Sony Refutes Allegations of Wrecking Director’s Reputation, Citing “Ongoing Misconduct”
Sony has countered allegations that it tarnished the reputation of former Marathon reboot director Chris Barrett, claiming its inquiries revealed “consistent” misconduct in which he targeted a “lower-level female employee he wasn’t directly collaborating with, initially engaging in cordial conversation, and gradually crossing boundaries,” “frequently referencing” his wealth and his influence in propelling their careers.
Last December, former Marathon reboot director Barrett initiated legal action against Bungie and Sony for “willfully damaging his reputation by falsely and publicly insinuating that they had ‘investigated’ Barrett and ‘found’ that he had committed sexual misconduct,” and sought to avoid compensating him a $45 million fee.
Barrett was dismissed by Bungie just a year ago after an internal inquiry into alleged inappropriate behavior towards female colleagues. In legal documents, Barrett’s attorneys argue that his previous employer “didn’t care that none of it was factual; they had overt motives for their audacious scheme,” solely aiming to “shift blame and divert focus from their significant corporate failures.”
As initially reported by Game File’s Stephen Totilo, Sony has now responded to Barrett’s allegations.
“The investigation disclosed that Barrett’s misconduct with each employee was repetitive: he targeted a lower-level female employee he wasn’t directly collaborating with, initially engaged in cordial dialogue, and gradually breached boundaries by making subtle remarks about her physical appearance or showing romantic interest,” its response stated.
“Barrett attempted to create an unprofessional rapport of intimacy with his victims. He sought to follow private Instagram accounts and would express anger if they did not reply to his messages. He would bring up inappropriate subjects like their bodies, their relationships, his marriage, or his desire to date them.
“He insisted that they take part in sexually charged games like ‘Truth or Dare’ and ‘Ask Me Anything.’ He texted them at all hours, offered gifts, and frequently boasted about his wealth and his ability to aid their professional advancement.