After Microsoft has managed to overcome all the obstacles that the regulatory entities of various regions and countries were putting in front of it, and the announcement of the closing of the purchase of Activision Blizzard King Last Friday, the roadmap to formalize the operation began to take shape. The first data is related to the future of the current CEO of the video game companywhich was already confirmed when Microsoft’s intention to buy it was announced, which would leave the company when the acquisition materialized.
Therefore, Bobby Kotick will no longer be the CEO of Activision but not immediately. It will be at the end of 2023 when I leave the company, after a transition period. In a letter that he has sent to his employees, and that has also been published on the Activision Blizzard King website, Kotick himself confirms that he will leave Activision when the year ends.
In the upload, Kotick points out that he is happy for the future of the company under the «bright green umbrella» from Xbox, the Microsoft division into which Activision will be integrated. He also highlights that, to facilitate a smooth transition, he will temporarily remain the company’s CEO, reporting the integration process at Microsoft to Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer. It must be taken into account that when Kotick leaves Activision he will not do so empty-handed. He will walk away with about $375 million in compensation.
CEO of Activision since 1991, he has piloted several company mergers since taking office. In 2008 he was the mastermind and orchestrator of the merger of Activision with the French video game developer Vivendi Games, which gave rise to the birth of Activision Blizzard. This, in turn, bought the game developer King, which had the popular Candy Crush in its game portfolio. The company has since been called Activision Blizzard King, but its last few years have been anything but quiet.
Indeed, in recent years Activision has had to face lawsuits for discrimination and harassment, among other problems with workers, who have gone on several strikes. In addition, they have had to face several requests for Bobby Kotick to resign due to the scandals and his management, in addition to laying off staff despite having great benefits.
