Update 18/8/22: Nintendo has issued an internal response to yesterday’s report alleging sexual harassment within Nintendo of America.
The statement presented to employees comes from company president Doug Bowser, and has been leaked online by Kotaku. In it, Bowser says the company is now “actively investigating” yesterday’s allegations. The full statement follows.
“We have strict policies designed to protect our employees and partners from inappropriate behavior and we expect full compliance with these policies by all who work with or with you,” Bowser wrote. “We have made and will always investigate any allegations we become aware of, and are actively investigating these latest allegations.”
Original story 17/8/22: It contains a detailed report on cases of sexual harassment in the US Nintendo, and a work environment where some women – especially female contract employees without full-time work – felt pressure to remain silent.
The report you published Kotakuis based on claims reported in the past about a split between Nintendo’s full-time employees and contract employees, the latter of whom enjoy fewer perks and lack job security.
Now, working women have applied for contracts to discuss some of the issues they faced in particular, such as cases of sexual harassment and unequal pay.
The report claims that sexist behavior was “common,” and that a culture of favoritism means that male contractors are seen as more likely to move into full-time “red badge” roles.
At the same time, a number of women said they were subjected to sexist comments, with criticism in particular directed at the head of Nintendo’s product testing division.
Several women separately cited cases in which male employees were heard discussing the color of female workers’ underwear.
Others said that there was a sense of necessity not to rock the boat and grumble about inappropriate behavior, or play nicely with fellow males making progress,
“If a red badge approaches you, and they seem to be moving towards you, [other women said that] You didn’t want to dissuade them so badly.”
Eurogamer has contacted Nintendo for comment.
In May, Nintendo of America President Doug Bowser ranked reports on how the company differentiates between full-time employees and contract employees in terms of benefits and inclusion as “worrying“.
Bowser’s predecessor, Reggie Phils Amy, He distanced himself from itand claimed that the issues raised did not reflect the Nintendo who left it.
Since then, Nintendo has taken a beating a series From Workers ComplaintsThe gaming industry as a whole is experiencing a wave of labor activity.
