Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick Talks Microsoft Merger and the Metaverse

Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick called the moment Microsoft announced its intended takeover of his company “an incredibly exciting day.” But of course, Kotick’s enthusiasm could be over the $68.7 billion all-cash deal that Microsoft proposed, as well the potential $375 million he stands to earn in the process. 

Kotick says he “is certain that our incredible talent and extraordinary games combined with our shared commitment to the very best workplace will enable us to grow in an increasingly more competitive race for leadership as gaming through the metaverse evolves.” 

Bobby Kotick Contemplates Activision Blizzard’s Accomplishments

“I am incredibly proud of this company and the work we have done together,” Bobby Kotick told his employeesIn January 2022, the news broke that Microsoft was buying out Microsoft. “Now it is on to our next chapter and the endless possibilities the transaction represents for us. I could not be more appreciative of your efforts, focus, and dedication to connecting the world through joy and fun.” 

American billionaires are a good example of this. Charlie Munger has called Bobby Kotick “one of the smartest business executives I know.” While reflecting on what Activision has built since its inception in 1986, the CEO has watched it grow into an international powerhouse in the gaming industry. 

“For the last 31 years, we’ve continuously shaped gaming through our commitment to delivery, fun, joy, and the thrill of accomplishment,” says Kotick. “We have transformed games into social experiencesOur games have enabled our players to discover purpose through entertainment. By doing so, we’ve created and entertained communities of hundreds of millions of players.”

Microsoft Can Power Activision Blizzard Into the Future

“Connecting [all of the gaming]The next step is to bring together communities [because] they have ambitions for their own gaming and metaverse initiatives,” explains Bobby Kotick. He’s talking about Google, Tencent, Facebook, NetEase, Apple, Sony, Disney, Amazon — to name a few. “Established and emerging competitors see opportunities for virtual worlds filled with professionally produced content [combined with] user-generated content and rich social connections.” 

Bobby Kotick thinks that Activision Blizzard’s talent and popular games are key to creating a flourishing metaverse. “We have always attracted the very best game makers and built the best games, seizing the opportunity with inspiration, passion, determination, and focus.” Activision Blizzard’s stable of games includes popular franchises such as Call of Duty, Skylanders, Crash Bandicoot, World of Warcraft, Tony Hawk Pro Skater, Sekiro, Diablo, Hearthstone, Candy Crush Saga, and Overwatch.

“As investments in cloud computing, data analytics, AI and machine learning — and user interface and experience capabilities — are becoming more competitive, we believe this partnership will better enable our ambitions,” explains Bobby Kotick, adding that Microsoft is the best business to expertly expand Activision’s stable of games. 

“In considering possible partners, all roads ultimately lead to Microsoft. Like us, they have been making games for a long time,” he notes. “Microsoft has already distributed games to hundreds of millions of the world’s computers and computing devices and has technologies and innovation that will support the next generation of games.”
While Kotick will stay on as the CEO of Activision Blizzard, once the deal is finalized — both companies agreed to a June 2023 deadline — Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer is expected to take over the position. “We’re hoping that we will be able to work with them when the deal closes to make sure we have resources to work on franchises that I love from my childhood and that the teams really want to get,” says Spencer. “I’m looking forward to these conversations. I really think it is about adding resources and increasing capability.”