Activision Blizzard Head Calls Out Ex-EA CEO

Former Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick recently slammed his EA counterpart, John Riccitiello, labeling him "the worst CEO in video games" during a podcast appearance on Grit. While acknowledging EA's superior business stability compared to Activision's, Kotick stated he'd have paid to keep Riccitiello in the role indefinitely. This comment, made alongside former EA chief creative officer Bing Gordon, was partly driven by a shared concern that Gordon might lead EA.

Riccitiello's departure from EA in 2013 followed financial setbacks and layoffs. His tenure, beginning in 2007, included controversial proposals, such as charging players for ammunition reloads in Battlefield. He later served as CEO of Unity Technologies, leaving in 2023 amidst controversy surrounding installation fees. His time at Unity also featured several contentious moments, including a public apology for his disparaging remarks about developers who resisted microtransactions.

Kotick revealed that EA made multiple attempts to acquire Activision Blizzard. He admitted EA's business model was, in many aspects, stronger than Activision's.

Kotick's own leadership at Activision Blizzard, while financially successful, was also marked by significant controversy. The company faced numerous accusations of sexism, a toxic work environment, and allegations of mishandling serious misconduct claims. While Activision Blizzard maintains that independent reviews found these claims unsubstantiated, a $54 million settlement was reached with the California Civil Rights Department in December 2023. The settlement concluded that "no court or any independent investigation has substantiated any allegations that: there has been systemic or widespread sexual harassment at Activision Blizzard," or that Activision Blizzard's board of directors including Kotick "acted improperly with regard to the handling of any instances of workplace misconduct."

The interview also saw Kotick's critical assessment of Universal's 2016 Warcraft film adaptation, describing it as "one of the worst movies I've ever seen."