Los Angeles, California - Activision Blizzard is almost always a big player at each year's Game Awards event – but not this time. Recent allegations of discrimination and sexual harassment from Blizzard's employees have seen the company dropped from the event.

Geoff Keighly, founder and host of the Game Awards – basically the Oscars for video games – confirmed via Twitter that Blizzard, the publisher of massive games like World of Warcraft, Starcraft, and Overwatch, will not take part in this year's Game Awards.

Leaving Blizzard out of the event is a powerful move, because Blizzard has revealed games at the event in the past, like announcing Call of Duty: Warzone in 2020.

Keighly's Twitter thread includes a statement explaining why the company isn't invited to the awards ceremony:

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"There is no place for abuse, harassment or predatory practices in any company or any community."

Blizzard is still taking fire for its response to claims of workplace discrimination and harassment against women, as well as allowing a toxic "frat boy culture" to thrive in the workplace for years.

The California Department of Fair Employment and Housing sued Blizzard in July after a two-year investigation, and alleged that women at the company have been subject to abuse, unfair treatment based on gender, including slower promotions for women, faster firing of female employees, and a gendered pay gap.

Blizzard's parent company, Activision, will still be participating in the event with nominated games, and Activision's President, Rob Kostich, is on the Game Awards' advisory board.

Activision's Call of Duty franchise is a nominee for Best Ongoing Game, and cheater-infested Call of Duty: Warzone is in the running for Best ESports Game.