Company Directory - Blizzard Entertainment
Company Details - Blizzard Entertainment
Blizzard Entertainment
WebsiteIrvine, United States
Blizzard Entertainment is a leading video game developer and publisher known for creating iconic franchises such as Diablo, World of Warcraft, and Overwatch. Established in 1991, the company is renowned for its commitment to quality and community engagement, producing expansive worlds and compelling narratives in gaming. Blizzard also hosts and sponsors major esports tournaments and events.
CCI Score
CCI Score: Blizzard Entertainment
-13.03
Latest Event
Activision Blizzard Political Contributions and Lobbying Profile
The OpenSecrets profile shows that Activision Blizzard contributed a modest $154,963 during the 2022 cycle and reported no federal lobbying activity. This limited political engagement is interpreted as a lower risk of channeling corporate resources towards far‐right or authoritarian agendas.
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ENABLER
Blizzard Entertainment is currently rated as an Enabler.
Latest Events
- FEB062025
The OpenSecrets profile shows that Activision Blizzard contributed a modest $154,963 during the 2022 cycle and reported no federal lobbying activity. This limited political engagement is interpreted as a lower risk of channeling corporate resources towards far‐right or authoritarian agendas.
+40
Political Contributions and Lobbying Efforts
April 8
Activision Blizzard's reported figures—modest campaign contributions and no federal lobbying—indicate limited direct engagement in political influence. In an anti-fascist framework, minimal financial involvement in political lobbying is seen as reducing the risk of corporate complicity in authoritarian influence.
- DEC312023
Activision Blizzard, which includes Blizzard Entertainment, spent $220,000 on lobbying activities in 2023, as reported by OpenSecrets, highlighting the company's active engagement in political influence.
-50
Political Contributions and Lobbying Efforts
April 8
The reported lobbying expenditure of $220,000 in 2023 indicates that Blizzard (as part of Activision Blizzard) is investing resources in influencing political processes. From an anti-fascist perspective, corporate political lobbying can undermine democratic accountability and transparency, raising concerns about undue corporate influence in policymaking.
- DEC182023
Activision Blizzard, which includes Blizzard Entertainment, reached a settlement with California's Civil Rights Department to pay $55M for discrimination claims while committing to implement new measures to ensure fair compensation and promotion practices.
-70
Labor Relations and Human Rights Practices
April 8
The settlement reveals serious issues in labor relations and human rights practices, as the company was forced to pay $55M to address systemic discrimination and unfair treatment of women. This indicates a failure to protect marginalized workers and uphold equitable workplace practices.
Activision Blizzard settles discrimination lawsuit for $55M - Polygon
+20
Public and Political Behavior
April 8
The company's public commitment to implement new obligations for fair compensation and promotion practices underlines a corrective response to past inequities. While the settlement arises from prior discrimination, the promise to enhance equity in the workplace indicates some progress toward rectifying injustices.
Activision Blizzard settles discrimination lawsuit for $55M - Polygon
- DEC152023
Blizzard Entertainment, as part of Activision Blizzard, agreed to a $54 million settlement with the California Civil Rights Department over allegations of discrimination against women in pay and promotion opportunities.
-70
Labor Relations and Human Rights Practices
April 8
The settlement follows allegations that the company engaged in discriminatory practices by denying promotions and paying women less for similar work. Although the settlement mandates remedial measures, the event underscores significant labor violations that harm worker rights and illustrate complicity in structural practices that undermine equality.
- DEC152023
Activision Blizzard agreed to pay $54 million to settle discrimination claims brought by California’s civil rights agency on behalf of female employees, and committed to implementing measures to ensure fair pay and promotion practices.
+50
Labor Relations and Human Rights Practices
April 8
By agreeing to a $54 million settlement and committing to enhanced fair pay and promotion policies, the company is taking a corrective step towards addressing long-standing gender discrimination issues. This remedial action, prompted by state civil rights intervention, reflects a positive progression in labor relations and human rights practices.
Activision Blizzard to pay $54 million to settle California state workplace discrimination claims
- AUG112023
The article details how Activision Blizzard ramped up its lobbying efforts in 2023, increasing its lobbying spend and hiring more lobbyists, many of whom are revolving door former federal employees. It also highlights that the company has lobbied on labor policy issues in the wake of a recent EEOC lawsuit settlement.
