Bobby Kotick Slams John Riccitiello as Gaming's Worst CEO

In a candid discussion on the podcast Grit, former Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick didn't hold back his opinions on ex-EA CEO John Riccitiello, labeling him as "the worst CEO in video games." Joined by former EA chief creative officer Bing Gordon, who suggested that Riccitiello's leadership contributed to his exit, Kotick acknowledged that EA's business model was in many ways superior to Activision's. However, he humorously remarked that they "would have paid for Riccitiello to stay a CEO forever," underscoring his critical view of Riccitiello's leadership.

Riccitiello, who led EA from 2007 to 2013, left the company amid poor financial performance and significant layoffs. One of his more controversial proposals was suggesting to shareholders that players of the Battlefield series might pay a dollar each time they reloaded their guns. After leaving EA, Riccitiello took the helm at Unity Technologies in 2014, but his tenure there ended in 2023 following a major backlash over proposed install fees, which were later retracted. His time at Unity was also marked by contentious statements, such as calling developers who didn't embrace microtransactions "the biggest f*cking idiots."

Kotick, who oversaw Activision Blizzard's monumental $68.7 billion acquisition by Microsoft in 2023, revealed that EA had made multiple attempts to acquire his company. He admitted that he viewed EA's business as more stable and, in some respects, better than Activision's. Despite the financial success under Kotick's leadership, his tenure was not without controversy. Activision Blizzard faced numerous allegations of sexism and a toxic work environment, culminating in employee walkouts and a lawsuit from California's Department of Fair Employment and Housing in July 2021. The lawsuit alleged a retaliatory "frat boy" culture, but a $54 million settlement reached in December 2023 found no substantiation for systemic sexual harassment or improper handling of misconduct by the board, including Kotick.

During the same interview, Kotick also shared his harsh critique of Universal's 2016 adaptation of Activision Blizzard's Warcraft, describing it as "one of the worst movies I've ever seen."