Kotick Labels Riccitiello as Gaming's Worst CEO

Former Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick has publicly criticized ex-EA CEO John Riccitiello, labeling him as "the worst CEO in video games." During a conversation on the Grit podcast with former EA chief creative officer Bing Gordon, Kotick acknowledged EA's business model as superior to Activision's in some ways but sarcastically added that they "would have paid for Riccitiello to stay a CEO forever." He emphasized that this opinion was not influenced by Gordon's presence, admitting a fear that Gordon might have run EA instead.

Riccitiello, who led EA from 2007 to 2013, left amid poor financial performance and significant layoffs. One of his controversial proposals was charging Battlefield players a dollar per reload. After leaving EA, Riccitiello took the helm at Unity Technologies in 2014, but his tenure ended in 2023 following backlash over proposed install fees and other contentious decisions, including his infamous comment about developers who reject microtransactions.

Kotick, who oversaw Activision Blizzard's acquisition by Microsoft in 2023 for $68.7 billion, revealed that EA had attempted to acquire Activision multiple times. He praised EA's business as more stable than Activision's, despite the merger talks falling through.

Kotick's leadership at Activision Blizzard was financially successful but not without controversy. Employees raised concerns about sexism and a toxic work environment, culminating in walkouts over allegations that Kotick failed to inform the board about serious misconduct, including rape. Activision Blizzard denied these claims, stating that independent reviews found no substantiation for allegations of systemic sexual harassment or improper handling by the board.

In July 2021, California's Department of Fair Employment and Housing (now the Civil Rights Department) filed a lawsuit against Activision Blizzard, alleging a retaliatory "frat boy" culture. The lawsuit was settled in December 2023 for $54 million, with the Civil Rights Department concluding that no independent investigation had substantiated claims of widespread sexual harassment or improper actions by the board, including Kotick.

In the same interview, Kotick also critiqued Universal's 2016 adaptation of Activision Blizzard's Warcraft, describing it as "one of the worst movies I've ever seen."