It’s official: The Bobby Kotick era at Activision Blizzard will end on December 29. According to The Verge, Instead of appointing a new replacement, the top Activision Blizzard executives will now report to Microsoft’s game content and studios president Matt Booty. Several more higher-level Activision Blizzard employees will also leave the company in the new year with departures planned through March 2024.
A lot of changes up top
It looks like the ripple effects of Microsoft acquiring Activision Blizzard will really go into full effect in the new year. In an internal memo, Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer highlighted some of the changes including the departure of Lulu Meservey at the end of January and Humam Sakhini at the end of December. In March, Vice Chariman of Activision Blizzard Thomas Tippl will leave the company as well as Chief Administrative Officer Brian Bulatao, Chief People Officer Julie Hodges, Chief Legal Officer Grant Dixton, and CFO Armin Zerza.
End of an era
After 32 years with the company, Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick’s reign comes to an end. His resignation comes just two months after the acquisition of the company by Microsoft. After joining Activision in 1991, Kotick was responsible for several larger acquisitions in the industry including the Vivendi Games merger in 2008 that created Activision Blizzard and the acquisition of mobile game developer King.
However, it wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows with Kotick. Just a few weeks ago his company agreed to pay over $54 million in a settlement with the California Civil Rights Department to settle a very messy workplace discrimination lawsuit.
Kotick will receive a farewell payout of at least $15 million when he leaves the company next week.
