Activision Blizzard
Flagged · AvoidThe video game publisher behind Call of Duty, World of Warcraft, and Candy Crush, now owned by Microsoft, with a well-documented record of workplace harassment, pay discrimination, and union busting.
Last updated July 23, 2026
↓ Skip to 3 ethical alternativesReasons to avoid
Issues span:Labor
- California's Civil Rights Department reached a nearly $55 million settlement with Activision Blizzard over claims the company paid women less than men for similar work and denied them promotions. The settlement covered women who worked for the company in California between 2015 and 2020.
- The Securities and Exchange Commission fined Activision Blizzard $35 million for failing to track workplace misconduct complaints properly and for using separation agreements that discouraged former employees from speaking freely to regulators. The SEC called this a violation of federal whistleblower protection rules.
- The National Labor Relations Board found merit in complaints that Activision Blizzard withheld raises from Raven Software quality assurance workers because they voted to unionize. The board separately found the company engaged in illegal surveillance and intimidation of workers organizing at its Irvine and Albany offices.
- Activision Blizzard agreed to an $18 million settlement with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission after a federal lawsuit found the company subjected female employees to severe sexual harassment and pregnancy discrimination. A federal judge approved the settlement in March 2022, covering current and former employees across six states.
Ethical alternatives
PC & Console Games
Steam
Independent game store and launcher giving players access to thousands of titles from studios of all sizes, not controlled by a single publisher.
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GOG.com
DRM-free game store run by CD Projekt where players permanently own every game they buy with no online requirement to play.
Visit →
itch.io
Open indie game marketplace that prioritizes independent developers, with pay-what-you-want pricing and direct revenue to creators.
🎨 Independent Artists
Visit →Common Questions
- Why should I avoid Activision Blizzard?
- Activision Blizzard has paid over $100 million combined in government settlements since 2022 for sexual harassment, pregnancy discrimination, and unequal pay for women. The company has also been found by the National Labor Relations Board to have illegally retaliated against workers trying to unionize.
- What did the SEC find about Activision Blizzard?
- The SEC fined Activision Blizzard $35 million in 2023 for failing to properly track workplace misconduct complaints and for using separation agreements that discouraged former employees from talking to regulators. This was on top of separate settlements with the EEOC and California over harassment and pay discrimination.
- What are the best ethical alternatives to Activision Blizzard?
- Steam and GOG.com are large, independent game stores not controlled by Activision Blizzard or Microsoft. GOG sells every game DRM-free so you truly own what you buy, and itch.io directs revenue straight to independent developers.