Square Enix Implements New Policy to Safeguard Employees from Toxic Fan Behavior

Overview of Square Enix’s Anti-Harassment Policy

Square Enix has introduced a comprehensive anti-harassment policy to ensure the safety of its employees and partners.
The policy provides clear definitions of harassment, which encompass threats, defamation, and more.
Square Enix holds the authority to refuse services and pursue legal actions against individuals who engage in harassment.

Square Enix has unveiled its new anti-harassment policy, designed to safeguard both its employees and partners. This proactive measure precisely delineates what actions are considered harassment and outlines the company’s responses to such behavior from its clientele.

Amidst the rising prevalence of online harassment and threats within the gaming sector, this initiative by Square Enix aims to create a safer working environment. The issue extends beyond Square Enix, with high-profile cases including threats against the actress who played Abby in The Last of Us Part II, and violence that forced Nintendo to cancel a live event due to threats from frustrated fans. By instituting this policy, Square Enix seeks to protect its team from similar hostile incidents.

This policy, detailed on the Square Enix website, publicly condemns harassment towards its employees, which includes anyone from customer support personnel to executive staff. While Square Enix welcomes constructive feedback, it firmly states that harassment will not be tolerated and outlines the specific behaviors that fall into this category.

Details of Square Enix’s Anti-Harassment Policy

Definition of Harassment:

Acts of violence and other violent conduct.
Use of abusive language, intimidation, coercion, or undue pressure.
Defamation, personal attacks, and disparaging behavior across various communication platforms.
Repeated inquiries or visits that invade personal boundaries.
Trespassing without consent at any Square Enix facilities.
Unlawful restraint, including through unsolicited communications.
Discriminatory actions based on race, ethnicity, religion, or other personal attributes.
Invasion of privacy through unsolicited photography or video recording.
Sexual harassment and stalking behavior.

Definition of Undue Demand:

Excessive or unreasonable requests for product exchanges and monetary reimbursement.
Demands for services that exceed socially acceptable limits.
Inordinate penalties or repercussions requested for employee actions.

The implementation of such a policy is increasingly crucial in the contemporary gaming environment. Numerous developers, including Square Enix, have reported instances of severe intimidation directed at their staff. Recent events highlight this trend, with voice actor Sena Bryer receiving backlash over her gender identity from some gaming communities, reflecting the toxicity that can permeate online interactions. Historical incidents, such as the death threats Square Enix received in 2018 and the subsequent response which led to a criminal arrest in 2019, underline the seriousness of these issues. The company previously had to withdraw from hosting a tournament due to threats resembling those that prompted Nintendo’s event cancellation.

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