Geoff Keighley has insisted that Activision Blizzard will not be part of The Game Awards, beyond the games that have been nominated.
In a twitter thread posted in the early hours of December 4th, Keighley wrote:
“Beyond its nominations, I can confirm that Activision|Blizzard will not be a part of this year’s #TheGameAwards”
Beyond its nominations, I can confirm that Activision|Blizzard will not be a part of this year’s #TheGameAwards
— Geoff Keighley (@geoffkeighley) December 4, 2021
He went on to say that: “#TheGameAwards is a time of celebration for this industry, the biggest form of entertainment in the world.”
“There is no place for abuse, harassment or predatory practices in any company or any community.”
The thread continued:
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“I also realize we have a big platform which can accelerate and inspire change. We are committed to that, but we all need to work together to build a better and a more inclusive environment so everyone feels safe to build the world’s best games.”
This comes after significant backlash against the host and creator of The Game Awards following his comments on the under-fire organisation.
During an interview with The Washington Post ahead of the awards, which are set to take place on December 9, Keighley provided a less than definitive answer when questioned on Activision Blizzard’s involvement in the show.
“We want to support employees and developers,” said Keighley, who added he supported people coming forward with their stories but also didn’t want to diminish developers’ opportunities to spotlight their games. “We have to think very carefully about how to proceed here.”
Activision Blizzard is currently under fire for a litany of allegations and is currently facing several lawsuits. Call of Duty: Warzone is nominated for Best Ongoing Game at the show, while Call of Duty generally is nominated in the esports category.
Elsewhere, Playground Games has released a community update post detailing the current multiplayer issues in Forza Horizon 5.