Diablo 4 Director Among Three No Longer At The Studio Following Activision Blizzard Labor Abuse Allegations

Amidst the ongoing probe pursuing details from a suit against Activision Blizzard from the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) concerning reported toxic workplace conditions, 3 much high-profile developers person departed the company. Game Informer has confirmed reports that Diablo 4 crippled manager Luis Barriga has joined Jesse McCree, a pb designer, and World of Warcraft dev Johnathan LeCraft successful leaving the company. 

“We tin corroborate Luis Barriga, Jesse McCree, and Jonathan LeCraft are nary longer with the company,” an Activision Blizzard spokesperson said successful effect to a petition for remark pursuing a study that broke on Wednesday night.  “We person a deep, talented roster of developers already successful place, and caller leaders person been assigned wherever appropriate. We are assured successful our quality to proceed progress, present astonishing experiences to our players, and determination guardant to guarantee a safe, productive enactment situation for all.”

The 3 employees person been removed from the authoritative Blizzard property leafage and the studio's enactment assets, specified arsenic Slack and the interior directory. Barriga has been with the institution since 2005 and has worked connected respective notable IPs nether the Blizzard umbrella, astir precocious Diablo 4. McCree joined the institution simultaneously arsenic Barriga and has adjacent had his sanction included successful Overwatch arsenic an authoritative character. McCree was 1 of the developers named successful the infamous "Cosby Suite" controversy, which you tin larn much astir here. 

Other removals person already occurred, including former Blizzard Entertainment president J. Allen Brack and HR pb Jesse Meschuk. The second was different developer seen successful the photos that surfaced astir the Cosby suite and the now-public radical chat surrounding it.  

In related news, Kotick released a connection past week addressing the concerns but seemingly skating astir the demands listed successful a nationalist missive to leadership. That missive was followed by a company-wide walkout of Blizzard employees, a walkout supported by an unfastened letter from Ubisoft employees that person been faced with akin instances noted wrong the California lawsuit. To larn much astir the proceedings frankincense far, including details listed successful the suit against Activision Blizzard, delight review our erstwhile sum here. 

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