Bobby Kotick To Depart from Activision Blizzard’s Leadership

Bobby Kotick, CEO of Activision Blizzard, is set to step down from his position at the video game giant on December 29, as communicated in an internal memo by Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer on Wednesday.

This leadership transition was anticipated following Microsoft’s completion of the $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard in October. The acquisition underwent rigorous scrutiny by regulatory bodies in the U.S., the U.K., and Europe.

Kotick, who had previously announced his intention to remain CEO until the end of 2023, has been associated with the company since February 1991, when he joined as Director and CEO of Activision Inc. He later assumed the CEO role at Activision Blizzard in July 2008.

In Spencer’s memo, he acknowledged Kotick’s significant contributions to the industry and his collaboration during the acquisition process and wished him and his family well in their future endeavors.

Spencer also detailed additional organizational changes post-merger: Thomas Tippl, vice chairman of Activision Blizzard; Rob Kostich, president of Activision Publishing; Mike Ybarra, president of Blizzard Entertainment; and others will now report to Matt Booty, president of Microsoft’s Game Content and Studios. Brian Bulatao, Activision Blizzard’s chief administrative officer, will report to Dave McCarthy, the chief operating officer of Microsoft Gaming, among other alterations.

While Spencer assured that the leadership teams at Activision Publishing, Blizzard, and King would remain unchanged, he emphasized that for most employees, the day-to-day operations would continue as usual. These changes aim to provide clarity and accountability at the leadership level to support ambitious goals and cultivate an inclusive culture committed to Gaming for Everyone, Spencer noted in the memo.

The acquisition, the largest in Microsoft’s history, has granted the company ownership of a substantial portfolio of video game franchises.

In a separate memo to Activision Blizzard employees, Kotick expressed gratitude for his tenure and the dedication of those who contributed to the company’s success. He highlighted the company’s transition into being a part of Microsoft, emphasizing that this achievement was not coincidental.

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