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20.12.2023 - 22:59 / gamespot.com / Phil Spencer / Eddie Makuch / Bobby Kotick / Matt Booty / Rob Kostich
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Kotick had been the top executive at the Call of Duty company since 1991 and was involved in a number of controversies.
By Eddie Makuch on
As was originally reported close to two years ago, Activision Blizzard CEO and founder Bobby Kotick is officially leaving the company following Microsoft's buyout of the Call of Duty giant. When Microsoft closed the deal in October, it was reported that Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer asked Kotick to stay on for the time being, and now he's officially leaving as many expected he would.
«Phil shares our values and recognizes our talents. He is passionate about our games and the people who make them. He has bold ambition,» Kotick said in a memo to staff.
Kotick is reportedly leaving Activision Blizzard with a gigantic pay package in the area of $400 million.
According to The Verge, Kotick is officially stepping down on December 29. He may not be replaced directly, but Microsoft is putting Blizzard president Mike Ybaara, Activision Publishing president Rob Kostich, and Activision Blizzard vice chair Thomas Tippl in a new organization chart that reports to Xbox executive Matt Booty.
Activision Blizzard communications boss Lulu Meservey is leaving on January 31, while Blizzard and King vice chairman Humam Sakhnini is leaving at the end of December. The Verge reported that «a number of other» Activision Blizzard executives are leaving in March, but none were named.
Kotick became Activision's CEO in 1991 and has been the company's top executive ever since. He has been involved in multiple controversies. Recently, Activision Blizzardannounced a settlement with the state of California and will pay $54 million to the state along with an additional $47 million to female employees who worked at the company from 2015 to 2020.
The 2021 lawsuit accused Activision Blizzard of fostering a «frat boy» workplace culture rife with sexual harassment. Activision Blizzard and the California Civil Rights Department say in the settlement agreement that investigations into the company's culture did not turn up evidence of «systemic or widespread sexual harassment.»
An investigation into Activision's board, including Kotick, found no evidence of wrongdoing, according to the settlement agreement. In the wake of the lawsuit's allegations, Activision Blizzard announced steps it had taken to create «a more accountable workplace.»
The lawsuit, in part, led to Microsoft acquiring Activision Blizzard. The publisher behind Call of Duty and World of Warcraft saw its stock price significantly fall in the wake of the lawsuit's accusations, leading to
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It’s always nice to think that certain industries are “above harassment” or other things that have weighed down our world. But, sadly, that faith is rarely rewarded. The places and companies that should be the most “sound of mind” sometimes turn out to be the most corrupt or have some of the most hate-filled people around. For example, the video game industry is full of horror stories about the working conditions of certain places and the abuses made by those in power. And that says nothing about gamers themselves. But in the case of Activision Blizzard, they had an issue that was so grand that it resulted in several lawsuits, and those suits keep on coming.
Activision-Blizzard has been the centre of a lot of controversy over these past few years. After a lawsuit went public, detailing «numerous complaints about unlawful harassment, discrimination, and retaliation» and a «frat boy» culture, plus claims from former CEO Bobby Kotick that the whole thing was just an «aggressive labour movement,» the company finally settled last year.
An unnamed former Activision executive is taking the Call of Duty publisher to court in California, accusing the company of age discrimination and violating the state's whistleblower protection law. Said executive is a 57-year-old who worked at the company from 2014; apparently, he and six other men aged 47 or older were cut from a team of 200, as part of broader Activision Blizzard restructuring efforts last August.
A former Activision Blizzard executive has filed a discrimination claim with the company, alleging it of discriminating against «old white guys».
A former Activision executive has sued the publisher in California state court accusing the company of age discrimination and violating the state's whistleblower protection law, as reported by Law360.
Bobby Kotick’s last day at renowned gaming megacorporation Activision Blizzard was Friday, December 29th, 2023. He leaves with a $15 million… departure salary? In casual terms, it’s a “golden parachute.” He’s 60 years old. He’ll be fine.
This July, Blizzard announced it would bring back its games to Steam after several years of absence, beginning with Overwatch 2. However, the team-based first-person shooter game's debut on Valve's platform was marred by severe review bombing. Overwatch 2 actually became the lowest-rated game of all time on Steam when it first became available there. While the game isn't quite as popular as its predecessor, it still is a solid product that shouldn't be rated anywhere near as low. The main factor was the cancellation of the PvE mode, which angered fans due to the developer's broken promise, but that's not the whole story.
Long-time Activision Blizzard boss Bobby Kotick is leaving the company following its acquisition by Microsoft in October. Kotick will depart on 29th December, with Microsoft largely keeping the company’s core leadership intact outside of this.
Long-time Activision Blizzard boss Bobby Kotick is leaving the company following its acquisition by Microsoft in October. Kotick will depart on 29th December, with Microsoft largely keeping the company’s leadership intact outside of this.
It’s official: The Bobby Kotick era at Activision Blizzard will end on December 29. According to The Verge, Instead of appointing a new replacement, the top Activision Blizzard executives will now report to Microsoft’s game content and studios president Matt Booty. Several more higher-level Activision Blizzard employees will also leave the company in the new year with departures planned through March 2024.
After a 32-year career, Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick is officially stepping down next week, with his last day at the company being Friday, December 29. Meanwhile, Microsoft has announced a series of key leadership changes as it works to bring Activision Blizzard into Xbox's fold.