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Penny Arcade - Comic - Spacebobs

DogDog Registered User, Administrator, Vanilla Staff admin
edited December 2021 in The Penny Arcade Hub
imagePenny Arcade - Comic - Spacebobs

Videogaming-related online strip by Mike Krahulik and Jerry Holkins. Includes news and commentary.

Read the full story here

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    Anon von ZilchAnon von Zilch Registered User regular
    Time to look up who Bobby Kotick is.
    A CEO? Yeah, "least important person there" is absolutely accurate.

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    LttlefootLttlefoot Registered User regular
    This is communist propaganda

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    DjiemDjiem Registered User regular
    edited December 2021
    Lttlefoot wrote: »
    This is communist propaganda

    Please explain. I could use a laugh.

    Djiem on
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    GaddezGaddez Registered User regular
    About the only people who should be hoping that bobby sticks are around are the malignant assholes who’ve made the company’s such a morass of discrimination and sexual harassment and of course bobby himself.

    Gamers don’t want him because holy shit the quality of the games has gone downhill.

    Employees don’t want him because pay is bad, job security sucks and the place is toxic.

    Investors shouldn’t want him because he’s lied to them about how bad it is, been utterly gluttonous with his pay/bonuses and the stock is cratering.

    Either fire him or blackmail him into quitting. Either way everyone else is better off with him gone.

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    Johnny17Johnny17 Registered User regular
    edited December 2021
    The point of management is to keep the customers at bay so the engineers can work in peace.

    Johnny17 on
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    Ocker3Ocker3 Registered User regular
    The funny thing is that it's also Conservatives who want him gone. The National Legal and Policy Center are campaigning for him to be removed from the Coca-Cola board, and they're Not 'commie leftists'.

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    ironheadironhead Registered User regular
    Lttlefoot wrote: »
    This is communist propaganda

    This comic is not "lol capitalist dumb, managers useless" nonsense you see on other social media sites. This is "Bobby is a useless CEO who's actively harming the company he's supposed to be making money for. Getting rid of him would be a net benefit."

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    OctoberRavenOctoberRaven Plays fighting games for the story Skyeline Hotel Apartment 4ARegistered User regular
    Lttlefoot wrote: »
    This is communist propaganda

    If wanting Bobby Kotick to be fired is communism, then literally everyone on Earth except Kotick and apparently you are communists.

    Currently Most Hype For: VTMB2, Tiny Tina's Wonderlands, Alan Wake 2 (Wake Harder)Currently Playin: Guilty Gear XX AC+R, Gat Out Of Hell
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    LucascraftLucascraft Registered User regular
    Bobby will never quit. I'm sure his employment contract is written in such a way that if he quits, he probably doesn't get any sort of compensation on the way out the door. But if they fire him, then he will probably get severance pay and a neat little going away gift. As people like to call it online, a "golden parachute." But most employment contracts don't give big payouts to people who quit voluntarily. So he won't quit.

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    OctoberRavenOctoberRaven Plays fighting games for the story Skyeline Hotel Apartment 4ARegistered User regular
    Lucascraft wrote: »
    Bobby will never quit. I'm sure his employment contract is written in such a way that if he quits, he probably doesn't get any sort of compensation on the way out the door. But if they fire him, then he will probably get severance pay and a neat little going away gift. As people like to call it online, a "golden parachute." But most employment contracts don't give big payouts to people who quit voluntarily. So he won't quit.

    Well, sometimes people are "asked to resign", which is a nice way of saying "we're going to fire you, but we're giving you a chance to keep [insert benefits of doing so here]". So there's probably some contracts, especially with higher-ups, that allow them to keep things like pensions if they resign.

    Currently Most Hype For: VTMB2, Tiny Tina's Wonderlands, Alan Wake 2 (Wake Harder)Currently Playin: Guilty Gear XX AC+R, Gat Out Of Hell
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    TofystedethTofystedeth Registered User regular
    He apparently owns like 30+% of Actiblizz stock via a holding company, so pretty much all the shareholders would have to combine to get rid of him.

    And I'm sure he has enough friends who are also getting rich to keep that from happening.

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    ironheadironhead Registered User regular
    Well, sometimes people are "asked to resign", which is a nice way of saying "we're going to fire you, but we're giving you a chance to keep [insert benefits of doing so here]". So there's probably some contracts, especially with higher-ups, that allow them to keep things like pensions if they resign.

    What that usually translates to is "We will allow you to save face by saying you quit and by providing you with good references to your future employers. If you say know we will do everything we can legally get away with to make you miserable until you do."

