Activision Blizzard to pay $55 million in gender discrimination settlement | Pocket Gamer.biz

US publishing giant Activision Blizzard has settled the lawsuit brought against it by a California government body.

As reported by the New York Times, the California Civil Rights Department (CCRD) – formerly the Department of Fair Employment and Housing – has settled its lawsuit with the Call of Duty giant.

In total, Activision is paying out $54,875,000 in the settlement agreement; as much as $45,750,000 to make right with female employees who were paid unfairly or discriminated against with the remaining amount going to litigation costs.  

Female employees and contractors who were at Activision Blizzard between October 12th, 2015 and December 31st, 2020 may be eligible for compensation. 

No admission of wrongdoing

In the settlement agreement, Activision Blizzard appears to have been let off the hook without any admission of wrongdoing; both the publisher and the CCRD said that “no court or any independent investigation has substantiated any allegations,” while saying that the government body’s investigation hadn’t found any evidence of wrongdoing by Activision’s board.

This lawsuit was filed by the Department of Fair Employment and Housing back in 2021 and alleged a frat boy culture at the Call of Duty giant.

This story was originally published on our sister-site, PGCGamesInsider.biz.