wow Blizzard Employees Are Underpaid According to Bloomberg

[Stan 5,022]

In a Bloomberg report by Jason Schreier, we learn that Blizzard employees began circulating a spreadsheet to anonymously document their salaries and recent pay increases amid rising tensions in the video game industry over wage disparities and executive compensation.

Schreier reports that an internal survey at Blizzard conducted in 2019 revealed that more than 50% of Blizzard workers were unhappy with their compensation, so the company would perform a study to ensure fair pay.

According to Bloomberg, the results of the study were implemented last month, which caused an outcry on Blizzard's internal Slack.

As a result, one Blizzard worker created a spreadsheet that began circulating in the company, and it currently contains plenty of purported Blizzard salaries and the recent pay bumps.

On the other side of the spectrum, Bobby Kottick's 2019 compensation was worth $40 million at the end of that year, and the company also paid $15 million in stock awards and a sign-on bonus to CFO Dennis Durkin, based on the data compiled by Bloomberg.

Some Blizzard employees said to Bloomberg that they were struggling to make ends meet while the revenue of Activision Blizzard grows each year. While producers and engineers earn well over $100K a year, game testers and customer service representatives are often paid close to minimum wage.

One veteran Blizzard employee disclosed that they had a raise of fewer than 50 cents an hour, and they are making less now than they did a decade ago because there are currently working fewer overtime hours.

To follow up on the article, Schreier shared a tweet from an ex-Blizzard employee that is currently working at Riot as Product Manager, where we see the salary differences in more detail.

Placeholder for tweet 1290669205805826048

Don't forget to read the full article on Bloomberg.

Spreadsheet with Purported Blizzard Salaries

[Borgoff33 92]

i understand how hard work for so little pay would *filtered* you/others off but imo if you get 25K+ (as an individual) a year and consider it to be "poverty wages" you should reevaluate your life and spending habits

[Stan 5,022]

21 minutes ago, Borgoff33 said:

i understand how hard work for so little pay would *filtered* you/others off but imo if you get 25K+ (as an individual) a year and consider it to be "poverty wages" you should reevaluate your life and spending habits

The cost of living in Irvine, CA isn't exactly cheap.

[Aurelio 2]

23 minutes ago, Borgoff33 said:

i understand how hard work for so little pay would *filtered* you/others off but imo if you get 25K+ (as an individual) a year and consider it to be "poverty wages" you should reevaluate your life and spending habits

I had to make an account just to reply on how dumb this view is. Rent averages out at 1.5-2k a month this is not including utilities and essential living expenses. In rent alone you clear out your yearly income. You also have to include taxes that are removed out of every paycheck. They may be making 25k a year but in reality they only see 20-21k. There is a reason why people are living 10 to a 2 bedroom apartment or garages that have 5 people living in it. Your statement sounds like it's coming from someone that was either born with a silver spoon in their mouth, or still doesn't actually live on their own to see how money actually works. 

[Badadada 184]

A spreadsheet - wow, these people didn't hear about Glassdoor before?

 

1 minute ago, Stan said:

The cost of living in Irvine, CA isn't exactly cheap.

Nor is it as high as in LA where Riot is located - not to mention such scandalous companies often have to calculate with a "bad reputation" salary premium of up to 20-25% (much like the oil industry).

This issue could be easily resolved though by moving non-engineering jobs to New Delhi, Mumbai or Bangalore - less money spent, more satisfied workforce: everyone is happy, outsourcing saved the day once again.

[Yojiro 30]

23 minutes ago, Aurelio said:

Your statement sounds like it's coming from someone that was either born with a silver spoon in their mouth, or still doesn't actually live on their own to see how money actually works. 

Or maybe he's not stupid enough to take up a low wage job in an area where you can't afford to live on said salary.

