Over the weekend, we also reported that one of the company’s decisions sparked yet another outcry within Activision’s ranks. This time, a significant part of Raven Software’s quality testers, primarily responsible for Call of Duty: Warzone, was laid off, which, of course, was not left by the unofficial consortium of the company, ABetterABK. Things got to the point where Raven’s staff started protesting yesterday to get the fired colleagues back.
In recent days, about a third of the testers (about 12 people) have been fired from the studio, and those who were not sent have been assigned to work full-time, increasing salaries and benefits. On the other hand, employees in the department previously thought this was waiting for everyone after Activision’s management rejected promotions and promotions earlier this year because it promised positive changes later in that department of the studio. So the quality testers are starting to pretend and don’t intend to resign until their laid-off employees are hired full time as well.
We’d like to take a moment to celebrate the transition of our colleagues at Treyarch TEA to full-time positions. This is something we have been championing for a long time. pic.twitter.com/tOmg57Wu9h
– ABetterABK 💙 ABK Workers Alliance (ABetterABK) December 6, 2021
Leave it to be, Activision set the timing of the layoff somewhat inconvenient. There’s a map change in Warzone now, Caldera Island will be available from December 9, and Vanguard players will have access to it earlier. For this reason, it can be especially embarrassing for a company now to prove to quality testers.
Another scandal erupted around Activision Blizzard in November when the Wall Street Journal reported that Bobby Kotick, who led the company, was aware of the harassment cases that surfaced this summer. Then, ABetterABK called on the company’s management to fire Kotick, an initiative signed by 32,000 members of the organization yesterday. The CEO was reportedly considered retirement.
Source: Game Spot