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    V1mV1m Registered User regular
    Lttlefoot wrote: »
    This is communist propaganda

    I also like the shading in panel one

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    dennisdennis aka bingley Registered User regular
    For those that need the background on Bobby Kotick but are too lazy to google:
    https://www.washingtonpost.com/video-games/2021/11/17/bobby-kotick-resignation-shareholders/
    A day after Activision Blizzard employees staged a walkout and called for the resignation of CEO Bobby Kotick and several other executives, a group of Activision Blizzard shareholders with a total of 4.8 million shares is similarly asking for the company CEO’s resignation in a letter to the company’s board of directors. The walkout and the letter from shareholders follows a Wall Street Journal report that Kotick was aware of sexual misconduct allegations at the firm but did not inform its board of directors.

    “In contrast to past company statements, CEO Bobby Kotick was aware of many incidents of sexual harassment, sexual assault and gender discrimination at Activision Blizzard, but failed either to ensure that the executives and managers responsible were terminated or to recognize and address the systematic nature of the company’s hostile workplace culture,” the shareholders, led by the Strategic Organizing Center (SOC) Investment Group, wrote in a joint letter addressed to the company’s board of directors and shared with The Washington Post.

    At this point, even horrible right-wing organizations want him canceled:
    https://kotaku.com/right-wing-group-wants-bobby-kotick-removed-from-coca-c-1848141069
    (Okay, yeah, they have their reasons, but they at least agree with it as a fact that Kotick has done these things.)

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    TACAMOTACAMO Registered User regular
    Handler: Sir, the boys at Penny Arcade are making fun of you again.
    Kotick: Who?
    Handler: I think they run a blog, sir.
    Kotick: Ugh. What are they saying?
    Handler: They want to shoot you into space, sir.
    Kotick: ... get Bezos on the line.

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    PreacherPreacher Registered User regular
    Yeah this comic wasn't a comment on all ceo's who are also useless figureheads who exist to suck up money and deny that to their workers underneath them. But Kotick in general who allowed a festering atmosphere of bullshit at his company that cost at least one woman her life.

    I would like some money because these are artisanal nuggets of wisdom philistine.

    pleasepaypreacher.net
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    Armored ChocoboArmored Chocobo Registered User regular
    He apparently owns like 30+% of Actiblizz stock via a holding company, so pretty much all the shareholders would have to combine to get rid of him.

    And I'm sure he has enough friends who are also getting rich to keep that from happening.

    That won't amount to much if the stock keeps tanking

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    dennisdennis aka bingley Registered User regular
    He apparently owns like 30+% of Actiblizz stock via a holding company, so pretty much all the shareholders would have to combine to get rid of him.

    And I'm sure he has enough friends who are also getting rich to keep that from happening.

    That won't amount to much if the stock keeps tanking

    I think it will come out to... carry the one... 30+%.

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    palidine40palidine40 Registered User regular
    Burn that canker out XD XD XD

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    palidine40palidine40 Registered User regular
    Hrm, reading his statements in response to allegations, its sounds like he's not been directly accused of misconduct. It sounds like he's being accused of not doing something after being told of misconduct, though it seems like the released plan for activision is pretty widespread/reasonable. Zero tolerance harassment policy, pay compensation checks and balances to look for discrimination and correcting it in pay, and a rebalancing of employee makeup to be more gender neutral. Did he himself commit an act of harassment? Or is this more of a happy witch hunt momentum thing?

    I know some of the other execs did some terrible things, and they got the boot, and now other mechanisms are in place to try to prevent it from happening again.

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    Andy JoeAndy Joe We claim the land for the highlord! The AdirondacksRegistered User regular
    palidine40 wrote: »
    Hrm, reading his statements in response to allegations, its sounds like he's not been directly accused of misconduct.

    You missed some things. Kotick is also alleged to have fired someone in retaliation for reporting sexual harassment, and to have committed harassment himself, including a death threat.

    XBL: Stealth Crane PSN: ajpet12 3DS: 1160-9999-5810 NNID: StealthCrane Pokemon Scarlet Name: Carmen
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    Radiated RoninRadiated Ronin Registered User regular
    Dennis wrote: I think it will come out to... carry the one... 30+%.

    Uh, what is 30% of zero again? Is is zero or more than that? Maths were never my strong suit.

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    GaddezGaddez Registered User regular
    He apparently owns like 30+% of Actiblizz stock via a holding company, so pretty much all the shareholders would have to combine to get rid of him.

    And I'm sure he has enough friends who are also getting rich to keep that from happening.

    Given that his mismanagement is cratering the stock value I’m thinking his “rich friends” are getting pretty pissed.

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    Steel AngelSteel Angel Registered User regular
    I like how all of Gabe's listed criteria for of being of worth are related to visual art. Even the recognition of software engineers is relegated to how they contribute to making the visuals happen. Nice little continuation of the schtick of Gabe being dismissive of non-artists, e.g. Tycho and writers in general.

