Blizzard announced the cancellation of this year’s BlizzConline, which was originally scheduled to be held in February.
According to the developer, it has decided to “take a step back” and “suspend the plan” of the event, and continues to say that it was a difficult decision, but it was the “right decision”.
The reason for the cancellation is that Blizzard hopes to use its energy to support its team and advance the development of its games and experiences.
It also stated that the company will use this time to “reimagine what the future BlizzCon event will look like.”
The company said in a notice: “No matter what the future event looks like, we need to make sure it is as safe, enthusiastic and inclusive as possible.”
“We are committed to continuous communication with our players, and we see BlizzCon playing an important role in this regard. When we revisit it in the future, we are excited about how we will handle this incident.”
Although BlizzConline was not held in February, Blizzard said it will still release announcements and updates for its games.
“We are proud of our team and the progress they have made in our game,” the announcement continued. “We have a lot of exciting upcoming news and releases to share with you. You will continue to hear these news through our franchise channels, and the talented people of the BlizzCon team will play a role in supporting these efforts.
Considering the current environment of Activision Blizzard, this news should not be surprising.
The company is currently under fire for its unfair pay practices for women and minorities, continued sexual harassment, and countless high-level accusations that it did not take effective remedial measures to combat the rampant “fraternity culture” in the studio.
Since then, Activision Blizzard reached an agreement with the California Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, promising to establish a $18 million fund to compensate and compensate eligible claimants.
However, the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing has formally opposed the settlement between the company and EEOC, saying that the settlement will cause “irreparable harm” to its investigation of the company.
Just today, it was reported that Activision Blizzard’s attempt to suspend the California sexual harassment lawsuit was dismissed by the judge.
