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We knew that Activision Blizzard’s longtime CEO, Bobby Kotick, could be stepping down on the finish of this yr following Microsoft’s historic acquisition of his firm—however we didn’t know that he’d formally depart on the final workday of 2023, technically two days earlier than the top of the yr. This tidbit was one among a number of from a letter he posted as we speak.
Kotick, who has been mired in controversy for lots of the 32 years he’s been at ActiBlizz’s helm, penned a goodbye letter to staff on Wednesday, December 20, and formally introduced his final day will probably be December 29 (the ultimate workday of 2023, he’s not a weekend warrior). Titled “Bobby Kotick: With gratitude,” the letter is addressed to “extraordinary individuals” and begins with Kotick’s historical past as a capital “G” Gamer.
Through the years, my ardour for video video games has typically been attributed to Pitfall!, River Raid, and Kaboom!. I really like these Atari 2600 video games, however the sport that first captured my creativeness was Thriller Home, developed by Roberta and Ken Williams. I performed it on a borrowed Apple II evening after evening whereas in school on the College of Michigan.
Thriller Home was a textual content journey with some primitive sprite-based graphics. (Fittingly, we now personal Thriller Home and the corporate that printed it, Sierra On Line). The world wherein the sport was performed was largely left to the participant’s creativeness. I envisioned wealthy, huge worlds with all kinds of interactive, animated life that might allow gamers to satisfy their diverse aspirations—all in a simulated universe that provided limitless prospects for problem, connection, and enjoyable.
He continues, praising the laborious work of the very sameActivision Blizzard staff who accused him of contributing to the creation of a office surroundings that included sexual harassment and discrimination—accusations that he has loudly and vehemently denied. Again in 2021, Kotick toyed with the concept of quitting if he couldn’t “repair” the corporate tradition, however finally determined to remain on and maintain cashing his paycheck. It’s unclear if the corporate tradition was ever fastened, however that remark got here the identical week he admitted to penning a tone-deaf, company-wide e mail that prompted a staff-wide walkout.
Later, Kotick’s letter calls Microsoft / Xbox the “world’s most admired firm,” and says the main acquisition (which the FTC tried to dam) wasn’t “an accident.” He then turns his consideration to Xbox CEO Phil Spencer, although, as The Verge stories, head of Microsoft Studios Matt Booty will oversee operations at ActiBlizz going ahead.
Phil Spencer has appreciated the magic of ABK for many years. When he approached Brian [Bulatao, Chief Administrative Officer] and me two years in the past and proposed buying the corporate, it was instantly apparent that the mix of our companies would allow us to proceed to guide because the listing of succesful, well-resourced opponents grows.
Phil shares our values and acknowledges our abilities. He’s enthusiastic about our video games and the individuals who make them. He has daring ambition.
As we transfer into our subsequent thrilling chapter, you may not be in higher palms.
It’s unclear how Microsoft will deal with ActiBlizz’s latest return-to-office mandate for distant QA testers, who’re calling the stance a “soft layoff.”
As for Kotick’s departure, I’ll quote my late grandfather Pasquale Cestaro: “You don’t gotta go dwelling, however you gotta go.”
Correction 12/20/2023 2:20 p.m. ET: In actual fact, Matt Booty will oversee ActiBlizz operations going ahead.
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