The Xbox boss does not want to "virtue shame" Activision Blizzard.
Xbox will not shame Activision Blizzard over controversy
The gaming publisher - who supplies titles such as 'Call of Duty' to Microsoft consoles - had come under fire back in November 2020 following the publication of a report by The Wall Street Journal which detailed workplace misconduct and coverups at the headquarters but Phil Spencer refuses to "virtue shame" the company or reveal what will happen with one of their best-selling titles.
He said: "I always feel for people working on any team, my own teams, other teams. I think people should feel safe and included in any workplace that they’re in. I’ve been in this industry long enough to maybe feel more ownership for what happens in the video game space. And I’m saddened and sickened when I hear about workplace environments that cause such distress and destruction of individuals and teams."
The gaming manager was then asked how Microsoft would change following the Acitivision controversy, said that they have "changed" but admitted that Microsoft's history is "not spotless."
Speaking to tech reporter Kara Swisher on the 'Sway' podcast, he explained: "We have changed how we do certain things with them, and they’re aware of that. But I also—this isn’t about, for us as Xbox, virtue-shaming other companies. Xbox’s history is not spotless."
Spencer had initially penned a email following the publication of the report, in which he said he had been "disturbed and deeply troubled by the horrific events and actions."
At the time, an Activision Blizzard spokesperson told Bloomberg: "We respect all feedback from our valued partners" and "we are committed to the work of ensuring our culture and workplace are safe, diverse, and inclusive."
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