Old White Guy Bobby Kotick Allegedly Said Too Many "Old White Guys" In Activision Blizzard, According To New Lawsuit
A former executive claims age discrimination and violation of whistleblower protection laws.
According to a new case, Bobby Kotick is a major hypocrite.
A former executive at Activision Blizzard has filed a lawsuit, as per Law360, against the company — alleging age discrimination and violation of whistleblower protection laws in California. The 57-year-old former tech executive, employed from 2014 until his layoff in August 2023, claims that Kotick (now the former CEO) made derogatory comments about "too many old white guys" at a leadership conference.
This lawsuit says two white executives left the company following his remarks, with one recommending the plaintiff as a replacement. However, he was allegedly overlooked in favor of a younger non-white employee who became his manager — and is accused of creating a hostile work environment leading to a discriminatory layoff during a restructuring of the Central Tech department.
The plaintiff's complaint includes accusations of merit-based salary discrepancies, with the manager allegedly criticizing his work and affecting his career advancement. In response to a complaint filed with human resources, the plaintiff claims that the company failed to investigate independently, ignored his concerns, and did not address the defamatory accusations against him.
The lawsuit argues that the plaintiff and six other men aged 47 or older were laid off as part of a Central Tech restructuring in 2023, accusing Activision of prioritizing profits over employees. He seeks damages for loss of earnings, career impact, reputational damage, emotional distress, and wrongful termination, along with legal costs.
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![Matthew D'Onofrio](/assets/images/team/matthew.jpg)
Matthew “dinofries” D'Onofrio is a writer, content creator, podcaster and — most importantly — a gamer. With such a strong passion for video games and a severe case of FOMO, it's no surprise he always has his finger on the pulse of the gaming world. On the rare occasion Matt's away from a screen, you'll find him strumming away on his acoustic guitar or taking care of his cat Totoro.
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