We knew it would be long-time Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick will step down at the end of this year the following Microsoft’s historic acquisition of his company– but we didn’t know he would officially leave on the last day working day 2023, technically two days before the end of the year. This tidbit was one of several from a letter he posted today.
Kotick, who has been mired in controversy for many of the 32 years he has been at the helm of ActiBlizz, wrote a farewell letter on Wednesday, December 20th to employees and officially announced that his last day of work will be December 29th (the last day of work in 2023, he is not a weekend warrior). The letter, titled “Bobby Kotick: With Gratitude,” is addressed to “extraordinary people” and begins with Kotick’s story as a big “G” gamer.
Over the years, my passion for video games has often been attributed to this Cases!, river raid, And Kaboom!. I love these Atari 2600 games, but the game that first captured my imagination was Mysterious house, developed by Roberta and Ken Williams. I played it night after night on a borrowed Apple II while attending the University of Michigan.
Mysterious house was a text adventure with some primitive sprite-based graphics. (Appropriately, we now own Mysterious house and the company that published it, Sierra On Line). The world in which the game was played was left largely to the player’s imagination. I imagined rich, vast worlds with all sorts of interactive, animated lives that would allow players to fulfill their various desires – all in a simulated universe that offers unlimited opportunities for challenge, connection and fun.
He goes on to praise the hard work of the same Activision Blizzard employees who accused him Contribute to the creation of a work environment that includes sexual harassment and discrimination –Accusations that he loudly and vehemently rejected. Back in 2021, Kotick considered quitting when he couldn’t “fix” the company culture but ultimately decided to stay with the company and continue cashing his paycheck. It’s unclear if the company’s culture was ever settled, but this comment came that same week He admitted to writing a tone-deaf, company-wide email This led to a strike among the entire staff.
Later, in his letter, Kotick calls Microsoft/Xbox the “most admired company in the world” and cites the major acquisition (which… FTC tried to block) was not an “accident”. However, he then turns his attention to Xbox CEO Phil Spencer The edge ReportsMatt Booty, head of Microsoft Studios, will lead operations at ActiBlizz in the future.
Phil Spencer has appreciated the magic of ABK for decades. As he got closer Brian [Bulatao, Chief Administrative Officer] When we and I met two years ago and proposed acquiring the company, it was immediately clear that the combination of our companies would allow us to continue to lead as the list of capable, well-resourced competitors grew.
Phil shares our values and recognizes our talents. 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 couldn’t be in better hands.
It’s unclear how Microsoft will handle ActiBlizz’s recent commitment to a return to the office for remote QA testers He described the stance as a “soft dismissal.”
Regarding Kotick’s departure, I quote my late grandfather Pasquale Cestaro: “You don’t have to go home, but you have to leave.”
Correction 12/20/2023 2:20 p.m. ET: In fact, Matt Booty will oversee ActiBlizz’s operations going forward.
