Kim MacAskill, a author whose profession consists of work on upcoming Rocksteady recreation Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, was just lately nominated for a lifetime achievement award by the nonprofit group Girls in Video games. Nonetheless, she just lately took to Twitter to announce that she can not in good conscience settle for the award, as each Rocksteady Studios and its mother or father firm, Warner Bros. Interactive, are among the many occasion’s sponsors. MacAskill mentioned that Rocksteady and Warner Bros. had not adequately addressed the rampant harassment and sexism that she and different feminine workers had allegedly skilled on the studio. “Cease enabling unhealthy conduct,” wrote MacAskill. “You may throw your identify on each variety occasion going. However until you’re taking accountability, it means nothing and I see you.”
In August 2020, The Guardian revealed a damming report about accusations of sexual harassment and discrimination on the studio behind the Batman: Arkham sequence. The story revealed that in 2018, over half of Rocksteady’s feminine workers signed a letter that tried to convey issues to management’s consideration, during which they claimed they needed to endure colleagues’ undesirable advances, “leering at components of a lady’s physique and [making] inappropriate feedback on the workplace,” amongst different issues.
In an August 2020 video, MacAskill claimed that each HR and higher administration had discouraged her from sending the letter. She claimed that she was pulled apart and advised, “To proceed [taking action] would doubtlessly jeopardize my place throughout the firm…and my place of being employed by different firms going ahead as a result of I is perhaps seen as a troublemaker,” she mentioned. “It was like selecting between my dream job and my dignity.” She believes that Rocksteady allowed her contract to run out out of retaliation.
Rocksteady acknowledged the claims after they have been reported within the information. The official Twitter account posted: “All formal complaints have been completely investigated, addressed appropriately, and various severe measures have been taken in response to the problems that have been surfaced, together with self-discipline or termination of workers.” The studio additionally mentioned it had enlisted an unbiased third-party entity which workers may use to confidentially report any points they might want to elevate. Kotaku reached out to Warner Bros, however didn’t get a response on the time of publication.
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Kotaku reached out to MacAskill to ask concerning the firm’s response to her tweet. She mentioned that she had contacted Warner Bros. about declining the award, and she or he wished to resolve the state of affairs. The writer advised her that it was not open to dialogue. Kotaku additionally reached out to Girls in Video games, however didn’t obtain a touch upon the state of affairs.
“All I would like is an apology, and final week I even requested for it. I half begged. I simply need this to be resolved, however not like that,” wrote MacAskill, who talked about that the studio had supplied her cash, and to reinstate her credit score on Suicide Squad. “Not with cash. How does something change that approach? Someway in 2022, an apology continues to be too nice a price for Warner [Bros.] and Rocksteady to bear.”
She holds agency on rejecting the Girls in Video games award. “To take an award related to [Rocksteady] can be an unstated acceptance of what they did.”
