Blizzard’s Oneal: ‘I have been tokenized, marginalized’ by Activision

When she stepped down from her brief position as co-leader of Blizzard Entertainment, Jen Oneal said she was leaving “not because I am without hope for Blizzard.”

It turns out she was.

The Wall Street Journal on Tuesday reported that Oneal, who turned over Blizzard’s leadership to Mike Ybarra on Nov. 2, sent an email in September in which she said she had little faith Activision could turn around a toxic workplace shot through with sexual harassment and discrimination.

Oneal wrote to Oneal in order to talk about her resignation. The Journal also stated that Oneal claimed she was paid less than Ybarra as well that she was sexually harassed during her 13-year tenure with Activision.

“It was clear that the company would never prioritize our people the right way,” Oneal wrote. “I have been tokenized, marginalized, and discriminated against.”

Oneal will be leaving Activision at the close of the year. She will concentrate her professional efforts on Women in Games International where she is a member of its board. Activision, in announcing Oneal’s resignation on Nov. 2, said it had made a $1 million grant to the organization.

“[Activision Blizzard’s] leadership is graciously offering their support for my decision and has worked with me on a plan to invest in the future of other women in the gaming industry,” Oneal said then. “This money will be used to fund skill-building and mentorship programs.”

Oneal went on to call Ybarra “unbelievably supportive throughout my decision-making process around this move,” and said “Blizzard’s best days are ahead.”

“I truly believe that,” she added. “I also am hoping this letter helps you to think about what you can do to make everyone around you — no matter their gender, race, or identity — feel welcome, comfortable, and free to be themselves.”

In the email reported by the Wall Street Journal, Oneal — who is Asian American and gay — seemed to feel anything but the same way. In an email, Oneal described attending a party with Bobby Kotick (Activision chief executive), in 2007, where drunken dancers were seen performing on stripster poles.

Activision said Kotick didn’t remember attending that kind of a party 14 years ago. The company also gave a broader statement calling the Journal’s report “a misleading view of Activision Blizzard and our CEO.”

Oneal wrote to the Journal that she’d made a choice that was right for her and her family.

Oneal was the head of Vicarious Visions (an Activision-owned support program that folded into Blizzard) in January. In August she became the executive vice-president of Blizzard’s development. She held this position until J. Allen Brack was forced to resign due to a lawsuit alleging discrimination in work and harassment. Oneal and Ybarra took over Brack’s role leading Blizzard.