It also doesn't help that if you are a successful dev/exec in any of these companies your behavior will be overlooked until you are no longer bringing in money.
[Business Insider] Microsoft Still Hasn't Cleaned Up Its Toxic Culture Issues, Employees Worried About Activision Blizzard Acquisition
- Thread starter Nightengale
- Start date
- Microsoft Activision/Blizzard
Has the Xbox division made progressive changes under Phil? How were they treated prior to 2017 in regards to what's being said in this article? I really have no idea, I honestly haven't heard much bad about the Xbox division until people posted articles in here (in regards to harassment, I've heard about contractor issues and such).
I have no idea actually, and that's why I'm just holding out blaming Spencer for something that happened in a different division.
I'm sure the Xbox division has it issues, and I'm sure Microsoft/Xbox and their execs can do a lot more to nurture a fairer and supporting culture for women.
But to conflate the overall culture at Microsoft with what Spencer is/was able to do at the Xbox division is hyperbole in my opinion and many people in this thread are doing that.
I would say it's naive to think it's any different when we have reports of it being exactly the same
They Activision will be under Phil Spencer No?
So i dont think its outside the realm of possibilty that under Phil Acti could get its act together.
This article seems to be talking about other divisions within MS not the ones Phil is in charge of.
Even if Phil reports directly to Nadella what are they chance he knows whats going on in the Mixed Reality division day to day?
One of these days, people will stop treating mega corporations like old friends. Are their products good? Sure, but stop celebrating these companies when stuff like this is a prevailing issue. Only when such issues are rectified should people be giving them praise.
I want to be super clear about this: Xbox has been widely regarded, basically since its creation, as the worst division inside MS for women.
That has not changed.
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Can you point me to any material about that? I'd appreciate it.
Regarded by whom? when? and based on what evidence? lawsuits? articles? journalist investigations? I really want someone here to point me to something.
The last time I remember something negative in regards to culture about Xbox is when they brought in female dancers at an E3 event, don't remember the year.
People keep saying things like this, has Phil Spencer actually done anything to improve situations like this at Xbox?
I'm just trying to find out why people have so much faith that he will.
Going to have to agree 100%. The cerny worship, uncle phil nonsense and motherfuckers acting like iwata was their god damn dad always came off as creepy and pathetic. These are just the faces these big ass corporations prop forward to make our dumb asses get all warm and fuzzy like these are our friends. Its straight up Mom from fucking futurama man.
Xbox Brasil dismisses new host after she was the victim of death and rape threats. (See Threadmark: Microsoft Responds)
Translation of her message: Basically appeal to the gamergate crowd. Fuck this, I'm fuming, first the "Mil Grau" situation and now this shit. Xbox Brasil are shit. If there was someone that didn't deserve this, it was her. Thank you for bringing this to light The Era of Yakuza Update...
www.resetera.com
Here you go.
Not this article but
Amid employee uproar, Microsoft is investigating sexual harassment claims overlooked by HR
“This thread has pulled the scab off a festering wound...A wide audience is now listening,” one Microsoft employee wrote in the emails reviewed by Quartz.qz.com
I'm speaking from on the ground personal experience, but this has been reported before:
https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/microsoft-employees-confront-microsoft-ceo-230619418.html
Sexism and harassment at MS was long presented internally as a problem within Xbox specifically, with women being advised by other women to not work in that division. Much of the work in the last few years has been about making clear the issues are not just at Xbox.
People trying to argue here that the issues might be everywhere but Xbox is…well, a shocking inversion.
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Because Phil made a bunch of extremely common sense decisions to reverse course and repair damage left from Mattrick's tenure with the aid of Nadella keeping the budget for Xbox open. So he gets credited as a good guy, cool uncle, and genius for doing something any number of lifelong Microsoft employees would have the wit to do.
He's celebrated because he was the one to put a cork in the leaking dike.
Xbox Brasil dismisses new host after she was the victim of death and rape threats. (See Threadmark: Microsoft Responds)
Translation of her message: Basically appeal to the gamergate crowd. Fuck this, I'm fuming, first the "Mil Grau" situation and now this shit. Xbox Brasil are shit. If there was someone that didn't deserve this, it was her. Thank you for bringing this to light The Era of Yakuza Update...
Alright, thanks everyone for pointing that out... I stand corrected.
Fix your shit Microsoft, ASAP. I know this is prevalent everywhere, but for a company that pushes diversity and inclusion it's extra disheartening that it's still an issue. Good lord.
