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

Bobby Kotick, former CEO of Activision Blizzard, recently slammed his ex-EA counterpart, John Riccitiello, labeling him "the worst CEO in video games" during a podcast interview on Grit. While acknowledging EA's superior business stability compared to Activision's, Kotick stated he'd have paid to keep Riccitiello in the CEO role indefinitely. This wasn't a personal attack, Kotick clarified, stemming from a shared concern that Bing Gordon, EA's former chief creative officer, might assume leadership.

Riccitiello's departure from EA in 2013 followed a period of financial setbacks and layoffs. His tenure, beginning in 2007, was marked by controversial proposals, including suggesting Battlefield players pay per reload. He later served as CEO of Unity Technologies, leaving in 2023 amidst controversy surrounding installation fees. His time at Unity also included an apology to developers for his disparaging remarks about those opposed to microtransactions.

Interestingly, Kotick revealed EA's multiple attempts to acquire Activision Blizzard, highlighting EA's perceived business strength.

Kotick's own leadership at Activision Blizzard, culminating in Microsoft's $68.7 billion acquisition in 2023, was not without controversy. He faced numerous allegations of sexism, a toxic work environment, and mishandling of 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 had substantiated claims of systemic sexual harassment or improper board conduct regarding workplace misconduct.

The interview also saw Kotick panning Universal's 2016 Warcraft adaptation as "one of the worst movies I've ever seen."