The tenure of Bobby Kotick at Activision Blizzard will officially conclude on December 29. Rather than appointing a new successor, key executives from Activision Blizzard will now report to Matt Booty, Microsoft’s game content and studios president. In addition, several other high-ranking Activision Blizzard personnel are set to vacate their positions through March 2024, outcomes influenced by Microsoft’s acquisition of the gaming company. These changes were revealed by Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer in an internal memo, where he underscored the planned departures of Lulu Meservey in January, Humam Sakhini in December, and subsequent exits from Thomas Tippl, Brian Bulatao, Julie Hodges, Grant Dixton, and Armin Zerza.
Kotick’s 32-year stint as CEO of Activision Blizzard comes to a close two months after Microsoft purchased the company. Since his association with Activision starting 1991, Kotick has initiated several significant industry acquisitions such as the landmark 2008 Vivendi Games merger that formed Activision Blizzard and also led to the takeover of mobile game developer King.
However, his term was not devoid of controversies. Recently, Kotick’s company agreed to settle a workplace discrimination lawsuit in a deal with the California Civil Rights Department that saw them cough up over $54 million. As he prepares to exit the company, Kotick is set to receive a parting payment of at least $15 million.
Leave a Reply