Its about understanding the relationship between a corporation and a consumer. "Corporations are not your friend" is a phrase that is repeated a lot on this forum, but its not just that. You can enjoy a product, but that shouldn't be your identity. People gotta understand where they stand as a consumer, and where the corporation stands. It's about knowing the game, and playing by the rules of the game.
Your relationship with a corporation is a nothing more than a financial transaction in exchange for goods or services that they provide you. A corporation's end goal is to get your money, by any means possible. That can be beneficial to you or not. Either way, people need to recognize that your power is in the ability to take their money elsewhere if the goods and services are not to their expectations. That is the driving force behind decisions made by a corporation. The absolute worst thing you could ever do as a consumer, is excuse actions made by a corporation because you like their product. A corporation will always push to see how far they can go because they want to maximize revenue. It is prevalent among so many markets, especially in tech, where quality and features are lost in the name of cost-cutting because the consumers refuse to take their money elsewhere. With regards to the videogame industry, my attitude has always been that if Xbox, Playstation, or Nintendo were going to announce they were going out of business tomorrow, I wouldn't bat an eye. I just take my money to whatever will satisfy my needs.
But that is really off topic for this thread, its just i've been seeing this attitude from users across several threads and it's deeply disturbing. Please don't throw away your power as a consumer over fanboy shit. Companies hire PR firms to handle shit, don't do it for them for free, while you are also giving them money for their product.
To tie it to this thread, I say hold their feet to the fire. Like I said above, if it gets to a point where their revenue stream may be affected, they will do something about it. So if you want something done, DO NOT EXCUSE THEIR ACTIONS BY SAYING EVERY COMPANY DOES IT.
The only people going "MS is going to clean up Activision" are fanboys who want to make excuses for Microsoft swallowing a huge publisher. The same reason why I roll my eyes every time the usual suspects say that as if they actually cared.
The fact of the matter is this is a corporate problem. These Corps will always protect important men and ignore the toxic culture. HR isn't there to protect the people who work there. Every so often they come out giving some nothing commitments or firing a few people to silence any criticisms but the problems never get solved entirely.
Xbox Brasil dismisses new host after she was the victim of death and rape threats. (See Threadmark: Microsoft Responds)
Translation of her message: Basically appeal to the gamergate crowd. Fuck this, I'm fuming, first the "Mil Grau" situation and now this shit. Xbox Brasil are shit. If there was someone that didn't deserve this, it was her. Thank you for bringing this to light The Era of Yakuza Update...
that's so fucked up. i wonder how that convo went between the decision makers, they obviously didnt want this to become to big or gain more traction than it should otherwise it could air up their own shitshow back in HQ
That's shocking. I had no idea, I knew about Brazil but I thought it might be a one-off. I know how bad mega corporations can be, so I shouldn't be shocked.
Yeah, just look at EA's lady going all kumbaya/healing circles about the abortion debate. 🙄
How sincere can you be in your commentary and how can you have even the beginnings of a plan to tackle the enormous issues at Activision and Blizzard if you don't even have your own house in order? I feel like I've been subjected to months worth of fanciful fanboying about how MS are going to fix ATVI; it's based on absolutely fuck all other than hopes and wishes.
Seeing Microsoft staff concerned about bringing in Activision Blizzard as having a detrimental effect on their own existing issues is not something I would have imagined given all the guff I read here about xbox itching to jump in and right all wrongs, people just just blindly assuming it would just happen and that they were doing us and the employees a favour when it's obviously just all about getting a load of IP and a huge chunk of the industry on the cheap.
I remember some US officials writing a letter to say they thought MS was actually protecting Kotick and that rather than helping bring about changes needed the acquisition is allowing Kotick this period of grace where he can enable anti-unionisation efforts and undermine accountability. It seemed unfortunate and unavoidable, but now it seems like everything is going to plan.
Seeing Microsoft staff concerned about bringing in Activision Blizzard as having a detrimental effect on their own existing issues is not something I would have imagined given all the guff I read here about xbox itching to jump in and right all wrongs, people just just blindly assuming it would just happen and that they were doing us and the employees a favour when it's obviously just all about getting a load of IP and a huge chunk of the industry on the cheap.
