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.
Xbox chief Phil Spencer thanks Bobby Kotick for his 'invaluable contributions' to the games industry as Kotick officially exits Activision Blizzard after 32 years
20.12.2023 - 21:37 / pcgamer.com / Phil Spencer / Bobby Kotick
It is now official: In a farewell message to employees, Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick has confirmed that he will be leaving the company.
Kotick's future with Activision Blizzard came into question almost as soon as Microsoft announced its intention to acquire the company back in January 2022. The decision appeared to be all but made after that deal was finally closed, as Kotick said Xbox boss Phil Spencer had asked him to stay on as CEO "through the end of 2023," which isn't generally the sort of timeline you announce if you're expecting to stick around. But today's message makes it a done deal.
«As my last day leading this company inches closer, I marvel at how far the talented people at our company have come toward realizing the great potential of games,» Kotick wrote. «You have transformed a hobbyist form of entertainment into the world’s most engaging medium. It has been the privilege of my lifetime to work alongside you as we broadened the appeal of games.
»Perhaps the most important part of my job has been to help bring talented people together, provide the best resources possible, and foster an environment that encourages inspiration, creativity, and unwavering commitment to excellence. I cannot adequately express the pride I have in the people who continue to contribute to our success and all those who have helped throughout my 32 years leading this company."
Spencer paid tribute to Kotick in an internal memo shared by The Verge, saying Activision Blizzard «has been an enduring pillar» under Kotick's leadership.
«Whether it’s Call of Duty, World of Warcraft, Candy Crush Saga or any number of other titles, his teams have created beloved franchises and entertained hundreds of millions of players for decades,» Spencer wrote. «I’d like to thank Bobby—for his invaluable contributions to this industry, his partnership in closing the Activision Blizzard acquisition and his collaboration following the close—and I wish him and his family the very best in his next chapter.»
Kotick became involved with Activision in 1990 when he and a partner purchased a stake in the company, which had recently renamed itself to Mediagenic. He changed the name back, and became CEO a few months later. His long tenure has seen the company's share price increase exponentially, but it's also been beset with controversy in more recent years. Activision was rocked by a 2021 lawsuit alleging widespread discrimination and sexual harassment at the company, which led to a shocking allegation against Kotick himself that he threatened to have an assistant killed. An Activision rep acknowledged that the threat was «inappropriate» but also «obviously hyperbolic» and that Kotick apologized for it shortly afterward, and that
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pcgamer.com
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Former Activision-Blizzard employee sues the company for none of the reasons you'd expect by now, accuses Bobby Kotick of saying it had 'too many old white guys'
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.
mmorpg.com
01.01.2024 / 21:41
Bobby Kotick Escapes With A Golden Parachute | Opinion
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.
thesixthaxis.com
22.12.2023 / 09:44
Activision Blizzard’s Bobby Kotick is leaving next week
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.
thesixthaxis.com
21.12.2023 / 17:19
Activision Blizzard’s Bobby Kotick is leaving next week
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.
techradar.com
21.12.2023 / 15:55
Bobby Kotick to depart Activision before the end of the month
The CEO of Activision Blizzard, Bobby Kotick, is officially stepping down from his role later this month, it’s been confirmed.
gamespot.com
20.12.2023 / 22:59
Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick Leaving The Company Soon
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destructoid.com
20.12.2023 / 22:08
Bobby Kotick will resign from Activision Blizzard on December 29
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.
gamesradar.com
20.12.2023 / 21:48
After 32 years, CEO Bobby Kotick is leaving Activision next week as Microsoft makes more changes to bring the company under the Xbox mothership
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.
gamingbolt.com
20.12.2023 / 21:41
Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick is Leaving on December 29th
Microsoft has announced that Bobby Kotick, CEO of Activision Blizzard, will be stepping down on December 29th. Instead of a replacement, Blizzard president Mike Ybarra and Activision publishing president Rob Kostich will report to Microsoft Gaming game content and studios president Matt Booty, per The Verge. Activision Blizzard vice chair Thomas Tippl is also leaving in March 2024 but reports to Booty till then.
gamesindustry.biz
20.12.2023 / 21:31
Bobby Kotick stepping down as CEO of Activision Blizzard next week
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gameranx.com
20.12.2023 / 21:08
Activision Blizzard’s Bobby Kotick Departs Next Week
It was massive news when Microsoft revealed that they had put out a bid to acquire Activision Blizzard. Billions of dollars went into this purchase, and it was anything but easy. There were court cases and battles against the regulators to ensure that this deal would go through. Fortunately for Microsoft, the deal was finalized earlier this year. Since then, we’ve seen Microsoft go into a transitional phase to ensure production could continue while Microsoft took over the reins. Meanwhile, it was noted that Bobby Kotick, the CEO of Activision Blizzard, would continue staying on until the upcoming year.