Geoff Keighley, the executive producer and host of The Game Awards, sent out a tweet to confirm that outside of its nominations, Activision Blizzard “will not be a part of this year’s #TheGameAwards.” This is in light of claims about the company’s toxic culture, as well as allegations of CEO Bobby Kotick’s history of abuse and harassment.
Beyond its nominations, I can confirm that Activision|Blizzard will not be a part of this year’s #TheGameAwards
— Geoff Keighley (@geoffkeighley) December 4, 2021
In an interview with The Washington Post, Keighley hinted at Activision Blizzard’s potential removal from the award show, noting that he was contemplating how to “navigate” the situation with the company without harming its developers or employees.
Although Activision Blizzard won’t have a role in this year’s Game Awards, the company may still cast some influence over the show. Rob Kostich, the president of Activision Blizzard serves on The Game Awards’ board of advisors. While the board doesn’t have a say in terms of which games receive nominations and awards, it still helps “guide and advance the mission” of The Game Awards.
Other game companies have spoken out about the controversy surrounding Activision Blizzard, with PlayStation sending out a company-wide notice to condemn the claims, and Xbox boss Phil Spencer saying that Microsoft is reevaluating its relationship with the company.
“There is no place for abuse, harassment or predatory practices in any company or any community,” Keighley wrote. “We all need to work together to build a better and a more inclusive environment so everyone feels safe to build the world’s best games.”
