Sledgehammer addresses Activision Blizzard allegations as it announces Call of Duty: Vanguard • Eurogamer.net

Sledgehammer Games responded to recent Activision Blizzard allegations while announcing Call of Duty: Vanguard.

In a virtual preview of the upcoming shooter Eurogamer attended, Sledgehammer Games studio director Aaron Halon addressed the allegations before revealing details of the game.

“The stories and the pain that people have shared are just devastating,” said Halon.

“We love making games. It’s what we do. It’s our life’s work, and we love it. But more importantly, we’re all humans, we’re there for each other, working side by side and looking for each other in good times and in bad times.

“So on behalf of Sledgehammer Games and all the teams supporting Call of Duty Vanguard, harassment of any kind goes against everything we stand for as a studio. his title, role, gender, orientation, ethnic origin, must always be treated with dignity, respect and equality.

“While we cannot comment on the trial, what I can say is that as a team we are committed to making all team members feel safe and welcome. and respected. So, know from the start of our presentation that these thoughts and actions are at the forefront of our minds, and moving forward. They speak of the core values ​​of who we are and who we want to be. from all team members, thank you.

“There’s no easy way to change the subject when talking about our game. So please forgive me for the awkward transition. The studio teams have been looking forward to this day for some time. And they have done an incredible job. And it is my honor to be here to share this with you. “

The state of california for follow-up Activision Blizzard on what it claims to be a “frat boy” culture that has created “fertile ground for harassment and discrimination against women”.

The lawsuit alleges a culture of “constant sexual harassment”, primarily at Blizzard Entertainment, the maker of World of Warcraft, Diablo and Overwatch. However, allegations were also made regarding a number of Activision offices.

A coalition of workers from several Activision Blizzard studios, collectively known as the ABK Workers Alliance, criticized the decision to hire WilmerHale – the same law firm helping Amazon prevent its workers from unionizing – to scrutinize the company.

Activision Blizzard executives such as boss Bobby Kotick have insisted “we will be the company that sets the example in our industry”.

But the ABK Workers Alliance said last week that Activision Blizzard had “not yet passed significant change.”

“With thousands of ABK employees by our side, we are working hard to build a movement that will continue to act until real and tangible change is enacted,” said the ‘organization. noted.

Activision Blizzard has now announced Call of Duty: Vanguard, which is slated for release on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X and S, Xbox One, and PC via Battle.net on November 5.

Vanguard returns to WW2 – the setting for Sledgehammer’s Call of Duty: WW2, and tells the origin story of Special Forces.

The campaign tells a fictional “rooted in history” story that revolves around a group of four soldiers collectively called Task Force One who travel to the heart of Germany at the end of WWII to thwart what Project Phoenix is ​​called, an attempt to keep the Nazi Party following Hitler’s death.

You can play missions set in crucial WWII battles across the globe, including the Battle of Midway and a nighttime parachute assault behind enemy lines on the eve of D-Day.

In multiplayer, you play as the original Special Forces operators. At launch, multiplayer features 20 maps, including 16 main 6v6 maps and four 2v2 maps. These are spread across all of the WWII fronts that Vanguard takes: the Western Front, the Eastern Front, North Africa, and the Pacific. The focus is on smaller, more accurate maps, Sledgehammer said.

The gunsmith returns, this time with custom ballistics and ammo types. You can move along surfaces when mounted as well as indiscriminate shots over cover and other items on the maps. There are responsive play environments that allow you to punch planks and punch holes in walls to open up new avenues.

A new mode, called Champion Hill, allows players to play 1v1, 2v2, or 3v3 in a battle royale-style experience to be the last team standing in a four-map arena.

Vanguard Zombies is Call of Duty’s very first Zombies crossover. It is developed by Black Ops Cold War studio Treyarch and is intended as a WWII prequel to that game’s Zombies experience. This provides continuity from a lore perspective, Sledgehammer said.

Meanwhile, Battle Royale Warzone gets a brand new WWII-themed map later this year, along with full integration with Vanguard. The new map is being developed by Raven Studios, the current custodian of Warzone. Activision also promised “a new, multi-faceted anti-cheat system” in Warzone.

Vanguard is built on the Infinity Ward engine used to create 2019’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare. This means that Warzone shares the same technology as Vanguard, which will hopefully allow for seamless integration of weapons and operators after some time. number of issues with last year’s Black Ops Cold War.