Blizzard Artist Calls for Violence Against Trump Supporters

This week, the aftermath of Activision Blizzard‘s steadfast dedication to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts took a grim turn when a Blizzard technical artist, Kyle Hickey, shared an inflammatory message on Facebook seemingly urging his followers to engage in violence against individuals who back President Donald Trump.

On January 21st, a day following President Donald Trump’s inauguration, Hickey penned down, “Eliminate your local MAGA supporters.

The entire post was straightforward and lacked any qualifiers, emojis, or humorous elements that could imply it was a joke or sarcastic comment. The serious and troubling content received several likes from Hickey’s followers, among them Max Davenport, an Associate Art Director at Gearbox Software.

“Kill your local MAGA”

As a passionate cinephile, I’d rephrase it like this: “As a dedicated artisan from Blizzard and the Associate Art Director at Gearbox, I find myself expressing a sentiment that regrettably wishes for the demise of half of America, which I’ve shared on my public Facebook page.

In this environment, Activison President Rob Kostich is actively promoting a culture that emphasizes inclusivity and social awareness, as demonstrated by his commitment to furthering such values.

— Grummz (@Grummz) January 27, 2025

The post gained widespread notice following its dissemination by Mark Kern, an ex-leader of the World of Warcraft team and a vocal detractor of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the gaming sector, who goes by the handle Grummz online. On that very day, he had criticized Activision Blizzard President Rob Kostich for reinforcing DEI policies within the company via a company-wide Slack message, and subsequently shared a screenshot of Hickey’s statement on X.

Yesterday’s report mentioned that Kostich reinforced Activision Blizzard’s dedication to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), expressing it thusly: “Kostich underlined Activision Blizzard’s unwavering pledge to fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment.

Let me make this clear: This work is crucial in everything we undertake. It’s vital for our games, our identity as a company, and our cultural values. Our Inclusive Growth team has done an excellent job in integrating inclusivity across all business areas. Our aim is to improve the experiences of every employee, deliver outstanding global player experiences, and make our opportunities accessible to everyone interacting with our company and brand. I’m excited about the fantastic work we’ll accomplish together in the future.

Grummz directly linked Hickey’s post to the corporate culture at Activision Blizzard, making his stance clear without using euphemisms.

I’m championing an environment that emphasizes diversity, equity, inclusion (DEI), environmental sustainability, and social responsibility (ESG) under the leadership of Activision President Rob Kostich. However, it’s concerning to see instances where Human Resources seemingly overlooks explicit demands for violence and harm within our studios. Regrettably, this behavior has gone unchecked for far too long, as they may have believed they were immune and aligned with the progressive tide of history.

After facing criticism, it seems like Hickey has shut down all his social media profiles, such as his Facebook, LinkedIn, and personal art site. Neither Hickey nor Activision Blizzard have provided any explanation about this situation.

In reaction to Hickey’s statement about the allegedly harmful environment at Activision Blizzard, Kern is advocating for a refusal to play Call of Duty until the company makes significant changes.

Let’s refrain from purchasing Call of Duty games until they eliminate DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) from Activision and their President rescinds the controversial program that has been causing concern among players.

You can’t have employees wishing death to MAGA and a President doubling down on DEI.

Americans deserve better games and game companies.

— Grummz (@Grummz) January 27, 2025

Kern stated, “It’s high time we stop buying Call of Duty until they eliminate Discrimination, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) from Activision, and their president rescinds the harmful program.” He argued, “It’s unacceptable for employees to wish harm on MAGA supporters, and a President who prioritizes DEI is not providing quality games or game companies that Americans deserve.

As a dedicated gaming enthusiast, I’ve been closely following the escalating unease among gamers regarding Activision Blizzard’s policies and apparent political leanings. The recent artist controversy surrounding Blizzard Entertainment has served as yet another stark reminder of the mounting apprehensions about the interplay between politics, corporate values, and the future trajectory of our beloved gaming industry – a trajectory that seems to be increasingly guided by Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives.

Hickey’s post isn’t the first instance of political disputes arising in the gaming industry. Lately, game companies have been under scrutiny for allegedly cultivating hostile work environments where differing opinions are suppressed and only conformist ideologies are tolerated. Critics claim that initiatives aimed at diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), such as those advocated by Activision Blizzard, worsen these problems by fostering divisive policies and creating a “them vs. us” atmosphere in workplaces.

Including Max Davenport, an Associate Art Director at Gearbox Software, brings an additional dimension to the situation. Although Davenport hasn’t spoken publicly about his feelings regarding Hickey’s post, his seeming approval stirs up questions about the prevalence of similar opinions within the gaming industry.

The unfavorable timing for Activision Blizzard couldn’t be more challenging, as they are now under investigation from both their audience and the government. This is due to the Trump administration’s indication that DEI-related initiatives within federal agencies will cease, which has a direct impact on Activision Blizzard’s Call of Duty Endowment program with the Department of Defense.

2025-01-28 19:58

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