Activision Blizzard’s CEO Bobby Kotick is stepping down, with some reports indicating December 29th as his last day. He previously announced that he’d be leaving at the end of 2023, right after Microsoft acquired the company. On December 20th it was made offical when an e-mail was sent to all employees and later shared with the public.
In the announcement, Kotick reminisced about playing the text adventure game “Mystery House” on a borrowed Apple II in college. The game had so much of an impact that Activision Blizzard now owns its publisher, Sierra On Line. He talked about how the game’s (now) archaic graphics pushed him to envision “rich, vast worlds with all sorts of interactive, animated life that would enable players to fulfill their varied aspirations—all in a simulated universe that offered unlimited possibilities for challenge, connection, and fun.”
“Forty years later, 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.”
After more gushing about the talented team at Activison Blizzard, he went on to talk about Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer.
“Phil Spencer has appreciated the magic of ABK for decades,” Kotick explained. “When he approached Brian and me two years ago and proposed acquiring the company, it was immediately obvious that the combination of our businesses would enable us to continue to lead as the list of capable, well-resourced competitors grows.”
“Phil shares our values and recognizes our talents. He is passionate about our games and the people who make them. He has bold ambition,” he added.
Kotick’s memo does avoid one major question; who will be his successor?
Another memo written by Spencer shared with The Verge may shed some light on this. It seems Microsoft is mostly keeping the company’s structure intact. Although some changes include Activision Blizzard’s chief communications officer Lulu Meservey leaving at the end of January. Blizzard and King’s vice chairman Humam Sakhnini will also be stepping down at the end of December. With several other executives jumping ship in March.
For now it seems top-level executives “Thomas Tippl (Vice Chairman, Activision Blizzard), Rob Kostich (President, Activision Publishing), Mike Ybarra (President, Blizzard Entertainment) and Tjodolf Sommestad (President, King) will report to Matt Booty (President, Game Content and Studios),” Spencer’s memo says. “The leadership teams for Activision Publishing, Blizzard and King will remain in place, with no changes to the structure of how the studios and business units are run.”
We will keep you posted on details about Kotick’s departure as they become available.
