Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick says the company is taking some big steps in dealing with the coronavirus pandemic, including one surprisingly personal one. In an interview with CNBC, Kotick said he gave out his personal cell phone number to the entire workforce.
“About a month ago we sent out an email, from my email address, with my phone number and we encouraged every single employee that has a concern that relates to their health care to just contact me directly,” Kotick said. “So far that’s been working well, we’ve gotten a lot of attention, a lot of good care from all of our providers.”
Kotick went on to say that “a few hundred” have reached out to him directly, but that fortunately very few employees have tested positive for coronavirus. He also mentioned a few other initiatives Activision Blizzard is taking, including financial support for clinical trials and local hospitals near employees.
My #1 priority is the safety and health of our employees and community. I am proud of the @ATVI_AB teams around the world, who help to keep everyone safe. https://t.co/k7ype4IhaV
— Bobby Kotick (@BobbyKotick) April 14, 2020
The coronavirus pandemic has interrupted distribution channels and slowed development as studios adjust to a work-from-home structure, resulting in game delays including high-profile ones like The Last of Us 2. It also forced the cancellation of E3 2020, so there may be other unannounced games that have also been impacted. The ESA has stated it won’t be coordinating a digital show, so individual publishers will be making their own announcements on their own schedules.
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