Women who accused Chris Avellone of sexual misconduct have now dropped their claims. The video game writer will receive monetary compensation as part of a confidential settlement between the parties.
Image credit: TheGameCreatorsVault
In a new blog post on March 25, Avellone published a joint statement from two of his main accusers, Karissa Barrows and Kelly Rae Bristol.
The settlement involves a seven-figure payment, including the return of the attorney fee award entered against Avellone.
Barrows and Bristol stated that the writer never abused them, adding that they have “no knowledge that he has ever sexually abused any women” or “ever misused corporate funds.” The women noted that Chris Avellone deserves a full return to the games industry.
We wanted to support women in the industry. In so doing, our words have been misinterpreted to suggest specific allegations of misconduct that were neither expressed nor intended. We are passionate about the safety, security and agency of women, minorities, LGBTQIA+ persons, and every other community that has seen persecution in the video game industry. We believe Mr. Avellone shares a desire to protect and uplift those communities. We believe that he deserves a full return to the industry and support him in those endeavors. joint statement
Avellone also provided a statement on the matter, asking everyone to respect the privacy of Barrows and Bristol. He also noted that it is important to “listen to all voices in improving our culture and our communities.”
I appreciate the willingness of Ms. Barrows and Ms. Bristol to work with us in addressing issues within the game community, and their advocacy is to be commended and supported. There are still many very real challenges that we face but am confident we can face them together. video game writer
Timeline of sexual misconduct allegations against Chris Avellone
- In June 2020, Chris Avellone was accused of using his status in the games industry to prey on women at different conventions.
- Several game companies quickly parted ways with the writer. This includes Techland, where Avellone worked on Dying Light 2, and Paradox Interactive, where he helped with an early version of Vampire: the Masquerade — Bloodlines 2.
- In June 2021, Avellone filed a libel lawsuit against Barrows and Bristol, also detailing his version of the events. He claimed that all allegations were false, saying, “I have tried to correct the record, dispel misconceptions, allow voices to be heard, but it is clear I was wrong; the attacks against me were made from malice.”
- Avellone asked the Superior Court of California for actual and emotional distress damages, punitive damages, and equitable relief in the form of a positive injuction. He then filed a separate lawsuit against Bristol in Oklahoma, but none of these libel suits were successful.
- Last November, Avellone filed another defamation lawsuit, seeking $75,000 in damages and asking the court to require Barrows to “retract all falses and defamatory statements.”
- After reaching a settlement, the writer also thanked everyone who “chose not to rush to judgement but instead were willing to listen and let the legal proccess take its course, let the facts come out on both sides, and come to a resolution.”