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Revelations about Activision Blizzard’s allegedly toxic work environment are causing fans to reconsider their role in supporting the company’s products.
Why is this important: The answer to the question of how to be an ethical consumer is a complicated answer in which there is no simple and universal solution.
- On Twitter, a senior producer at Blizzard said that “it is a very bad feeling for those of us who still work and struggle on a daily basis in this business.”
- She added that when people don’t buy the company’s games, it affects profit sharing and its potential bonuses. “The impact of this lawsuit could mean that in March when my newborn baby goes to FT daycare and my maternity leave ends, I might not get the premium I need to pay for this child care. ‘children. “
What they say : Some Activision Blizzard employees tell Axios that boycotts can do more harm than good.
A current employee says that while he understands the reasoning behind it – losing money will get the attention of executives and shareholders, forcing them to take action – it doesn’t actually work that way.
- “It’s harmful [to] the people who work there, who dedicate their lives to gaming and are determined to make AB studios (and all game studios frankly) better places, ”they said.“ We can’t fix these problems if we do. are unemployed and we can not raise women if we boycott all the work they have done and are doing. “
Another told Axios they personally don’t believe boycotts are effective, “because far fewer people care enough about getting involved than dedicated fans think.”
- “Even if a critical mass were reached, it is more likely to result in layoffs in development teams than a change in opinion or composition at the top.”
The big picture: Unethical work practices are embedded in many aspects of the gaming industry, including employee harassment and overwork.
- Games like “Red Dead Redemption 2” are built through intense cycles of crisis, but continue to dominate award seasons without any mention of these working conditions.
The question to ask may be Why you boycott and what you hope to achieve, rather than if you should.
- Recent player efforts to boycott “Pokémon Go” following the game changes have prompted developer Niantic to react and react.
- While players may not get what they ask for – some changes remain, even with COVID restrictions lifted – their motivations are clear.
The bottom line: Gamers who want to support developers and better working conditions in games can instead focus on supporting initiatives that the developers themselves have championed.
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