A US judge has approved an $18m settlement between Activision Blizzard and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, bringing one of several discrimination lawsuits against the gaming company to a close. During a hearing on Tuesday, US district judge Dale Fischer said she would give final approval to the settlement after Activision and the EEOC made various tweaks she requested last week. The maker of Call of Duty, World of Warcraft and other popular video games still faces suits filed by additional former employees, the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH), and shareholders accusing the company of widespread sex discrimination. Fischer on Tuesday also rejected a renewed effort to intervene in the case by the DFEH, which filed its own suit against Activision months before the EEOC and argued the settlement could hurt its own case. EEOC spokeswoman Nicole St Germain said the agency was pleased that Fischer said she would approve the settlement.

California's civil rights regulator is investigating Google's treatment of Black female workers following alleged incidents of harassment and discrimination, according to two people familiar with the matter and emails from the agency seen by Reuters. Attorneys and analysts at the California department of fair employment and housing (DFEH) have repeatedly interviewed several Black women who have worked at the Alphabet Inc company about their experiences there, according to the documents and the sources. The sources spoke on the condition of anonymity to avoid jeopardizing the work. Questions have centered on alleged harassment and discrimination in the workplace, according to the emails. Conversations have taken place as recently as last month, one of the sources said.

Major gaming company Activision Blizzard, known for titles such as "World of Warcraft," "Call of Duty" and "Candy Crush," requested Tuesday that the ongoing lawsuit with California's Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) be moved to a separate court. The filing also asked to pause proceedings to examine alleged ethical violations by the DFEH, including that it hired lawyers from another government agency already investigating Activision Blizzard. The DFEH filed a gender-based discrimination, inequality and sexual harassment lawsuit against Activision Blizzard in July, alleging the company had a "frat boy culture."

The lawsuit is one of several against Activision Blizzard, which was previously investigated 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" that included gender-based discrimination and harassment. It was followed by a class action suit from shareholders in August that claimed the company had violated federal securities laws.

Blizzard Entertainment president J. Allen Brack stepped down today following weeks of controversy over the company's alleged culture of sexism. On July 20, California's Department of Fair Employment and Housing filed an explosive suit alleging rampant gender-based discrimination at Blizzard parent company Activision Blizzard. Employees at Activision Blizzard say Brack's departure is just one step toward addressing systemic issues. "No one person is responsible for the culture of Blizzard; the problems at ABK go beyond Blizzard and require systemic change," tweeted the Activision Blizzard King Workers Alliance, a self-described "organized group of current Activision Blizzard, Inc. employees committed to defending our right to a safe and equitable workplace." Oneal was previously studio head for Vicarious Visions, known for developing the Tony Hawk and Skylanders series.

On July 20, California filed an explosive workplace discrimination and harassment lawsuit against Activision Blizzard, publisher of immensely popular video games including World of Warcraft, Overwatch, and the Call of Duty franchise. It has resulted in a shockwave of response from employees, other games studios and players. The lawsuit alleges a "frat bro" culture was allowed to flourish in the office, creating an environment in which women were sexually harassed and discriminated against in advancement and compensation decisions. Activision Blizzard is one of the largest video game publishers in the world, owning studios who have created and released some of the most popular titles over the past decade. Its 2016 acquisition of Candy Crush publisher King, expanded its audience by millions more.

Historically, the Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) has been highly selective in pursuing its own lawsuits. In California, individuals must lodge their complaint with the agency before filing a lawsuit against their employer. Typically the DFEH immediately grants them this right and reviews complaints for potential investigation, but it seldom pursues the cases itself. In 2019, the agency received 22,584 total complaints and filed four of its own cases. It filed 29 in 2018, following 20,822 complaints.

The California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) filed a lawsuit against Activision Blizzard this week over alleged sexual harassment and discrimination against women. In a memo to staff obtained by Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier, Blizzard Entertainment president J. Allen Brack wrote that "the allegations and the hurt of current and former employees are extremely troubling." Brack wrote that everyone should feel safe at Blizzard and that "it is completely unacceptable for anyone in the company to face discrimination or harassment." He noted it requires courage for people to come forward with their stories, and that all claims brought to the company are taken seriously and investigated. "People with different backgrounds, views, and experiences are essential for Blizzard, our teams, and our player community," Brack wrote.