The lawsuit filed last week on July 21, 2021, by the state of California Department of Fair Employment and Housing details shocking accounts of alleged abuse at Activision Blizzard that contributed to its “pervasive frat boy workplace culture.” One specific incident in the legal document points to a hotel room “nicknamed the ‘Crosby Suite’ [sic] after alleged rapist Bill Crosby [sic].” In a new report from Kotaku, images, chat logs, and details surrounding the ‘Bill Cosby’ suite have surfaced.
Trigger Warning: Rape, Sexual Assault
World of Warcraft’s creative director Alex Afrasiabi is directly named in the DFEH lawsuit, alleging that he “was known to engage in the harassment of females.” The lawsuit claims that he was known to “hit on female employees, telling him [sic] he wanted to marry them, attempt to kiss them, and putting his arms around them.” The DFEH also alleges that Blizzard Entertainment president J. Allen Brack was aware of the allegations and had “multiple conversations with Afrasiabi about his drinking and that he had been ‘too friendly’ towards female employees.”
In Kotaku’s report, Afrasiabi’s BlizzCon 2013 hotel room is outlined as more than just a terrible nickname. The report describes it as, “a booze-filled meeting place where many, including Afrasiabi, would pose with an actual portrait of Bill Cosby while smiling.” Pictures obtained by Kotaku reveal just that, with photographs that capture Afrasiabi and other former Blizzard developers posing with a framed portrait of Bill Cosby, who has been accused by 60 women of sexual assault and rape.
Other photos from Afrasiabi’s suite include one of a bar he set up, captioning it on Facebook as “Day 0 Preparations made. Cosby Suite in effect.” One of Kotaku’s sources identified a former HR representative at Blizzard as one of the employees pictured in the suite.
Screenshots of a group chat titled “BlizzCon Cosby Crews” were also revealed in the Facebook album. The chat includes Afrasiabi, former Blizzard designer David Kosak, and former Blizzard developer Greg Street. Jesse McCree and Cory Stockton are also in the chat – both still employedat the company as lead game designers.
Sources told Kotaku the hotel room’s name was actually in reference to an ugly boardroom at Blizzard’s office, or supposed to be about Bill Cosby’s sweaters. Another source refuted that claim, stating there was no ugly boardroom since the Blizzard campus was remodeled in 2008. Another Blizzard source told Kotaku that Kosak “was one of the few people who intervened in the past when another Blizzard developer was sexually harassing them.” However, Kosak also commented “#CozApproved” on a photo picturing a group of women on a hotel room bed, one with her hand on another woman’s breast.
In a photo posted to Twitter, Greg Street shared an image of him inside the hotel room. Behind them, the framed picture of Bill Cosby is seen yet again.
Activision CEO Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick addressed the company’s response to the lawsuit, calling it “tone deaf” after an earlier response from Activision Blizzard that went as far to claim that California is falsifying the report. In response to leadership’s actions following the lawsuit, Activision Blizzard employees are walking out today. Employees from the company included an open letter to the company, outlining the change and actions they want to see the company take.