The Guardian is reporting that Batman Arkham developers Rocksteady Studios failed to adequately address instances of sexual harassment. Their report cites a letter from November 2018. Out of the 16 female employees who worked at Rocksteady at the time, 10 signed this letter.
Batman Arkham Developers Rocksteady Face Accusations Of Inadequate Response To Sexual Harassment Claims
In this letter, the employees complained about various inappropriate encounters. These include passing derogatory comments about a woman, slurs against the transgender community, as well as unwanted advances.
One of the employees who reportedly signed the letter also spoke to The Guardian anonymously. “I have heard everything from groping claims to incidents involving directors, all of whom are men,” she said. She also expressed disappointment in the company’s response. The only measures Rocksteady Studios reportedly took to rectify this was an hour-long seminar.
Some Employees Have Since Left The Company
“Everyone who attended was asked to sign a statement confirming that they’d received the training. It felt that it was a just way for them to cover their arses,” she said. She also mentioned that many of the people who signed that letter have since left the company.
The Guardian’s report also mentions that many of the signatories feared leaving Rocksteady on bad terms. This due to the possibility of the company refusing to credit them for their work on a game. In this case, that game is the upcoming Suicide Squad. Rocksteady Studios is going to reveal more about the game during DC FanDome on August 22, 2020.
Rocksteady did release a statement to The Guardian acknowledging the letter. They also mentioned that they have worked to ensure that they are a more inclusive company in 2020.
Rocksteady Studios Is One Of Many Major Developer Facing Such Accusations
The video game industry went through its own #MeToo reckoning a few months ago. French publisher and developer Ubisoft has been at the centre of it. A number of high-profile figures, such as former Assassin’s Creed Valhalla director Ashraf Ismail and chief creative officer Serge Hascoet have since left the company.
The anonymous signatory who spoke to The Guardian about her experience at Rocksteady Studios mentioned that as one of the reasons she shared the letter. It’s unclear whether this changes Rocksteady Studios’ plans for DC FanDome.
