Controversial Activision Blizzard Boss Bobby Kotick to Remain CEO Until End of 2023

Following confirmation of Microsoft’s buyout of Activision Blizzard, controversial CEO Bobby Kotick has confirmed he will remain boss of the Call of Duty maker only until the end of 2023.

In an email to all Activision Blizzard employees, Kotick said Xbox boss Phil Spencer had asked him to stick around as CEO to the end of this year, suggesting an exit in 2024.

“I have long said that I am fully committed to helping with the transition,” Kotick said. “Phil has asked me to stay on as CEO of ABK, reporting to him, and we have agreed that I will do that through the end of 2023. We both look forward to working together on a smooth integration for our teams and players.”

Kotick stands to make hundreds of millions of dollars from Microsoft’s eye-watering $69 billion buyout of Activision Blizzard. Last year, Reuters reported the CEO was set to receive a windfall of at least $390 million, the majority of which is based on stock purchased and awarded through incentive based compensation.

Kotick leaves Activision after 30 years as CEO and with clear financial success under his tenure, but his time at the top has been mired in controversy. Employees have issued a number of complaints about sexism, a toxic work culture, and even walked out over reports Kotick failed to make the company’s board aware of allegations of rape and other serious misconduct. Activision Blizzard has said independent reviews investigated the allegations of sexual harassment and management’s response and found both claims to be untrue.

California’s Department of Fair Employment and Housing, now the Civil Rights Department, sued Activision Blizzard in July 2021, alleging a retaliatory “frat boy” culture. While this lawsuit is ongoing, Activision Blizzard has pointed out that so far, no judge has found the allegations to be true.

And just last week, Activision Blizzard was hit with another National Labor Relations Board complaint by the Communication Workers of America union.

Image credit: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at [email protected] or confidentially at [email protected].