Doug Bowser claims Activision Blizzard internal issues run counter to Nintendo’s values

Activision Blizzard has faced criticism from another platform holder. Nintendo of America president Doug Bowser called the latest news in the harassment scandal distressing and claimed that Nintendo has already taken action.

Bowser addressed the issues in an email sent to Nintendo of America employees on November 19, according to Fanbyte.

“I find these accounts distressing and disturbing,” he said. “They run counter to my values as well as Nintendo’s beliefs, values and policies.”

He went on to say that Nintendo representatives have been “in contact with Activision, have taken action and are assessing others,” although it is unclear what those actions might be.

Bowser noted that the company is now working with the ESA to strengthen its position on harassment in the workplace. It is worth noting that Activision Blizzard is also a member of this organization.

Nintendo itself is no stranger to workplace issues. In 2018, several current and former employees at the company’s office in Russia accused general manager Yasha Haddaji of inappropriate behavior and creating an abusive work culture.

The whole story started after he had a meltdown during one of the video streams, where he yelled and cursed at workers on camera. After that, a lot of people recalled other cases of Haddaji’s violent behavior, including throwing a keyboard against the desk, using different slurs, making some female employees cry, and even harassing his subordinates.

Nintendo later launched an internal investigation. It resulted only in the official warning to Yasha Haddaji, who apologized for insulting employees on camera. As of 2021, he is still in charge of Nintendo Russia.