October 13th 2023.
Bobby Kotick, the controversial CEO of Activision Blizzard, is set to leave the company in 2024 after helping oversee the Microsoft acquisition. It was no surprise when it was announced, with Microsoft having won its US court case in August. However, Kotick will remain on until the end of this year to ensure a smooth transition.
Kotick will report to Xbox boss Phil Spencer, but the integration of Activision Blizzard into Microsoft will take more than a few months. There have been long-running questions about Microsoft's management of the companies it's been buying, and Activision Blizzard is already embroiled in a scandal about its toxic workplace conditions. As a result of the acquisition, Kotick and the rest of the executive board have resigned as directors, although many are likely to be taken back afterwards. All will receive significant monetary bonuses as a result.
Kotick has been unpopular with gamers for many years, due to his dismissive comments towards developers and fans alike. His unpopularity with his own employees is just as evident, with multiple attempts to remove him over the last few years, such as during the launch of Call Of Duty: Vanguard. However, his success at making money for the company has kept him in place. In fact, the Activision of today is barely related to the Activision of the 1980s, as Kotick essentially just bought the name and built it into an empire.
Kotick's departure in 2024 will likely not be mourned, but he is one of the most successful video game bosses of all time. As such, his peers will remember him as a successful CEO. Until then, he will stay on to ensure a smooth integration of Activision Blizzard into Microsoft.
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