I remember some US officials writing a letter to say they thought MS was actually protecting Kotick and that rather than helping bring about changes needed the acquisition is allowing Kotick this period of grace where he can enable anti-unionisation efforts and undermine accountability. It seemed unfortunate and unavoidable, but now it seems like everything is going to plan.
It's a cult of personality. It always strikes me as weird as hell when people refer to him by his first name, like they go bowling every wednesday night together, and he comes over on sundays and they grill and watch football together.
"He made gamepass! He's my best buddy forever and a swell guy!".
He's just an executive people.
anyone with decision making power is complicit if they choose to do nothing. none of these execs at any of these companies are out for the best interests of their employees above everything else. It's always business first.
Xbox clearly cared more about striking a deal with Activision while their stock was low because of the treatment of their employees than the actual treatment of their employees.
Fuck toxic working culture man. Get your shit together.
Something that cought my eye yesterday... Aaron Greenberg decided to give a follow in Twitter to non other than Sasel, the most toxic, mysoginist and racist xbox youtuber around in Spain (who non even Xbox Spain dares acknowledge in any sense, fortunatelly). He's the equivalent of Xbox Mil-Grau from Brazil (who was FINALLY blacklisted by Xbox after a campaign in 2018 posted here on ERA). Hope Aaron followed him by mistake, and not because he likes his content.
Something that cought my eye yesterday... Aaron Greenberg decided to give a follow in Twitter to non other than Sasel, the most toxic, mysoginist and racist xbox youtuber around in Spain (who non even Xbox Spain dares acknowledge in any sense, fortunatelly). He's the equivalent of Xbox Mil-Grau from Brazil (who was FINALLY blacklisted by Xbox after a campaign in 2018 posted here on ERA). Hope Aaron followed him by mistake, and not because he likes his content.
What could possibly make you jump to this conclusion? This is again more "uncle Phil" rhetoric. The dude is an executive at a giant company and even under his tenure as the head, shit has happened. Stop putting him on a pedestal.
People are making a lot of definitive statements about something we have no way of knowing. I think that MS will improve Activision because they got so infamous over the past year or so, they practically got bought because of it. A lot of things can fester when there's no light being shone on it, but Activision has been in the news for over a year over their shit, they had a fucking lawsuit from the state over it, and now they're about to have the FTC all over them. I don't know if it'll come from a place of kindness or pragmatism, but I think there will be improvements at Activision because they can't really afford for there not to be.
Maybe there was clues on his shelf for how he's going to fix the culture issues at MS.
Greenburgers a scumbag and has been known to pals around with these fucks. He's been on podcasts and interacted with these types of toxic fanboys for years.
It's gotten brought up a few times when this sorta thing gets posted on here (Brazil incident) and most Xbox fans just handwave it.
Dude knows exactly who this youtuber is and followed them.
I really can't with some people. It's like you didn't even read the thread.
MS has been known to have issues for decades when it comes to their treatment of female employees. Not sure why you think they will make it better. Hell according to this employees are afraid the execs coming from Activision will make MS even worse.
its not making it into a console war, its calling into question some of the rhetoric around certain individuals/companies and, as I've stated before, why people are willing give a benefit of the doubt to some and not others when a) nobody actually knows these people beyond the image we get from showcases and very calculated tweets and b) they haven't actually shown they've earned that benefit of the doubt. Its the absurdity of it all.
Publicly put them on blast for this. I am more of an Xbox/PC player and if this shit is happening and being ignored by the higher ups it needs to be called out over and over til something is done. I don't want my Game Pass dollars going to toxic, terrible people.
I'm trying to think, has any similar stories come out of Zenimax/Bethesda? Maybe MS can learn a thing or two from them
I'm trying to think, has any similar stories come out of Zenimax/Bethesda? Maybe MS can learn a thing or two from them
Me neither. To me he always seems like a snake-oil salesman and far too self satisfied. I feel like he likes the smell of his own farts and gets paid millions for it. Also, he's about a "true gamer" as I am a nun, following my sisters in prayer.
ya the dude with 1900 hours in Destiny is a fraud and hates the medium
No need to defend him. He earns enough. I didn't know playing one game makes you a "True gamer", in that case Shu Yoshida is the "Ultimate gamer" lol. I'm not knocking the guy but the CEO fetishism is quite off putting and cringeworthy.
Yeah the dude with 1900 hours in Destiny has been employed at Microsoft since the 1980s.
Yes, immense progress in terms of culture and being a more inclusive workplace. Based on what I've heard from friends I trust working in Xbox studios.