Activision Blizzard settles federal sexual harassment lawsuit for £13.7million

Chris Willman Senior Music Writer and Chief Music CriticAfter the Grammys earlier this month, comedian Rebecca Corry got hit with a flood of press requests, and not for any part she’d played in the proceedings. Everyone wanted to know what she thought of Louis C.K.

Activision Blizzard.On Tuesday (April 12), Melanie Proctor, assistant chief counsel at California’s DFEH, resigned.In an email (thanks, Bloomberg), Proctor said her resignation was in protest of her boss – chief counsel Janette Wipper – being fired by California governor Gavin Newsom.Proctor alleged that in recent weeks, Newsom and his office “began to interfere” with the DFEH’s lawsuit against Activision Blizzard.“The office of the governor repeatedly demanded advance notice of litigation strategy and of next steps in the litigation,” said Proctor, who also alleged that “as we continued to win in state court, this interference increased, mimicking the interests of Activision’s counsel.”Proctor added that Wipper had “attempted to protect” the DFEH’s independence, which she claims resulted in her being “abruptly terminated”.The lawyer said her own resignation is “in protest of the interference and Janette’s termination,” and went on to say that “justice should be administered equally, not favouring those with political influence.”A spokesperson for Newsom has responded, stating “claims of interference by our office are categorically false”.A spokesperson for Wipper has also commented, claiming the lawyer is “evaluating all avenues of legal recourse,” over her termination, including “a claim under the California Whistleblower Protection Act”.Though Activision Blizzard recently settled a lawsuit with the U.S.

Bloomberg, Proctor’s resignation also comes in protest over the Governor firing her boss, Chief Counsel Janette Wipper, who’d previously resigned from the case, and whom Proctor has said “attempted to protect” the agency’s independence throughout the suit.In late July 2021, a suit was brought against Activision Blizzard by the DFEH, after allegations emerged of workplace discrimination and sexual harassment.In an email to staff explaining her resignation, reviewed by Bloomberg, Proctor asserted that Newsom and his office “began to interfere” with the Activision suit, as they “repeatedly demanded advance notice of litigation strategy and of next steps in the litigation.” Proctor also alleged that, “as we continued to win in state court, this interference increased, mimicking the interests of Activision’s counsel.”Both Wipper and Proctor had already stepped down from the Activision suit earlier this month, though no explanation as to why was given.Newsom’s communications director Erin Mellon, said in a statement to Bloomberg that “claims of interference by our office are categorically false” and that the Newsom’s office “will continue to support DFEH in their efforts to fight all forms of discrimination and protect Californians.”TheWrap has reached out to the Governor’s office for comment.

Louis C.K.’s win for Best Comedy Album at the 2022 Grammy Awards isn’t sitting well with at least one of his accusers.

Elizabeth Wagmeister Senior CorrespondentJust over one week ago, disgraced comedian Louis C.K. won a Grammy. Well, perhaps before the Grammys, one could describe him as “disgraced.”In 2017, in the wake of sexual misconduct allegations by five women, C.K.

Variety Staff Follow Us on TwitterJapanese film producer Umekawa Haruo has been accused of sexual harassment by Bunshun Online, a sister site of the Shukan Bunshun weekly tabloid publication.According to a shortened web version of a longer story that is set to appear in print, Umekawa has pressured actresses for sexual favors in exchange for being cast in his films.The veteran producer has been active since the 1990s and is an associate of cult director Sono Sion. On Monday, Sono was accused of being a sex predator by the Shukan Josei PRIME entertainment news and gossip site.Umekawa’s credits include the 1990 indie drama “Swimming Upstream,” Sono’s 2008 international festival hit “Love Exposure” and his 2011 drama “Themis.” Umekawa’s most recent credit is Netflix’s lesbian-themed road movie “Ride or Die.” The multiple accusations against prominent figures appear to suggest that the #MeToo movement has belatedly arrived in Japan, where the entertainment industry has previously succeeded in sweeping many such matters under the carpet.On Wednesday, Sono issued a handwritten statement on his company’s website apologizing for the “inconvenience and disturbance” caused by the Shukan Josei report.

