Bobby Kotick Revealed Activision Still Wants To Bring Back Guitar Hero

Activision Blizzard and all of the studios under it now belong to Microsoft, along with every single franchise they own. Even though Activision Blizzard is primarily concerned with Call of Duty these days, the acquisition has brought with it a whole bunch of dormant titles that fans are hoping get a new lease on life now that Xbox is essentially calling the shots. We don't know what the plans are at the moment, but Xbox head Phil Spencer has stated that the company will be "all in" if any Activision Blizzard studios want to revisit games from the past.

Microsoft finally closed on a deal that they set out to acquire quite some time ago. When Microsoft made the public bid to acquire Activision Blizzard, it set headlines worldwide. Not only was this deal bringing billions of dollars to merge the company, but it also saw a battle between various regulators. Their biggest regulator to get through was the CMA, and they were able to give the approval to proceed with the purchase. Recently, Bobby Kotick, the CEO of Activision Blizzard, was present during an interview with CNBC. 

Seamus Blackley, who spearheaded the development of the original Xbox and co-designed legendary PC games including System Shock, Flight Unlimited, and Jurassic Park Trespasser, says that the sale of Activision Blizzard to Microsoft will “torment” outgoing CEO Bobby Kotick. Explaining how he initially helped pitch Guitar Hero to Kotick, Blackley also describes how the Activision boss reportedly turned the idea down before purchasing the series years later, adding it to Activision’s substantial gaming catalog, which also includes Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 and Diablo 4.

Though it has been the best part of a decade since the most recent release of a new game in the series, rumors have emerged that a reboot may be in development as part of Microsoft and Activision's new partnership. Though a new game hasn't been officially revealed, the mere prospect of it has fans of the once-popular rhythm music game franchise incredibly excited. While the most recent release, 2015's, was generally underwhelming, with seven mainline entries and approximately 3000 songs, the franchise has retained a loyal fanbase of dedicated players.

Guitar Hero was so immensely popular that, between it and its rival Rock Band, the plastic instrument rhythm game scene collapsed, fizzling out as quickly as it took off. We haven't seen a brand new entry for about eight years. It's sort of good, because it means we don't have guitar-shaped controllers taking up space anymore. But, it's also kinda bad, because those games are awesome. Activision's CEO, Bobby Kotick, seemingly agrees, if recent comments are anything to go by.

Seamus Blackley, the co-creator of the original Xbox, has taken to Twitter to mock Activision CEO Bobby Kotick.

Following the confirmation earlier today (October 13) that Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard has been closed, it’s been announced that Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick will be staying in his role until the end of the year, but it's implied that he'll be stepping down in 2024.

Twenty-one months since Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard deal was announced, the $68.7 million merger is complete. It’s a new era for both Activision Blizzard and Microsoft as the ink dries on the video game industry’s largest acquisition, which puts Microsoft and its Xbox brand in a vital position moving forward. Change is expected at both companies, starting at the top: Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick is expected to exit the company after a transition that’ll keep him on “through the end of 2023,” according to Xbox boss Phil Spencer.

It has been an exceptionally eventful day over at Activision Blizzard’s slice of the gaming world. In an email to staff, Bobby Kotick revealed that he is stepping down as CEO of Activision Blizzard after 32 years of leading the company. This news comes following the announcement that Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard is complete.

Rumors have emerged of a potential reboot on the horizon, but despite everything that a return of the series could bring to the table, it might be best if the franchise stayed dormant. was on top of the world for a time in the mid-to-late 2000s, with a rapid succession of games having no trouble selling copies or peripherals across a variety of consoles. It fell out of favor almost as quickly as it rose to fame, however, with oversaturation likely playing a large role in its diminishing appeal.

Xbox boss Phil Spencer has explained that Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick will remain with the publisher "through the end of 2023."

Following confirmation of Microsoft’s buyout of Activision Blizzard, controversial CEO Bobby Kotick has confirmed he will remain boss of the Call of Duty maker only until the end of 2023.