“Leaders Who Fall Short of Basic Standards Must Go": EA Exec Calls Out Toxic Game Industry Leaders - IGN
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EA Chief Operating Officer Laura Miele issued pointed criticism of game companies with toxic cultures, implicitly calling out Activision Blizzard and CEO Bobby Kotick in saying "leaders who fall short of basic standards must go."

For once something good comes from EA.

  • @onlooker
    2•2 years ago

    I like that she’s speaking out against this kind of behaviour, but some naming and shaming wouldn’t be uncalled for. As far as Bobby Kotick is concerned, that ship has sailed. He’s out the door, he has his golden parachute with nary a sanction to be seen. The whole situation is honestly infuriating, but at least he will be out of the picture soon.

    Not to say that there aren’t any bad actors left, oh no. In fact, let’s put a spotlight on another influential man in the gaming industry, one who rivals Bobby in terms of sleaziness and being an abhorrent douchebag: the CEO of Ubisoft, Yves Guillemot.

    About two years ago, Ubisoft’s now former creative officer Serge Hascoët was charged of sexual misconduct. Dude reportedly held business meetings in strip clubs. As the internal investigation was still ongoing, Yves let Hascoët resign. Again, he didn’t fire him, he didn’t punish him in any way he just… let him leave. Just like that. Yves went on record to say: "Toxic behaviors are unacceptable and are in direct contrast to values on which I have never compromised — and never will.” A year passes and suffice to say he probably made some compromises anyway. By all rights, Yves should be under fire just as much as Bobby was.

  • Lvxferre
    1•2 years ago

    I wish that people stopped using the word “toxic” to refer to behaviour, and actually described what they’re complaining about. “Toxic” is simply non-descriptive, it can mean a thousand things depending on whom you ask, and at the end of the day it’s the same as “I think that this is bad but calling it ‘bad’ would make you notice that it’s my subjective opinion”.

    NB: Bailey might be the one to blame here, not Miele. Miele actually describes, later on, what she’s talking about: sex-based harassment and marginalisation.

  • @testman
    0•2 years ago

    lol that’s rich coming from EA
    or is this meant to be satire?

    • @onlooker
      4•2 years ago

      While EA can be accused of many, many, MANY things, like predatory business practices, creative bankruptcy, being gambling addiction enablers and trying to justify loot boxes as “surprise mechanics”, I can’t really find any evidence of them being a bad employer. Their games are mostly supreme garbage, don’t get me wrong, but from what I can see, people seem to be at least content to be there.