Bobby Kotick Will Remain Activision Blizzard CEO Through End Of 2023 Following Microsoft Acquisition

Microsoft acquired Activision Blizzard officially for $69 Billion, nearly two full years after its announcement. We know from emails sent by Microsoft Gaming and Xbox head Phil Spencer to Activision Blizzard’s CEO Bobby Kotick that Kotick will be CEO up until 2023. Kotick said Spencer had specifically requested that he remain CEO for the remainder of the year, to aid in the transition. Activision Blizzard will now be under the Xbox First-Party umbrella. 

Image taken from Xbox

Kotick wrote in an email to Activision Blizzard that he was “fully committed” to help with the transition.[Phil Spencer]he has asked me to remain as the CEO of ABK reporting to him. I have agreed to do this until the end of 2023. “We both look forward working with each other to ensure a seamless integration of our teams and player.” 

Spencer wrote in an email: “We could not be happier that Activision Blizzard’s employees are now our co-workers and teammates. Bobby Kotick, who reports directly to myself, has agreed to stay in his position until 2023. This will ensure that the integration is seamless. In the months to come, we’ll be sharing more details about our new structure. 

Microsoft Gaming Head Phil Spencer, CEO of Xbox and Microsoft Gaming

Microsoft acquired Activision Blizzard in February 2015 for $69 Billion. Since then, analysts expected Kotick would take one of many “golden-parachute” opportunities available as a result. As reported by Axios last year, if Kotick is fired/let go after this purchase, he’ll be entitled to a $15 million payout.

Activision Blizzard could award him up to $22,000,000 in stock, if the board of directors sees improvements in culture. This is in response to a report from 2021 that found Activision Blizzard to be a place for employee misconduct, harassment and other issues. Kotick was revealed to have known about Activision’s past of sexual misconduct, which resulted in the employees leaving and demanding Kotick resign. 

In February 2022 there will be more choices than these two. Axios’ report, Kotick owns 6.5 million Activision Blizzard shares worth $619 million at Microsoft’s price, which he could sell. 

We don’t yet know if Kotick is going to leave Activision Blizzard by 2024 or be fired (although Spencer’s request for him to remain indicates that Kotick may leave on good terms next year, after the transition of the company into Xbox), but we do know he will continue as CEO until the end of this year. 

Read more about Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard. Read about Kotick being reportedly interviewed about Guitar Hero by James Corden, former host of the late-night TV show. 

Are you sure that Spencer was right to choose Kotick for CEO status until 2023? Tell us what you think in the comments!