Astro Gaming, which manufactures gaming peripherals and is widely known for its headsets, has allegedly dropped the Call of Duty League as a sponsor. A report from Charlieintel shows that the Astro Gaming logo has been entirely removed from the Call of Duty League’s MVP event website. The move comes amid a crisis for Activision Blizzard as it faces a major lawsuit over its company culture.
The peripheral manufacturer isn’t alone in leaving the Call of Duty League’s latest event as a sponsor. T-Mobile recently dropped not only the Call of Duty League as a sponsor just a few weeks ago but also ceased its sponsorship of the Overwatch League. At the moment, it’s not clear if Astro Gaming is still sponsoring the Overwatch League.
Numerous other companies have also dropped their sponsorships for the Overwatch League, including State Farm, IBM, and Kellogg’s. Currently, the Overwatch League’s partners page only lists three companies: Xfinity, Coca-Cola, and Teamspeak.
The mass exodus of sponsors from both the Call of Duty League and the Overwatch League comes after a lawsuit was filed against the publisher of both franchises, Activision Blizzard. The lawsuit, filed by the State of California’s Department of Fair Employment and Housing, alleges — after a two-year investigation — that the publishing giant fostered a “frat house” culture in which sexual harassment, discrimination, and pay inequality were commonplace.
Since the lawsuit was filed, Activision Blizzard has undergone a massive upheaval. On August 3, Blizzard president J. Allen Brack stepped down from his position, and late this past July, developers at companies owned by the massive publisher walked out in protest, demanding that changes be made to the company.
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