Activision backtracks on scrapped vaccine mandates after employees threaten another walkout

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It remains to be seen whether the walkout will go ahead

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(Image credit: Blizzard Entertainment)

Activision Blizzard staff members proposed a walkout after the publisher's leadership decided to drop office COVID-19 vaccine mandates.

Last week on April 1, it was reported that Activision Blizzard leadership sent round a company-wide email, declaring that COVID-19 vaccine mandates would be scrapped as developers at the company prepared to return to the office (per Jason Schreier on Twitter). ABetterABK, a group of employees at Activision Blizzard, responded with the tweets below, threatening to conduct a company-wide walkout if the three demands weren't met by studio leadership.

Chiefly, the workers organization demanded that Activision Blizzard reverse the decision to lift the COVID-19 vaccine requirement. Additionally, the organization asked studio leadership that remote working be offered as a permanent option for all employees, so each individual worker at the developer can opt to work from home if and when they want.

Now though, Activision Blizzard appears to have met the first demand of ABetterABK. GamesIndustry.biz reported earlier today on April 4 that COVID-19 vaccine mandates would be decided upon by each individual office management, rather than being scrapped across every office at the entire company. Going forward, offices will now be able to decide to sustain or suspend the vaccine requirement for workers.

It's not clear if the walkout by Activision Blizzard members will go ahead as planned. The organization originally stated that they would walk out later today on April 4 at approximately 10 a.m. PT/1 p.m. ET/6 p.m. GMT if the three demands weren't met. There's been no word on whether Activision Blizzard has responded to the second and third demands of the worker's organization, so we'll have to wait and see whether the walkout goes ahead.

Last month, it was reported that insider trading investigations and shareholder lawsuits threaten to hinder Microsoft's Activision Blizzard acquisition.

Hirun Cryer
Hirun Cryer

Hirun Cryer is a freelance reporter and writer with Gamesradar+ based out of U.K. After earning a degree in American History specializing in journalism, cinema, literature, and history, he stepped into the games writing world, with a focus on shooters, indie games, and RPGs, and has since been the recipient of the MCV 30 Under 30 award for 2021. In his spare time he freelances with other outlets around the industry, practices Japanese, and enjoys contemporary manga and anime.