Activision Blizzard King is lastly owned by Microsoft, and the acquisition that has spanned greater than a 12 months is lastly over. With that, loads of questions come up, chief amongst them being: what occurs to Activision Blizzard King CEO Bobby Kotick?
Kotick has been with Activision for years, and seen it by its most profitable intervals and a number of cultural tentpoles within the business. He’s additionally been the one in cost whereas a poisonous work tradition festered to the purpose the place staff couldn’t take it any extra.
Now that the acquisition is completed, Kotick will stay as Activision Blizzard King’s chief govt officer – however solely till the tip of 2023. Come 2024, another person will take the helm.
“I’ve lengthy mentioned that I’m absolutely dedicated to serving to with the transition. Phil [Spencer] has requested me to remain on as CEO of ABK, reporting to him, and now we have agreed that I’ll do this by the tip of 2023.” mentioned Kotick in a letter to ABK staff.
“We each sit up for working collectively on a easy integration for our groups and gamers.”
It’s value noting that this was already what was mentioned will occur, because it was already confirmed Kotick would go away if the deal went by, and keep if it didn’t.
Kotick’s departure is one thing that ABK builders have been asking for, and it’ll undoubtedly be thought to be one of many key features in how this deal continues to vary the video games business.
Who takes up Kotick’s spot subsequent in fact is the massive query, and can they, together with Microsoft, be as much as the duty of fixing the three-decades of points Kotick allowed to pile up.
For what it’s value, Microsoft has already spoken at size about its dedication to creating work tradition throughout the studios it homes and dealing with unions staff might select to be members of.
Vice chair and president Brad Smith even re-affirmed that dedication in a weblog submit with the acquisition’s approval.
“As Microsoft has closed its transaction to amass Activision Blizzard, we affirm out dedication to our labor ideas and revolutionary method to union partnerships.
Microsoft stays steadfast in our assist of our present and future staff in no matter alternative they make about their office and their representatives.
We sit up for assembly, listening to, and studying from our new Activision Blizzard staff and persevering with our collaborative engagement with CWA (Communications Employees Of America) and the employees it represents.”
Supply – [Activision Blizzard, Microsoft]