Xsolla decided it would be a great idea to fire 150 people via email, publicly shame them, and then threaten its remaining staff. Also: the latest on Activision Blizzard, why indies aren’t immune from toxic environments, and more.
Content Warning: Sexual Harassment (Activision Blizzard) from 46:00 through 01:14:00
Content Warning: Toxic Work Environment (Fullbright) from 01:14:00 on
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TIME STAMPS
- [00:01:30] – Tencent shares tumble on Chinese state media careless remarks
- [00:07:44] – Xsolla boss fires and publicly shames 150 employees by email
- [00:13:20] – Investment Interlude
- [00:32:28] – Quick Hits
- [00:46:13] – An update on Activision Blizzard
- [01:14:04] – Inside Fullbright’s toxic work environment
SOURCES
- Tencent vows fresh gaming curbs after ‘spiritual opium’ attack zaps $60 billion (Reuters)
- Xsolla fires 150 employees using big data and AI analysis, CEO’s letter causes controversy (Game World Observer)
- Xsolla cites growth rate slowdown as reason for layoffs, CEO’s tweet causes further controversy (Game World Observer)
- NEW LEADERSHIP AT BLIZZARD
- A Letter From President and Chief Operating Officer Daniel Alegre Regarding Blizzard Entertainment
- Activision Blizzard Faces Second Lawsuit Over First Lawsuit (Kotaku)
- Activision Blizzard Employees Form Coalition, Reject CEO’s Choice of Law Firm (IGN)
- T-Mobile disappears as CDL & Overwatch League sponsor amid Activision Blizzard lawsuit (Dexerto)
- Amid harassment lawsuit, Coca Cola, State Farm pull back from Blizzard’s Overwatch League (Washington Post)
- How the founder’s toxic culture tore apart Fullbright, the studio behind Gone Home (Polygon)
- At Blizzard, groping, free-flowing booze and fear of retaliation tainted ‘magical’ workplace (Washington Post)
INVESTMENT INTERLUDE
- Courtship and Marriage: The Union of New World Interactive and Saber (YouTube/AIAS)
- Embracer Group acquires Grimfrost
- Embracer Group acquires 3D Realms
- Embracer Group acquires Slipgate Ironworks
- Embracer Group acquires Digixart
- Embracer Group acquires Force Field
- Embracer Group acquires Easy Trigger
- Embracer Group acquires Ghost Ship Games
- Embracer Group enters into an agreement to acquire CrazyLabs
- Focus Home Interactive continues to evolve its model with the acquisition of Dotemu, a world leader in retrogaming
- Zynga Enters Into Agreement to Acquire Mobile Game Developer StarLark, Team Behind the Hit Franchise, Golf Rival
- Plarium Entered an Agreement to Acquire Finnish Mobile Game Studio Futureplay
- Netmarble acquires SpinX Games for $2.19 billion to expand into social casino genre (Gamasutra)
- Planetarium nabs $2.6M for decentralized RPG Nine Chronicles (GamesBeat)
- Skillz Forms Strategic Partnership with Exit Games
- UnusuAll raises €3m in seed funding (GamesIndustry)