Activision Blizzard to Pay Nearly $55 Million to Settle Lawsuit Alleging Pay Discrimination Against Women
Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor Activision Blizzard will pay $54.9 million to settle a lawsuit by California’s Civil Rights Department alleging a pattern of pay and promotion practices that discriminated against women.
The settlement, announced Friday, comes after Microsoft closed its $69 billion takeover of Activision Blizzard in October following concessions Microsoft made to clear regulatory objections in the U.K.
Activision Blizzard’s franchises include Call of Duty, World of Warcraft, Guitar Hero and Diablo. Under the agreement, Activision Blizzard will pay about $54.875 million to cover “direct relief to workers” as well as litigation costs.
Of that total, approximately $45.75 million will go toward a settlement fund dedicated to compensating workers. The agency said women who worked as employees or contract workers for Activision Blizzard in California between Oct.
