“I disdain bro culture” is a phrase that J Allen Brack used when he resigned from his role as senior director of player support at Blizzard Entertainment. He was a long-time employee of the company, and had worked there since forming the player support team in 1998. At the time of his resignation, Brack was responsible for player support for the popular “World of Warcraft” and “Overwatch” games. Because of his resignation, Brack’s statements have now come to be associated with the controversy surrounding “Overwatch” and sexism in the gaming industry.
In what feels like forever, Blizzard has been copping a lot of heat for its treatment of its female employees. As the lead writer for World of Warcraft, J Allen Brack, a man, has been accused of sexist behavior. J Allen Brack has been accused of “mansplaining” and “manspreading” his little heart out. Insults have been hurled and bruised egos have been bruised. Suffice to say, this is a pretty serious situation.
Speaking to Kotaku a couple of days ago, Blizzard creative director J Allen Brack expressed his dismay at how his company’s culture has been portrayed in the recent #1ReasonWhy interview with former World of Warcraft lead writer, Christie Golden. “I despise the idea of ‘bro culture,’ and the idea of ‘gamer girls,’” Brack told Kotaku. “I find it truly offensive, and I tend to find that there are some women who are bros to the core, and I have no respect for them.”
We began wondering where the leaks from inside Blizzard had been when we got to work this morning. Normally, the business serves as a filter for information regarding internal affairs. There’s always a memo, and given the studio’s huge collection of sexual harassment and discrimination accusations, as well as a state-backed lawsuit to hold it responsible, it’s safe to assume it’s addressed this internally to enraged employees.
Yes, that has happened. A leaked letter from Blizzard’s J. Allen Brack was allegedly sent yesterday night, according to Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier. Obviously, Brack doesn’t acknowledge guilt and says he can’t comment on the details of the issue – which is precisely what Blizzard should’ve done two days ago but didn’t – but he does emphasize that the business condemns harassment and wants employees to feel comfortable coming forward. He explicitly states that “claims may be filed without fear of retribution,” which is likely a reference to one of the lawsuit’s more direct accusations that women are discriminated against when reporting problems up the corporate chain.
Brack then refers to Gloria Steinem, a feminist activist, as a “revered saint” in his family. He adds, “I despise ‘bro culture’ and have spent my career fighting against it.” “It is critical that we repeat our culture with the same zeal that we do our games, with our ideals serving as our north star.”
Meanwhile, the topic is trending on social media for the third day after being picked up by major publications such as The New York Times. As we previously reported, gamers have been criticizing the company’s conduct and reaction on Reddit and in-game, with at least 28 employees making public comments regarding the company’s internal issues.
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Last night, Blizzard president J. Allen Brack issued an email to employees, calling the claims in this week’s bombshell lawsuit “very disturbing” and promising to “meet with many of you to answer concerns and discuss how we can go ahead.” pic.twitter.com/NsMV6CNdTE
July 23, 2021 — Jason Schreier (@jasonschreier)
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A little over a year ago, J Allen Brack, the former head of Blizzard Entertainment, publicly denounced sexism within the company’s offices. At the time, Brack took to Twitter to express his disdain for the culture of “bro culture” at the company. He said that “culture” had led to instances of sexual harassment and discrimination within the workplace.. Read more about gloria steinem and let us know what you think.
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