    Big Dookie wrote: »
    I found that tilting it doesn't work very well, and once I started jerking it, I got much better results.

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    3DS: 3454-0268-5595 Battle.net: SteelAngel#1772
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    HevachHevach Registered User regular
    Gaddez wrote: »
    He apparently owns like 30+% of Actiblizz stock via a holding company, so pretty much all the shareholders would have to combine to get rid of him.

    And I'm sure he has enough friends who are also getting rich to keep that from happening.

    Given that his mismanagement is cratering the stock value I’m thinking his “rich friends” are getting pretty pissed.

    As of right now the board is unanimously behind him... Which is usually the status quo with any board of directors until they "suddenly and unexpectedly" unanimously boot him or sell the whole company for scrap.

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    dennisdennis aka bingley Registered User regular
    palidine40 wrote: »
    Did he himself commit an act of harassment? Or is this more of a happy witch hunt momentum thing?
    Andy Joe wrote: »

    As usual, ignorant people's go to is that everything is a witch hunt.

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    PreacherPreacher Registered User regular
    Hevach wrote: »
    Gaddez wrote: »
    He apparently owns like 30+% of Actiblizz stock via a holding company, so pretty much all the shareholders would have to combine to get rid of him.

    And I'm sure he has enough friends who are also getting rich to keep that from happening.

    Given that his mismanagement is cratering the stock value I’m thinking his “rich friends” are getting pretty pissed.

    As of right now the board is unanimously behind him... Which is usually the status quo with any board of directors until they "suddenly and unexpectedly" unanimously boot him or sell the whole company for scrap.

    The ole coach has the owners confidence until he's fired. Though again this is splashing on to things like the coke board which he sits on (its not surprising when you find out the mega rich insulate themselves and their friends from this kind of dance where they all sit on each others boards).

    Also it seems especially idiotic considering Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft all called for him to be removed. When the people you make games for want you gone that would scare a normal person but not a shit bird like Kotick.

    I would like some money because these are artisanal nuggets of wisdom philistine.

    pleasepaypreacher.net
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    Golden YakGolden Yak Burnished Bovine The sunny beaches of CanadaRegistered User regular
    Yeah, Tycho writes a bit more about that. It's fun to read, for a given value of fun of course.

    https://www.penny-arcade.com/news/post/2021/12/03/bobby

    H9f4bVe.png
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    Eat it You Nasty Pig.Eat it You Nasty Pig. tell homeland security 'we are the bomb'Registered User regular
    the thing is, he wouldn't even need to divest or anything; he could just announce he's gonna just be their board chair or something then hire some suitable sycophant to be CEO and people would forget about him in a couple weeks

    to be honest I'm amazed they haven't done this already

    NREqxl5.jpg
    it was the smallest on the list but
    Pluto was a planet and I'll never forget
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    PreacherPreacher Registered User regular
    the thing is, he wouldn't even need to divest or anything; he could just announce he's gonna just be their board chair or something then hire some suitable sycophant to be CEO and people would forget about him in a couple weeks

    to be honest I'm amazed they haven't done this already

    The problem with ego is stepping down even to put a shadow person in place is admitting fault and clearly Bobby doesn't do that.

    I would like some money because these are artisanal nuggets of wisdom philistine.

    pleasepaypreacher.net
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    dennisdennis aka bingley Registered User regular
    the thing is, he wouldn't even need to divest or anything; he could just announce he's gonna just be their board chair or something then hire some suitable sycophant to be CEO and people would forget about him in a couple weeks

    to be honest I'm amazed they haven't done this already

    The board chairman doesn't hire the CEO alone. It's a vote by the board. I have no idea how many seats he has captured, but I'm pretty sure the same people who want him out as CEO would want him out as chairman (or any board position).

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    GaddezGaddez Registered User regular
    Hevach wrote: »
    Gaddez wrote: »
    He apparently owns like 30+% of Actiblizz stock via a holding company, so pretty much all the shareholders would have to combine to get rid of him.

    And I'm sure he has enough friends who are also getting rich to keep that from happening.

    Given that his mismanagement is cratering the stock value I’m thinking his “rich friends” are getting pretty pissed.

    As of right now the board is unanimously behind him... Which is usually the status quo with any board of directors until they "suddenly and unexpectedly" unanimously boot him or sell the whole company for scrap.

    That announcement came out before he was outed for covering shit up and personal liability (IE harasment he engaged in himself) and as such I'm willing to bet that they're wishing they'd waited a few more days before lashing themselves to the mast.

