Bobby Kotick stepping down as Activision Blizzard CEO following acquisition

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.

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

After several months of grappling with federal investigations, Microsoft has closed its deal to acquire Activision Blizzard King. The console manufacturer officially acquired the games company for $69 billion, gaining ownership of several lucrative franchises, including Call of Duty, Warcraft and Candy Crush. This follows the news earlier this morning that authorities had removed the final regulatory roadblock allowing the deal to happen.

Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard is finally complete, with the $68.7 billion deal gaining approval from the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). In a new email to employees, CEO Bobby Kotick has confirmed that he will stay on until the end of 2023 to help with the transition.

Microsoft is apparently not spooked by closing the deal on the unlucky day of Friday the 13th.

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.

After nearly two years since the initial announcement, Microsoft has finally and officially acquired Activision Blizzard for a colossal $69 billion. This means that Activision Blizzard, which is the company behind franchises like Call of Duty and Diablo, is now part of Xbox's first-party umbrella. As a result, Xbox's stable of IPs and game franchises has become much larger, welcoming the likes of Overwatch, World of Warcraft, and more. 

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.

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.

By Ash Parrish, a reporter who has covered the business, culture, and communities of video games for seven years. Previously, she worked at Kotaku.