Former Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick recently lambasted his former EA counterpart, John Riccitiello, labeling him "the worst CEO in video games" during a podcast appearance on Grit. Joining Kotick was former EA chief creative officer Bing Gordon, who suggested Riccitiello's leadership contributed to his own departure.
While acknowledging EA's superior business stability compared to Activision's at the time, Kotick expressed a surprising sentiment: "We would have paid for Riccitiello to stay a CEO forever. We thought he was the worst CEO in video games." He clarified this wasn't a personal attack against Gordon, stating their primary concern was the possibility of Gordon leading EA.
Former EA CEO John Riccitiello. Photographer: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images.Riccitiello's 2013 departure from EA followed a period of financial setbacks and layoffs. His tenure, which began in 2007, included controversial proposals, such as suggesting Battlefield players pay per reload. His later role as CEO of Unity Technologies (2014-2023) also faced significant controversy, culminating in his exit following backlash over proposed installation fees and his infamous comment about developers who resisted microtransactions.
Kotick, who oversaw Activision Blizzard's $68.7 billion acquisition by Microsoft in 2023, revealed EA's multiple attempts to acquire Activision Blizzard. He admitted EA's business model often appeared more robust and stable than Activision's.
Ex-Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick. Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images.Kotick's own leadership at Activision Blizzard, while financially successful, was also marked by considerable controversy. Allegations of sexism, a toxic work environment, and mishandling of serious misconduct claims led to employee walkouts and a lawsuit by the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (now the Civil Rights Department). A subsequent $54 million settlement concluded with a statement that no court or independent investigation substantiated claims of widespread sexual harassment or improper board conduct regarding workplace misconduct.
The interview also included Kotick's candid assessment of the 2016 Warcraft film adaptation, calling it "one of the worst movies I've ever seen."
