Bobby Kotick Declares Former EA Boss John Riccitiello 'Worst CEO in Video Games'

Bobby Kotick, former CEO of Activision Blizzard, recently slammed his former EA counterpart, John Riccitiello, labeling him "the worst CEO in video games" during a podcast appearance on Grit. While acknowledging EA's superior business stability compared to Activision's, Kotick stated he would have paid to keep Riccitiello from ever being CEO again. This comment, made alongside former EA chief creative officer Bing Gordon, who hinted Riccitiello's leadership contributed to his own departure, highlights a deep-seated rivalry.

Riccitiello's departure from EA in 2013 followed poor financial performance and significant layoffs. His tenure, marked by controversial decisions like suggesting Battlefield players pay to reload, ended with his exit from Unity Technologies in 2023 amidst a major controversy surrounding installation fees. Further fueling the controversy, Riccitiello previously apologized for his insensitive remarks about developers who opposed microtransactions.

Kotick, who oversaw Activision Blizzard's record-breaking $68.7 billion acquisition by Microsoft in 2023, revealed EA's multiple attempts to acquire Activision Blizzard. He admitted to past merger discussions, highlighting EA's perceived business strength.

Kotick's own leadership, while financially successful, was also embroiled in controversy, including allegations of sexism, a toxic work environment, and accusations of mishandling serious misconduct claims. While Activision Blizzard maintains that independent reviews found these allegations unsubstantiated, a $54 million settlement was reached with the California Civil Rights Department in December 2023. The settlement concluded that no court or independent investigation substantiated claims of systemic sexual harassment or improper board conduct regarding workplace misconduct.

In the same interview, Kotick also criticized the 2016 Warcraft film adaptation, calling it one of the worst movies he had ever seen.