Respawn Entertainment Fires Apex Legends Lead Game Designer Over Old Sexist And Racist Remarks
Apex Legends Lead Game Designer Daniel Klein has been fired by Electronic Arts and Respawn Entertainment mainly due to sexist remarks he made in a blog post titled “I am Daniel’s Angry Rant” which he published back in 2007.
According to GamesIndustry.biz, the blog post contained comments that women are naturally irrational and that the XX chromosomes are “moron chromosomes.” Other posts by Klein have resurfaced with his termination, most of which also include racist comments and inappropriate jokes about his African neighbors. Ironically, the 2007 blog post reappeared on social media after Klein expressed his solidarity with the victims of sexual harassment and discrimination in Activision Blizzard.
Klein acknowledged his mistakes and apologized on Twitter saying, “You may or may not have seen the awful, bigoted things I said in 2007. I wholeheartedly agree that THAT guy should have been fired. I have poured so much energy into becoming a better person since then, and right now I'm just very depressed because it feels I'll never be able to make up for who I was.”
“I said racist and sexist things, not because I deeply believed any of them, but because I knew I could get a reaction out of people. That does not excuse anything I said; the impact of my words was the same regardless of what I believed. I’m mentioning this because with the help of a lot of people who loved me in spite of the shithead I was sometimes I was able to make progress on the journey to becoming a better person.”
“Again, to be clear, I’m not saying EA or Respawn did anything untoward. They were absolutely within their rights to terminate me, much as I may disagree with that decision.”
He also added that he had expected the allegations to come up because he would habitually get into fights or would get harassed by some members of the Apex Legends for his work.
“I fully own the awful, bigoted statements I made in 2007 and am disgusted with my younger self for making them,” wrote Klein in a statement to Kotaku. “But there’s also no doubt in my mind that they came to light because someone went looking for things to hurt me with. EA was aware of this allegation, and I specifically asked them to be on the lookout for these strategies being used against other employees in the future.”
Klein had also been fired from Riot Games in 2018 for violating the company’s social media policy, which he claimed was because he called misogynistic players “manbabies.”
“I wished they’d taken a risk and kept me on,” he added, “but I cannot ask anyone to take that risk.” Unfortunately, that’s a risk that video game companies aren’t willing to take, most of which are walking on eggshells following the sexual harassment and discrimination case filed against Activision Blizzard.
These are some of the comments surrounding the firing of Mr. Klein:
These are the screenshots he is referring to. Calling Women unable to make rational decisions, only good for cum in the eye, etc…Also a sly comment on Africans on the last one. Is this who you want as the lead balancer at respawn? https://t.co/JtQGSYymrn pic.twitter.com/mOrG7Hy9as
— The Sherrif (@Apex_Sherrif) July 28, 2021
