Gaming’s ‘Bro Culture’ Faces Crackdown From California Regulator

California is taking the lead in cracking down on “bro culture” in video games, with enforcement actions targeting two of the industry’s biggest players, Activision Blizzard, and Riot Games, a unit of Tencent Holdings Ltd.

The California Department of Fair Employment and Housing, empowered by strong state laws on workplace bias, conducted investigations into the two companies, and sued Activision last month over allegations of sexual harassment and discrimination.

The agency’s actions are sending a strong message to the gaming world and to workers eager to publicize troublesome workplace practices, lawyers and industry watchers ...