The Game Awards host and organizer Geoff Keighley has responded to criticism following remarks he made to The Washington Post, suggesting that he doesn’t want to use his platform to call out Activision Blizzard‘s leadership because doing so would overshadow developers’ hard work.
Many saw Keighley’s comments as him refusing to acknowledge the harrowing allegations, prompting him to take to Twitter and reassure followers that beyond its video game nominations, Activision Blizzard won’t have a presence at The Game Awards 2021 next Thursday.
“There is no place for abuse, harassment or predatory practices in any company or any community,” Keighley wrote. “I also realize we have a big platform which can accelerate and inspire change. We are committed to that, but we all need to work together to build a better and a more inclusive environment so everyone feels safe to build the world’s best games. All of us are accountable to this standard. Incredible games — and the talented developers who build them — are who we want to celebrate. See you on Thursday.”
Keighley particularly attracted criticism because The Game Awards’ advisory board consists of two of the most controversial figures in the games industry: Activision president Rob Kostich and Ubisoft’s chief executive officer Yves Guillemot. Activision and Ubisoft leadership have consistently come under fire over the last year for their inaction and mishandling of the allegations that continue to rock both companies.
The Game Awards 2021 will take place on December 9th.
[Source: Twitter]
