Activision Blizzard's Bobby Kotick Will Step Down Later This Month

4 months ago 150

Following Microsoft's acquisition of Activision-Blizzard earlier this year (finally, right?), it's been announced that Bobby Kotick will step down from his role as CEO on December 29th, 2023 (thanks, Eurogamer).

Kotick became CEO of Activision all the way back in 1991 and was integral to the company's merger with Vivendi Games in 2008 to become Activision-Blizzard. The company has undoubtedly flourished under his leadership, however, Kotick has also been a focal point of numerous controversies regarding sexual assault, harassment, and misconduct.

Microsoft made it clear following the acquisition that Kotick would remain in place until the end of the year "to ensure a smooth and seamless transition" as Activision-Blizzard becomes a part of Xbox Game Studios. His departure now comes as the company makes several key leadership changes as it ventures into the new year.

One of these changes is the appointment of Jill Braff as the head of ZeniMax/Bethesda Studios. Braff might not be immediately known by name, but she has previously held positions at both Nintendo and Sega back in the '90s, acting as Consumer Research Manager for Nintendo between '94 and '95, before being appointed Director of Marketing at Sega between '95 and '98 and becoming involved in early Dreamcast launch plans.

All creatives under the Zenimax/Bethesda umbrella, including the likes of Todd Howard and Robert Duffy, will now report to Braff. Meanwhile, Braff and other executives will report to the recently promoted Matt Duffy, who is serving as President of Game Content and Studios. Duffy, of course, reports to CEO Phil Spencer. Phew.

As part of Microsoft's acquisition of Activision-Blizzard, the company has pledged to bring the Call of Duty franchise to Nintendo consoles over 10 years. It's not known exactly when this deal will come to fruition, but judging from the critical reception to Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III, we're tempted to just let Microsoft and Activision-Blizzard cook for a while and get the franchise back on track.