Rocksteady Studios has issued a third statement in response to this week’s report in the Guardian on a 2018 letter from some of its female employees describing sexual harassment and abusive behavior at the company.
Just as in the studio’s initial response and a follow-up statement issued on behalf of seven of the eight signatories to the 2018 letter still working at Rocksteady, the studio defended itself against suggestions of wrongdoing.
“In response to the initial communication, we met with all of our female employees, we listened, and we addressed the issues raised,” Rocksteady said on her Twitter account today. “All formal complaints were thoroughly investigated, appropriately addressed, and a number of serious measures were taken in response to the issues that arose, including discipline or termination of staff.”
The studio says that since then, all the women in the studio have started asking for feedback about portraying characters in their games, and has “committed specialists to help improve equity and representation at Rocksteady.”
“We want to know if there are any issues that have not been raised through our normal channels so that we can address them. As such, we have enlisted the services of an independent third party to talk confidentially with all Rocksteady staff.” t want That we will also reach out to any former female employee who has left the past two years to ask her to speak with the interviewers.
“At the moment, we are as passionate as ever about creating an inclusive culture and we are listening well. We are determined to stand up for our staff, and to stand firm against any unacceptable behavior.”
Following the Guardian article, former Rocksteady senior scriptwriter Kim MacAskill posted a YouTube video in which she said Rocksteady management and HR had discouraged her from writing the original 2018 letter in the first place.
“During that time, HR tried to stop me at least twice,” MacAskill said. “And I had taken members of senior management to not only tell me to stop what I was doing, but to tell me that continuing this potential would jeopardize my position in the company. And not just that, but it would even jeopardize my position of hiring by other companies, because I might be seen as a problem solver. “
MacAskill said she thinks the company fired her next year because of the letter, saying, “[They] told me quite clearly that they could not have me anymore and replaced me in the month by a writer. Everyone knew what had happened, and I think it kept women from coming forward. “
A representative with Rocksteady parent Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment has yet to respond to our request for comment on MacAskill’s allegations.
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