Image: Warner Bros
. Rocksteady Studios released a declaration on Twitter today dealing with current claims that it stopped working to react to concerns about unwanted sexual advances at the studio, saying it “dealt with issues raised” in the past, and is committing to deal with an independent third-party to deal with any brand-new complaints that might come up in the future.
On August 18, the Guardian reported that back in 2018, a number of female employees at Rocksteady signed a letter dealt with to the studio citing concerns about sexual harassment, including behavior like groping and unwanted advances. According to the Guardians report, there were some workers who did not believe Rocksteady took enough action in reaction to the problems raised in the letter. In todays declaration, Rocksteady contests that, composing “In reaction to the initial communication, we consulted with all our female staff, we listened, and we dealt with the problems raised.”
The studios statement went on:
In addition to these previous actions Rocksteady says its taken, the studio likewise revealed that it is now working with an “independent third-party to confidentially talk with all staff members” about any problems they d like to report. The studio also stated it will be reaching out to all previous female workers from the last two years as part of this procedure.
All protests were thoroughly examined, resolved properly and a variety of severe steps were taken in reaction to the issues that were emerged, including discipline for termination of staff.
Considering that then, we have presented new ways of guaranteeing we are making great on our dedication to addition, such as asking all female staff to provide feedback about the representation and behavior of characters in the video games we make. We are devoted to enhancing and listening, and have employed specialists to assist further boost equity and representation at Rocksteady.
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This all comes 2 months after Assassins Creed publisher Ubisoft was rocked by claims of misconduct across the business, which resulted in numerous high profile resignations, departures, and shootings, in addition to outdoors firms can be found in to perform investigations.
Rocksteady is set to reveal Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League, its first new video game considering that 2015s Arkham Knight, at Warner Bros. DC FanDome event tomorrow night..
On August 18, the Guardian reported that back in 2018, numerous female workers at Rocksteady signed a letter dealt with to the studio pointing out issues about sexual harassment, consisting of habits like groping and unwanted advances. According to the Guardians report, there were some workers who did not believe Rocksteady took adequate action in action to the problems raised in the letter. In todays statement, Rocksteady contests that, writing “In action to the preliminary communication, we satisfied with all our female staff, we listened, and we dealt with the concerns raised.”
Following the Guardians preliminary report, a former senior writer on Rocksteadys upcoming Suicide Squad game, Kim MacAskill, stepped forward in a video on YouTube that described her experiences at the studio and issues over how harassment supposedly went unaddressed there. “99 percent of the devs in that studio are a few of the best people who I really care about,” MacAskill said in the video, while at the very same time contacting management to alter how it handled complaints, in part so females felt more empowered to come forward with them in the first place.
A day after the Guardians report, and prior to launching its own statement, Rocksteady shared what it stated was an “unsolicited” letter from some of the female staff members still at the studio who had signed the original 2018 letter. In it, the women said that the studio had taken certain steps at the time, consisting of conferences and workshops, to address their issues.
