[Content warning for brief mention of sexual assault.]
According to Polygon, an ex-staffer at Krafton is suing Krafton after being wrongfully terminated for reporting an alleged sexual assault.
In the suit (filed in December 2023), the plaintiff claims she was assaulted by then-global marking VP Kevin Kimball. The alleged incident took place at a work party after the 2022 Game Awards.
There, Kimball made alleged advances at her while trying to get her more alcohol. The suit then claims he forced himself on her in a bathroom stall until she escaped, crying.
The party was for Striking Distance Studios, which launched its debut game The Callisto Protocol a week prior. Kimball was Krafton’s global marketing VP until early 2023 (weeks after said incident), then its strategy/business head until September that year.
After reporting the incident to Krafton management, the plaintiff claims she was ignored, and eventually fired in February 2023. Prior to that, they “failed to investigate” and “[let] exist a hostile, oppressive, dangerous and violent work environment.”
And instead of “protecting Plaintiff (and all females) from such sex harassment,” the suit says “nothing was done to address Kimball’s sex assault.”
In addition to wrongful termination, the plaintiff is suing Kimball for emotional distress. She claims he created a hostile work environment to retaliated against her complaint to Krafton leadership.
At time of writing, neither Kimball or Krafton responded to Polygon. Game Developer has reached out to the latter, and will update this story when a response is given.
The full lawsuit can be read here.