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

Bobby Kotick, former CEO of Activision Blizzard, recently slammed his counterpart at EA, John Riccitiello, labeling him "the worst CEO in video games" during a podcast appearance on Grit. While acknowledging EA's superior business stability compared to Activision's, Kotick stated he'd have paid to keep Riccitiello from ever leaving the CEO position. This comment, made alongside former EA chief creative officer Bing Gordon, was partly fueled by a fear that Gordon himself might lead EA.

Riccitiello's departure from EA in 2013 followed financial setbacks and significant layoffs. His tenure, which began in 2007, was marked by controversial proposals, including suggesting Battlefield players pay per reload. His later role as CEO of Unity Technologies (2014-2023) also faced controversy, culminating in his resignation following a backlash over proposed and subsequently retracted installation fees. Further controversy arose from his infamous comment dismissing those opposed to microtransactions as "the biggest f*cking idiots."

Kotick, who oversaw Activision Blizzard's $68.7 billion acquisition by Microsoft in 2023, revealed EA's multiple attempts to acquire Activision Blizzard. He admitted EA's business model was, in many ways, superior to Activision's, citing its greater stability.

Kotick's own leadership at Activision Blizzard, while financially successful, was not without controversy. The company faced numerous allegations of sexism, a toxic work environment, and accusations of mishandling serious misconduct reports. While Activision Blizzard maintains that independent reviews found these claims unsubstantiated, a $54 million settlement was reached with the California Civil Rights Department in December 2023. The settlement concluded that "no court or any independent investigation has substantiated any allegations that: there has been systemic or widespread sexual harassment at Activision Blizzard," or that Activision Blizzard's board of directors including Kotick "acted improperly with regard to the handling of any instances of workplace misconduct."

In the same interview, Kotick also criticized the 2016 Warcraft film adaptation, calling it "one of the worst movies I've ever seen."