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California appealed a decision in Activision Blizzard settlement

The legal battle for the beleaguered game developer continues.

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The Activision Blizzard storm rages on
Photo: Pavlo Gonchar/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

Amid its legal battle with Activision Blizzard, the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing appealed a decision which denied it from intervening in the game developer's $18 million settlement with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, according to documents filed Friday.

Activision settled a lawsuit in September with the EEOC which alleged a toxic workplace culture, ending with a consent decree in which the company would create an $18 million fund to compensate employees. Though the lawsuit was separate from the California DFEH's ongoing suit with Activision, the agency sought to get involved, filing a motion in October which was denied by a judge in December.

The DFEH is appealing the judge's decision, worried that the consent decree, which resolved the dispute between Activision and the EEOC without an admission of guilt, could free the game developer of claims that the state has against it, as well as allow the company to destroy evidence related to the case.

The DFEH's ongoing lawsuit against Activision alleges sexism, harassment and discrimination against female employees. Filed in July, the suit has started a domino affect of turmoil for the company, including a 500-person employee walkout and a petition signed by thousands of employees for CEO Bobby Kotick to be removed from his position.

Nat Rubio-Licht

Nat Rubio-Licht is a Los Angeles-based news writer at Protocol. They graduated from Syracuse University with a degree in newspaper and online journalism in May 2020. Prior to joining the team, they worked at the Los Angeles Business Journal as a technology and aerospace reporter.

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