Editor’s Note: A lawsuit has been filed against Call of Duty publisher Activision Blizzard by the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing, which alleges the company has engaged in abuse, discrimination, and retaliation against its female employees. Activision Blizzard has denied the allegations. The full details of the Activision Blizzard lawsuit (content warning: rape, suicide, abuse, harassment) are being updated as new information becomes available.
A representative for Call of Duty: Vanguard has responded to the absence of the Activision logo during the game's official reveal. Activision Blizzard is currently facing allegations of abuse and discrimination, and some believe the logo was removed from the Call of Duty: Vanguard event in an attempt to distance the upcoming game from the ongoing Activision Blizzard lawsuit.
The lawsuit, which was filed this July, alleges discrimination and sexual harassment against women working within various departments of Activision Blizzard, with the outcome of the suit yet to be determined. Multiple claims have been made against the company, alleging that it hosts a toxic and sexist work culture, especially in regards to women, people of color, and other underrepresented groups. The company has also been accused of undervaluing contracted employees with low pay rates and job insecurity. Many Activision Blizzard staff members have now left the company, including Diablo 4 director Jesse McCree.
Twitter user Neoxon619 noticed that while the reveal trailer for Call of Duty: Vanguard lists its developers Sledgehammer Games, Treyarch, and Beenox, the Activision branding is notably missing, except in small print where legally required. The Twitter user also spotted that the pre-order page on Activision's digital storefront Battle.net is also missing the Activision logo for Call of Duty: Vanguard, despite it being a focal point of other Call of Duty game listings on the store. Investigating the potential reasoning behind the move, Kotaku reached out to an Activision representative to question the decision. The representative told the publication:
“Call of Duty has continued to expand into an incredible universe of experiences. This was a creative choice that reflects how Vanguard represents the next major installment in the franchise.”
Watch the Call of Duty: Vanguard trailer on YouTube here.
While the response recognizes the Activison branding has been removed from Call of Duty: Vanguard's trailer and pre-order listings, the representative does not confirm it to be related to the ongoing Activision Blizzard lawsuit, however, it is a notable change for the longstanding franchise. As confirmed by Kotaku, Call of Duty reveal trailers often have a strong focus on the Activision name, going as far back as the 2011 Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 reveal trailer. Call of Duty's marketing history makes the lack of the company logo for Vanguard even more apparent.
The Call of Duty series is one of the most widely recognized in gaming, and is one of the franchises Activision is best known for. As such, it's not clear just how much Call of Duty: Vanguard will be impacted by the removal of the Activision logo, as the title is likely to be synonymous with the company regardless. Based on the Activision response, it's probable that future trailers and events for the game will also be missing the company logo. Call of Duty: Vanguard will release on November 5.
Sources: Kotaku, Neoxon619/Twitter, Call of Duty/YouTube
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Reviewed by Riyad
on
August 21, 2021
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