Squanch Games, which was co-founded by Rick and Morty creator Justin Roiland, quietly settled a sexual harassment lawsuit again in 2019, it has been reported.
Court paperwork are stated to disclose that the studio – identified for video games comparable to High On Life – was sued in 2018 over sexual harassment, discrimination, and wrongful termination by a former worker, with the studio initially denying claims earlier than settling.
According to the go well with (reported by way of Kotaku), former worker Sarah Doukakos alleged that she was sexually harassed and belittled by then-technical director Jeff Dixon, who reportedly pressured undesirable hugs on her and questioned her intelligence and competence. He additionally allegedly informed her as soon as {that a} T-shirt she wore with the phrases “The Future is Female” made him unhappy.
Doukakos additionally apparently informed her managers concerning the points, requesting at one level that present design director Erich Meyr current her concepts to Dixon as a substitute of her with a purpose to be taken critically.
According to the go well with, supervisor Anthony Bosco raised the problems with then-chief govt officer Tanya Watson, who apparently “sighed”, whereas Doukakos spoke to Watson instantly, after which, in keeping with the go well with, “Watson told Plaintiff, ‘that’s just how this generation of guys are’ and instructed plaintiff to sit quietly, take notes, and to smile whenever the males, including Dixon, were speaking. Plaintiff explicitly told Watson that Plaintiff should not have to act differently as a woman to get heard.”
Doukakos was allegedly placed on a efficiency enchancment plan the next month, and needed to work 12-hour days throughout a “crunch” interval and pushed again on sport content material that allegedly included scenes analogous to rape and remarks denigrating ladies. Kotaku stories that the sport in query was Trover Saves the Universe.
That November, she was fired over reported efficiency points, the go well with alleging that it was in response to her complaints, with Watson allegedly pressuring Doukakos to launch all claims with a purpose to obtain a closing paycheck and severance package deal.
Squanch Games denied the claims, although settled in September 2019. Dixon left shortly after Doukakos, whereas Watson left in February 2021.
Squanch Games informed Kotaku in a press release: “Squanch Games is committed to creating an inclusive and supportive work environment for our team. We don’t publicly disclose personnel matters, and we stand by the decision we made in 2017, not to reveal the confidential information as it relates to this case.”
The reported go well with comes after Roiland – who has been CEO of Squanch Games since 2016 – was charged over an alleged incident of home violence from 2020.
The Rick and Morty co-creator and star was charged in Orange County, California in May 2020 with one depend of home battery with corporal damage, in addition to one felony depend of false imprisonment by menace, violence, fraud and/or deceit.
He beforehand pleaded not responsible to each fees in October 2020, and following a pre-trial listening to final week, one other listening to is ready to happen on April 27.
EpicGames News has reached out to Squanch Games for remark.
