapon Evolutions
post-17
Infinix Teams Up With Honor Of Kings & Mediatek For Pro-Powered Gaming Phone Showcase
post-17
Four Ways to Increase Your Chances of Winning in EA Sports FC 25’s Rush
post-17
Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven – Post Game Guide & New Game+
post-17
Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge Of The Seven – How To Unlock All Classes & Races
post-17
Diablo 4: Vessel Of Hatred – 10 Ways To Maximize Your Demon-Slaying Fun In Sanctuary
post-17
Metaphor: ReFantazio Endings Guide – How To Avoid All Bad Endings
post-17
Diablo 4 Vessel of Hatred: Kurast Undercity Guide
post-17
Diablo 4 Vessel of Hatred: All Runes Tier List
post-17
Diablo 4 Vessel of Hatred: Season 6 Classes Ranked & Best Builds
post-17
Diablo 4 Vessel of Hatred: All New Uniques In The Expansion
post-17
From Game Changer To Growth Spurt: Ammobox Studios’ CEO Unveils What’s Next
post-17
The Best PC Games To Play Right Now
post-17
Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves – What You Need To Know About The Upcoming 2025 Fighting Game From SNK
post-17
Deadpool & Wolverine: Most Iconic Team-Ups & Moments In Comics, Movies & TV
post-17
Main Game: How To Watch Malaysia’s Best Video Game Show Created By Kakuchopurei & RTM
post-17
Hawkeye Episode 6 Finale Easter Eggs & Breakdown
post-17
Marvel’s What If…? Crew Explains Why They Went 3D Over 2D & A Scrapped Episode That Was Too Close To GOTG 3
post-17
We Talk To Hayden Christensen About Star Wars, Sequels, & Prequels
post-17
Sea Of Stars Might Get DLC Post-Launch
post-17
The Book Of Boba Fett Episode 7 Breakdown & Easter Eggs Explained