Bobby Kotick to Step Down as Activision Blizzard CEO Next Week

For over three decades, Bobby Kotick has been the CEO of Activision Blizzard. Making the announcement via an internal memo at the company, Kotick revealed that he will officially step down from the role he has filled for so long on December 29, 2023. This move was anticipated for some time now following word that Microsoft would be acquiring Activision Blizzard. Many a pundit expected Kotick would be on his way out as a result of that deal, and now it seems the time has come for him to do exactly that.

In the memo, Kotick states the following regarding his tenure: “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.” Kotick’s time as head of Activision Blizzard has certainly seen its fair share of successes over the years, but there have also been a number of controversies, perhaps the most notable being the string of sexual misconduct accusations levied at the company which have resulted in a litany of lawsuits.

There were also reports from outlets like The Wall Street Journal that made damning allegations about Kotick himself, including that he was aware of the culture of sexual misconduct at Activision Blizzard and did nothing to stop it, even going so far as to prevent one offender from being fired from the company. Kotick’s departure is perhaps the symbolic closing of a door on a dark period within the video game industry. In the interim following Kotick’s exit, Vice chairman Thomas Tippl, chief administrative officer Brian Bullatao, chief legal officer Grant Dixon, chief financial officer Armin Zerza, and chief people officer Julie Hodges will all be helping to transition the company over to Microsoft when the acquisition becomes finalized in March of 2024.

One question that remains is how much of the Activision Blizzard catalogue will become exclusive to Xbox platforms moving forward. Call of Duty is said to be positioned for a return to Nintendo consoles moving forward, but franchises like Crash Bandicoot, Spyro the Dragon, and others that have traditionally been multiplatform might cease to be, but there’s no indication as of now how things will ultimately shake out (or if they’ll even change at all). We’ll keep you all posted as more on these events unfold in the coming months.

Source: GamesIndustry.biz