Activision Blizzard lifts vaccine mandate, employees plan protest walkout on April 4

Following Bulatao’s email, some Activision Blizzard staff publicly opposed the decision. A Better ABK Workers Alliance that has managed multiple walkouts since last year announced another walkout. However, an estimate of the number of participants is not available yet, a representative of the group told Polygon.

As per the representative, the studio management was not informed or consulted before making this decision. This reversal puts employees at a risk of infection and the staff is angry that the company is pushing towards mandatory returns to office with this restriction lifted, the representative added.

After the lifting was announced, A Better ABK on Friday made three demands and announced the walkout. The demands shared in a tweet are:

"An immediate reversal to lifting the vaccine requirement."

"Remote work should be offered as a permanent solution."

"The decision to work remote or in office should be made by each individual employee."

 

Since the announcement of the walkout, Bloomberg’s gaming journalist Jason Schreier reported on Twitter that Bulatao sent a second email to Activision Blizzard employees in which he wrote that despite the company-wide policy, leadership at Activision Publishing, Blizzard, and King are free to “determine the processes and policies that work best for their employees and locations based on local conditions and risk.”

Schreier also reported that Blizzard chief Mike Ybarra had sent an email on Friday saying that Blizzard particularly will mandate vaccination at least for the next few months.

The company also sent a statement to multiple media houses including The Verge and Polygon. The statement mentions that despite the lifting of the vaccine mandate, the company will still operate under a voluntary return to office model and employees who are not comfortable returning to office can work out arrangements that suit them with the HR and the management. It also mentions that they recognise the walkout organised by the employees and the company supports their right to express their opinions.\

This is the fourth time that Activision Blizzard employees have organised a major walk out. Earlier, in 2021, staffers walked out after the state of California sued the company over sexual harassment and misconduct. More than 350 people joined, according to the Washington Post.

Another walkout was organised in response to an explosive Wall Street Journal report alleging CEO Bobby Kotick of being aware of sexual misconduct allegations at the company and more than 150 people reportedly attended the event, according to Polygon.

And in yet another walkout that took place following layoffs of a dozen QA staffers who worked at a studio involved with the Call of Duty games series, at least 200 participated, according to The Washington Post.