Prolific Japanese director Sion Sono, known for such films as Love Exposure and Antiporno, as well as the recent Nicolas Cage-starrer Prisoners Of The Ghostland, has reportedly been accused of sexual harassment by several actresses in Japan.

Activision Blizzard has removed the Covid-19 staff vaccine mandate, the company has changed its decision.Employees protested the decision, which no longer required them to have the Covid-19 vaccine in order to return to the office.

Sion Sono, the self-proclaimed maverick Japanese film director known for raunchy indie movies including “Love Exposure” and “Antiporno,” has been accused of sexual harassment by several actresses in Japan’s film industry.The accusations were published Monday by the Shukan Josei PRIME entertainment news and gossip site. In a lengthy article, several actresses made accusations against Sono under the protection of anonymity.

Blizzard itself, the name and theme of the next World Of Warcraft expansion may have been revealed.Thanks to a public source code update on the official World Of Warcraft website, it appears as though the massively multiplayer online (MMO) game’s next expansion will be called “Dragonflight” (via Wowhead).This is supported by the mention of Base, Heroic and Epic purchase options for Dragonflight in the website’s public source code, as World Of Warcraft’s last expansion, Shadowlands, also has these three purchase options.The public source code also points to the website dragonflight.blizzard.com – which is currently inactive – and as Wowhead notes, this website appears to have been certified last week.Official news of the game’s next expansion will be coming soon, as Blizzard confirmed last month that it will be revealed on April 19, saying: “We’re excited to show you what we’ve been working on and where your adventures in Azeroth will go next.”This supposed Dragonflight expansion may be released in 2022, as since 2008’s Wrath Of the Lich King expansion for World Of Warcraft each expansion has been released two years apart. That said, the pandemic’s impact may have pushed the release back into 2023, and there’s no confirmed release date yet.Activision Blizzard is currently mired by misconduct allegations that surfaced in the middle of last year, and since Microsoft announced it was acquiring the company, multiple US Senators have accused the Xbox-owner of protecting Activision Blizzard’s CEO Bobby Kotick.Activision Blizzard also settled a federal lawsuit last month for around £13.7million, although it is still involved in other legal proceedings at this time.

Activision Blizzard has removed the Covid-19 staff vaccine mandate, saying it’s no longer required for office work.As reported by Kotaku, in a company-wide email sent from Activision Blizzard executive Brian Bulatao, it was said that all employees are expected to return to the office in June, following the Covid-19  stay-at-home restrictions.Shared by ABK Worker Alliance’s Jessica Gonzalez on Twitter, the publisher will not be enforcing proof of vaccination to be allowed back in the office.LEAKED: Brian Bulatao emailed all of ABK to talk returning to office in June. They will not be enforcing proof of vaccination.

Heart Machine has announced a sequel to Hyper Light Drifter called Hyper Light Breaker – and it’s set to launch in spring 2023.Revealed yesterday (March 31), Hyper Light Breaker is set in the same universe as Hyper Light Drifter. Entering Early Access in spring 2023, the upcoming game will have a fully 3D world to explore and can be played alone or in online co-op.A trailer came with the announcement, which marked the sixth anniversary of the release of Hyper Light Drifter.

Channing Tatum is ready for ! On Thursday, ET spoke to the 41-year-old actor at a London screening of his latest flick, , and he promised fans that the upcoming third installment in the will be «wild.»«We’re gonna go big. I mean truly, we're not gonna leave anything on the bench. We're taking it out, we're putting it on stage, it's gonna be wild,» he teased.

The settlement, which was first arranged between Activision and EEOC in September, will establish an $18 million settlement fund for any current or former ABK employee that wishes to file a claim over incidents of abuse, harassment and/or retaliation suffered while working at the video game developer. Leftover funds would be donated to charities that provide opportunities for women in game design as well as used towards the company’s diversity and inclusion initiatives which must be further developed as part of the settlement.

Activision Blizzard said Tuesday a federal court will approve its $18 million settlement with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission over a lawsuit charging sexual harassment and retaliation.

British actor and producer Noel Clarke will not face criminal charges over sexual harassment allegations made last year after London’s Metropolitan Police dropped its investigation, citing a lack of evidence.

Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum, the stars of the new movie The Lost City, are opening up with more details about the fight their daughters had in pre-school.