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Rocksteady’s response to sexual harrassment allegations is inappropriate and bizarreThis was not the way to address matter
This was not the way to address matter
Update: Rocksteady issueda full, proper responseon Friday.
Follow recent reports thatRocksteady Studios failed to sufficiently address sexual harrassment, the Batman: Arkham developers have responded in a most curious way. While they have yet to issue a public statement themselves, they have posted an “unsolicited letter” from some of the employees behind the 2018 letter which first raised the issues. The new letter’s writers say they think Rocksteady have been better than was alleged. But without meaningfully addressing the allegations themselves, Rocksteady just casually posted that letter on Twitter. That makes it their first public response and defence, a purpose for which the letter is woefully inappropriate and inadequate. This is: mystifying.
Speaking to the Guardian, Rocksteady claimed they “immediately took firm measures to address the matters that were raised” and have been hunky-dory since then. They have not yet formally made a public statement on the matter. So why did they do… this:
While working on our response to the recent news, we received the following unsolicited letter.pic.twitter.com/sozmsp6u3C— Rocksteady Studios (@RocksteadyGames)August 19, 2020To see this content please enable targeting cookies.Manage cookie settings
While working on our response to the recent news, we received the following unsolicited letter.pic.twitter.com/sozmsp6u3C— Rocksteady Studios (@RocksteadyGames)August 19, 2020
While working on our response to the recent news, we received the following unsolicited letter.pic.twitter.com/sozmsp6u3C
Seven of the eight employees remaining from the 10 who signed the 2018 letter say they think The Guardian did not fairly represent the matter. They think Rocksteady have done well, and say they didn’t want this matter made public. So they wrote a new letter. If their experience at Rocksteady is better now, I’m glad for them. If they want to publicly rebuke the Guardian, it is their right. What’s weird and bad is that Rocksteady leapt to hold these women up as a shield.
I will trust when these eight people say management did not push them to write a new letter. While there is a weird energy of urgency coming mere days beforethe announcement of Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League, of course people want a good reception as they show the world what they’ve been doing for years. I do question the kindness of trying to shut down women who evidently have suffered. But again, I stress that it’s not this letter’s responsibility to express uncomplicated feelings, solve contradictions, or defuse concerns.
