EA senior vice president and chief operating officer Laura Miele has called for the removal of industry leaders that allow toxic workplaces.
During a keynote speech at DICE 2022, Laura Miele addressed the recent allegations of workplace harassment within the games industry. No companies or individuals were specifically named (via IGN).
“Let’s face it, there have been some rough headlines,” said Miele. “Stories about negligence and lawsuits, all stemming from leaders who failed to uphold standards we’ve come to expect.”
“Women have been harassed, bullied, marginalized, held back in their careers, paid less, and much, much less. These are real stories, real human beings, and this is going on in companies in our industry,” Miele added. “Leaders who fall short of basic standards must go.”
These statements come after a year that has seen Activision Blizzard targeted by lawsuits filed by the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing following multiple allegations of sexual harassment, discrimination, and workplace misconduct.
Late last year a report alleged that Bobby Kotick, Activision Blizzard’s CEO, was already aware of sexual harassment issues at the company before they came to light. Kotick had reportedly been made aware of the situation as early as 2018.
Employees of Activision Blizzard-owned Raven Software recently went on strike after several QA team members were suddenly let go, after relocating to be closer to the studios.
“If companies can’t figure this out and fix this burning issue, we don’t get to move forward. We don’t get to pass go,” Miele said.
In other news, Dwarf Fortress could release on Steam this year, but the developer is asking fans for feedback. Currently, the game could release sooner, but with limited features, or could be delayed and improved with additional modes ready for Windows support.
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