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    H3KnucklesH3Knuckles But we decide which is right and which is an illusion.Registered User regular
    edited December 2021
    I mean, it was Gawker who made it publicly available, but y'know how mega-rich pedophile Jeffrey Epstein's black book got leaked to news outlets back in 2015?

    Boby Kotic [sic] is on page 36.

    H3Knuckles on
    If you're curious about my icon; it's an update of the early Lego Castle theme's "Black Falcons" faction.
    camo_sig2-400.png
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    dennisdennis aka bingley Registered User regular
    edited December 2021
    H3Knuckles wrote: »
    I mean, it was Gawker who made it publicly available, but y'know how mega-rich pedophile Jeffrey Epstein's black book got leaked to news outlets back in 2015?

    Boby Kotic [sic] is on page 36.

    The issue with that is that the guy was incredibly well connected politically and also put about everyone he came into contact with in that book without any clear logic as to why. There's over 1500 names in it. And they're often incredibly mundane or counter-intuitive. For example, this bit from a Mother Jones article where the reporter tried to call everyone in the book:
    I made close to 2,000 phone calls total. I spoke to billionaires, CEOs, bankers, models, celebrities, scientists, a Kennedy, and some of Epstein’s closest friends and confidants. I sat on my couch and phoned up royalty, spoke to ambassadors, irritated a senior adviser at Blackstone, and left squeaky voicemails for what must constitute a considerable percentage of the world oligarchy. At times the book felt like a dark palantir, giving me glimpses of dreadful, haunted dimensions that my soft, gentle, animal being was never supposed to encounter. At other times it was nearly the opposite, almost grotesquely boring and routine. Seeing at close range the mundanity of Epstein and his fellow elites–how simple and childish they could be–was a sickening experience of its own. The worst call by far was with a woman who told me she’d been groped by Epstein, an incident she said she didn’t report at the time out of fear of retribution from Epstein. (I have been aggressively counseled to remind the readers of Mother Jones that an appearance in the address book is not evidence of any crime, or of complicity in any crime, or of knowledge of any crime.)

    There's plenty evidence of Kotick being a sleazebag without having to go that route.

    dennis on
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    HevachHevach Registered User regular
    edited December 2021
    dennis wrote: »
    H3Knuckles wrote: »
    I mean, it was Gawker who made it publicly available, but y'know how mega-rich pedophile Jeffrey Epstein's black book got leaked to news outlets back in 2015?

    Boby Kotic [sic] is on page 36.

    The issue with that is that the guy was incredibly well connected politically and also put about everyone he came into contact with in that book without any clear logic as to why. There's over 1500 names in it. And they're often incredibly mundane or counter-intuitive. For example, this bit from a Mother Jones article where the reporter tried to call everyone in the book:
    I made close to 2,000 phone calls total. I spoke to billionaires, CEOs, bankers, models, celebrities, scientists, a Kennedy, and some of Epstein’s closest friends and confidants. I sat on my couch and phoned up royalty, spoke to ambassadors, irritated a senior adviser at Blackstone, and left squeaky voicemails for what must constitute a considerable percentage of the world oligarchy. At times the book felt like a dark palantir, giving me glimpses of dreadful, haunted dimensions that my soft, gentle, animal being was never supposed to encounter. At other times it was nearly the opposite, almost grotesquely boring and routine. Seeing at close range the mundanity of Epstein and his fellow elites–how simple and childish they could be–was a sickening experience of its own. The worst call by far was with a woman who told me she’d been groped by Epstein, an incident she said she didn’t report at the time out of fear of retribution from Epstein. (I have been aggressively counseled to remind the readers of Mother Jones that an appearance in the address book is not evidence of any crime, or of complicity in any crime, or of knowledge of any crime.)

    There's plenty evidence of Kotick being a sleazebag without having to go that route.

    Maybe if anyone could actually decipher the shadow marks he had next to all the names in the book something useful could be gleaned, but even people who cooperated with prosecutors claimed to knowledge of his private code. Without that, the damning connections are in his guest books at the island hideout and the pedo plane, which as far as I can tell Kotick hasn't been connected to.

    But hey, Kotick is the guy who assaulted an employee, reached out to the board to help cover it up, and threatened to have her killed if she went to police. Why does anyone need to spin supposed connections to the Pedophile King? Is what we know somehow not enough? Is *that* the only line that still counts?

    Hevach on
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    AegeriAegeri Tiny wee bacteriums Plateau of LengRegistered User regular
    Johnny17 wrote: »
    The point of management is to keep the customers at bay so the engineers can work in peace.

    And in this one aspect, Kotick has been an abject and utter failure.

    The Roleplayer's Guild: My blog for roleplaying games, advice and adventuring.
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