-60
Political Contributions and Lobbying Efforts
April 8
Activision Blizzard increased its federal lobbying expenditure, hiring additional lobbyists (notably with revolving door backgrounds) to influence policy on competition and labor issues. This behavior reinforces corporate influence over policymaking, potentially undermining safeguards designed to protect workers and marginalized communities.
Lobbying Surges Around The Largest Merger In Video Game Industry History - ZNetwork
-40
Labor Relations and Human Rights Practices
April 8
The lobbying efforts are closely linked with labor policy debates, coming at a time following a significant EEOC lawsuit settlement for gender-based harassment. This approach suggests a prioritization of corporate interests and potential undermining of fair labor practices and worker rights.
Lobbying Surges Around The Largest Merger In Video Game Industry History - ZNetwork
- JAN102023
Activision Blizzard, which includes Blizzard Entertainment, hired lobbying firm Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck to address labor and employment policy issues. The firm is pursuing regulatory approval for the Microsoft merger while highlighting support from its workers’ union.
+60
Political Contributions and Lobbying Efforts
April 8
The hiring of Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck to lobby on labor and employment policy, coupled with active promotion of union backing for the merger, indicates a proactive engagement in politics that supports worker interests. The involvement of a figure connected to Democratic leadership further reinforces the company's alignment with progressive and anti-authoritarian values.
Bottom Line — Activision Blizzard lobbies up amid antitrust fight
- OCT092019
On October 9, 2019, Blizzard Entertainment punished 21-year-old player Blitzchung after he declared 'Liberate Hong Kong, revolution of our time' during a Hearthstone tournament interview. The company abruptly ended the interview, suspended the player for a year, confiscated his $10,000 prize money, and terminated the two employees responsible for setting up the interview. This action has been widely criticized as aligning with authoritarian censorship practices to appease the Chinese government.
-70
Executive Political Engagement
April 8
Blizzard's decision to silence a player for expressing pro-Hong Kong sentiments shows a clear prioritization of political expediency over free speech, effectively aligning the company with authoritarian censorship measures. This heavy-handed response, taken to safeguard corporate interests in China, undermines democratic values and worker rights, representing a severe misstep in executive political engagement.
Activision Blizzard Sided With Chinese Communists Against a 21-Year-Old Star Player
- OCT082019
In October 2019, Blizzard was criticized for suppressing a Hearthstone Pro’s public support for the Hong Kong protests, an act that many say aligns the company with authoritarian methods and censorship of dissenting voices.
-35
Executive Political Engagement
April 8
Blizzard's decision to punish a prominent Hearthstone player (Ng Wai Chung) for expressing support for pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong reflects a corporate stance that suppresses free expression. By effectively siding with repressive measures, the company demonstrates a troubling pattern of executive political engagement that may embolden authoritarian practices.
Blizzard Supports Authoritarian Violence and Police Brutality
-30
Media Influence and Propaganda
April 8
By censoring and punishing dissenting voices within its gaming community, Blizzard contributes to a media environment that stifles free debate and mirrors the propaganda strategies of authoritarian regimes. This action raises concerns about the company’s broader influence on public discourse.
Blizzard Supports Authoritarian Violence and Police Brutality
- OCT062019
During the 2019 Grandmasters Season 2 tournament in Taiwan, Blizzard Entertainment banned esports player Blitzchung for publicly supporting the Hong Kong protests. The initial one‐year suspension with confiscated prize money, later reduced after widespread backlash, raised alarms that the company was prioritizing lucrative business ties in China over democratic free speech and ethical responsibility.
-80
Public and Political Behavior
April 8
Blizzard’s decision to ban Blitzchung for a political statement supporting Hong Kong protests reflects a censorship stance that suppresses free speech. By enforcing tournament rules in a politically charged context, the company demonstrated an authoritarian impulse, likely influenced by the need to maintain favorable relations with the Chinese market.
-40
Business Practices and Ethical Responsibility
April 8
The harsh initial penalties against Blitzchung, which were later somewhat softened, indicate Blizzard's inclination to protect its commercial interests—especially in relation to its ties with the Chinese market—even at the cost of ethical responsibility and free expression. This raises concerns about prioritizing profit over core democratic values.
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Corporate Financials
- Revenue
- 2022
- $8.00B
Employees: 4,500
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