Take-Two Interactive does not want to be in the same boat with Blizzard.
VentureBeat reports that the parent company to "GTA 5" maker Rockstar Games is focusing on improving diversity and inclusivity from within. Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick has gone on record to state their new focus during their most recent analyst call.
This is actually a big deal since an analyst call on Wall Street focuses mostly on a company's finances. But with the massive backlash that Blizzard is suffering from right now, Take-Two Interactive doesn't want to take chances with its reputation. Zelnick said that he is proud of his company's "deepened focus" on corporate responsibility and their recent important hires to headline their diversity and inclusion efforts.
For the uninitiated, Blizzard Entertainment has been facing numerous allegations of sexual and workplace harassment, which led to them being sued by the state of California. The alleged problem inside the company was bad enough to cause employees to stage widespread protests, culminating in a letter demanding accountability from Blizzard's top brass.
The harassment suits have also cost the company major sponsorships involving "Overwatch" and "Call of Duty," which are two of their biggest game franchises.
Take-Two Interactive: 'Our Most Important Asset is People'
Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick reiterated in his statement that the company values its human resources.
As a business focusing on intellectual property, Zelnick said that Take-Two's success relies heavily on their people's creation. It's because these creations are the ones they sell to consumers. Furthermore, Zelnick claims that the business is trying to increase its candidate pool by providing scholarships, contributing to STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) organizations that provide tech-savvy, underprivileged kids with opportunities, and offering career counseling older youth.
Allegedly, these are things Blizzard hasn't done much of during the past several years. A letter released to the public ahead of the mass walkout and strike by Blizzard employees detailed the horrendous discrimination inside the company, which greatly affected female staff members and those who belonged to the minority and LGBTQ communities.
The aforementioned letter that accompanied the lawsuit contained rather disturbing stories of sexual harassment of female employees and a so-called "Frat boy culture" prevalent within Blizzard. It's a story for another time, but the short story is: it's really, really bad.
Take-Two Interactive Shares Shares Down 8%
Aside from announcing their newfound focus on improving company culture, Take-Two Interactive also experienced a slight 8% dip in shares, according to Market Watch. This was, however, after the company reported profit figures which were better than expected. Zelnick says that they're still looking forward to a better next fiscal year, especially since several of their biggest projects have been moved towards late 2022.
Whether Blizzard's troubles affected this, however, none can say with certainty.
This article is owned by Tech Times
Written by RJ Pierce
