Activision Blizzard CEO and star of Oscar-winning film Moneyball Bobby Kotick is finally moving on from the company after 32 years next week, he announced in a letter addressed to the company today.
Kotick first joined Activision when he became the CEO in 1991 after buying a 25 percent stake in the company (around $400,000 for the majority of shares) and refocusing it on video games. The company’s acquisition by Microsoft for $68.7 billion was made official in October, so it’s safe to say Kotick has made a nice chunk of change.
His track record as CEO includes the merger with Blizzard Entertainment and being a defendant in several sexual harassment investigations surrounding culture at the company, including one most recently filed in 2021. He was even sued by the city of New York in 2022.
It was initially reported that Kotick would stay on until the beginning of 2024, but he will end up not making it quite that far as his last day as CEO will be Dec. 29.
“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 said in the open letter. “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.”
Kotick said that, after the Microsoft acquisition, Activision is now “part of the world’s most admired company.” That’s debatable, but what isn’t up for debate is that Phil Spencer and Microsoft do have massive assets now under their control. The hope for many is that the next 30 years of Activision will be less marred by controversy than the last 30.
“Phil shares our values and recognizes our talents,” Kotick said. “He is passionate about our games and the people who make them. He has bold ambition. As we move into our next exciting chapter, you could not be in better hands.”
Activision, which has been carried by franchises like Call of Duty and Candy Crush for years along with Blizzard’s multiple IPs, now will continue forward with a team of leadership to run the company, including Blizzard president Mike Ybarra, Activision publishing president Rob Kostich, Activision Blizzard vice chair Thomas Tippl, and head of Microsoft Studios Matt Booty, according to The Verge.
