Update 11/18/21 4:50 PM - The criticisms leveled against Activision Blizzard in an internal e-mail at Microsoft have been confirmed by IGN. Additionally, Activision Blizzard has responded to the situation.
IGN has received a statement from Xbox Head Phil Spencer.
"I personally have strong values for a welcoming and inclusive environment for all of our employees at Xbox," read the statement in the IGN article (via GamesIndustry.biz). "This is not a destination but a journey that we will always be on. The leadership at Xbox and Microsoft stand by our teams and support them in building a safer environment for all."
Activision Blizzard provided a response a short time before Spencer's statement.
"We respect all feedback from our valued partners and are engaging with them further. We have detailed important changes we have implemented in recent weeks, and we will continue to do so. We are committed to the work of ensuring our culture and workplace are safe, diverse, and inclusive. We know it will take time, but we will not stop until we have the best workplace for our team."
Our original story continues below.
Activision Blizzard continues to face criticism within the gaming industry, and PlayStation Chief Jim Ryan and Xbox Head Phil Spencer have both addressed the situation in internal e-mails.
The seriousness of these allegations has resulted in mounting criticism from fans of the company and from within the gaming industry itself; in the last two days alone, Xbox Head Phil Spencer and PlayStation Chief Jim Ryan have criticized the company in internal e-mails.
PlayStation Chief Jim Ryan Says Activision Blizzard 'Has Not Done Enough'
As Bloomberg reports, PlayStation Chief Jim Ryan has sent an e-mail to employees yesterday after a report at The Wall Street Journal alleged that Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick knew about sexual misconduct allegations for years.
Ryan wrote that he and company leadership were "disheartened and frankly stunned to read" the report. Furthermore, he stated that he believed the company "has not done enough to address a deep-seated culture of discrimination and harassment."
Xbox Head Phil Spencer is 'Disturbed and Deeply Troubled'
PlayStation was not the only company to address the Activision-Blizzard situation internally; earlier today, Bloomberg reported that Head of Xbox Phil Spencer has also written to employees in an internal e-mail.
Spencer's e-mail echoed the sentiment espoused by Jim Ryan, stating that the company's executives were "disturbed and deeply troubled by the horrific events and actions" at Activision Blizzard, referring to the same report released earlier this week by The Wall Street Journal. In addition, Spencer stated that he is "evaluating all aspects of our relationship with Activision Blizzard and making ongoing proactive adjustments."
The addition of PlayStation and Xbox executives speaking out about the Activision Blizzard situation in internal e-mails adds a greater level of pressure to Activision Blizzard over the allegations and the way it has responded to the situation. Activision Blizzard has not yet responded to these latest developments. The company was sued by the State of California earlier this year over allegations regarding its workplace culture, unequal pay, and other issues. More recently, employees staged a walkout and a group of shareholders has called for the resignation of company CEO Bobby Kotick.