[Calin 45]

33 minutes ago, Aurelio said:

I had to make an account just to reply on how dumb this view is. Rent averages out at 1.5-2k a month this is not including utilities and essential living expenses. In rent alone you clear out your yearly income. You also have to include taxes that are removed out of every paycheck. They may be making 25k a year but in reality they only see 20-21k. There is a reason why people are living 10 to a 2 bedroom apartment or garages that have 5 people living in it. Your statement sounds like it's coming from someone that was either born with a silver spoon in their mouth, or still doesn't actually live on their own to see how money actually works. 

This is a matter of finding a place that fits your income though. As you say  it AVERAGES to 1.5 to 2k, so you can therefor easily find something cheaper.

[Halock 156]

27 minutes ago, Aurelio said:

Your statement sounds like it's coming from someone that was either born with a silver spoon in their mouth, or still doesn't actually live on their own to see how money actually works. 

Let's not bite each other; the good fellow began by saying it was little money and understandably annoying, which you seem to be in agreement with.  The disputed term was 'poverty', and while that word doesn't actually appear above (nor can I see it in the document), we can probably agree these people aren't in poverty, right? Or at least understand that the variable ways we use such words (not only as technical descriptions but also for stress) could lead to such a disagreement, not unreasonably? 

I work in a way more informal environment. Can anybody answer these for me? 

- All of the people who gave their performance review are 'Successful', 'High', or 'Top', with only two 'Developing' (One being a CEO, which strikes me as possibly a joke?) and a single 'Average'. How are those interpreted? Is 'Successful' successful or innuendo for middle-of-the-road? Are the people complaining here more likely to be the ones who did comparatively well? 

- I count roughly 10% of staff promoted, from these responses. Again, normal, skewed by responses or something else?

- How awesome a title is 'CS Champion'?

[multiboxing 71]

when did business start paying interns? 

WAHHH I'm a intern making $16.75 an hour!

[Borgoff33 92]

1 hour ago, Aurelio said:

I had to make an account just to reply on how dumb this view is. Rent averages out at 1.5-2k a month this is not including utilities and essential living expenses. In rent alone you clear out your yearly income. You also have to include taxes that are removed out of every paycheck. They may be making 25k a year but in reality they only see 20-21k. There is a reason why people are living 10 to a 2 bedroom apartment or garages that have 5 people living in it. Your statement sounds like it's coming from someone that was either born with a silver spoon in their mouth, or still doesn't actually live on their own to see how money actually works. 

less silver spoon more razonwire spoon and i live alone in a townhouse and make only $4,692 a year so yes when people say how hard it is to live on 25k+ (even if they only see 20-21k) it irks me

 

2 hours ago, Stan said:

The cost of living in Irvine, CA isn't exactly cheap.

i understand that am just saying the average adult (with no kids) can live "okish" on 25k+ a year even in CA (not saying it would be easy at all just do able)

 

1 hour ago, Halock said:

Let's not bite each other; the good fellow began by saying it was little money and understandably annoying, which you seem to be in agreement with.  The disputed term was 'poverty', and while that word doesn't actually appear above (nor can I see it in the document), we can probably agree these people aren't in poverty, right? Or at least understand that the variable ways we use such words (not only as technical descriptions but also for stress) could lead to such a disagreement, not unreasonably? 

I work in a way more informal environment. Can anybody answer these for me? 

- All of the people who gave their performance review are 'Successful', 'High', or 'Top', with only two 'Developing' (One being a CEO, which strikes me as possibly a joke?) and a single 'Average'. How are those interpreted? Is 'Successful' successful or innuendo for middle-of-the-road? Are the people complaining here more likely to be the ones who did comparatively well? 

- I count roughly 10% of staff promoted, from these responses. Again, normal, skewed by responses or something else?

- How awesome a title is 'CS Champion'?

i only called it "poverty wages" because its what i keep hearing people call it when they only get 25-30k a year i didnt mean someone at blizz said it

Edited August 5, 2020 by Borgoff33

[Koxsos 38]

Hi, east europe here, no, calling 25K+ $ a lot does not mean a "silver spoon" or "lack of knowledge how money works" it simply is a lot.
Thanks for reading. 'Poor' people can relate. =D