Rocksteady Studios has come under fire again for various claims that sexual abuse went unresolved at the studio over the past two years.
The allegations against Rocksteady originally surfaced in November 2018 when a group of ten different women working at the studio came forward in an open letter to management. The allegations at the time included despicable acts of sexual harassment, including transphobic slurs, unwanted advances, and rude comments. The company issued a private response then, and apparently made changes behind the scenes. Now one of the signatories of that original letter has come forward again, claiming that issues were not sufficiently dealt with. They alleged that the company has done little to deal with the problems.
Rocksteady has responded again, releasing a letter saying that have been working on the issues. Rocksteady released an official statement on its Twitter page earlier today claiming that it’s working to create an inclusive and safe work environment for all. Rocksteady’s statement also says that it’s engaged the services of an impartial third party to engage with staff to help facilitate communications between staff and management, all to make change more effective.
To make the issue even messier, many of the women originally involved have come forward—many saying that they approve of changes Rocksteady has already made—while also being supportive of the much more open tone of the newest official response to the crisis. It has been very hard for those involved to relive their trauma out in public, and they’re all courageous for doing so.
And judging by the responses, like the one from Senior UI and UX Designer Hayley Joan, it would seem that the studio has changed, and become a much better place than it was two years ago. Many other women have come forward in support of the newest statement from the company, saying they approve of the changes made.
