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

Bobby Kotick, former CEO of Activision Blizzard, recently slammed his former EA counterpart, 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 rather have kept Riccitiello in the CEO role indefinitely. This comment, made alongside former EA chief creative officer Bing Gordon, who hinted Riccitiello's leadership contributed to his own departure, underscores a deep-seated rivalry. Kotick even revealed that Activision Blizzard's fear was always that Gordon would take the reins at EA.

Riccitiello's departure from EA in 2013 followed a period of financial difficulties and significant layoffs. His tenure, which began in 2007, included controversial proposals, such as suggesting Battlefield players pay per reload. He later led Unity Technologies, leaving in 2023 amidst a controversy surrounding installation fees. His time at Unity also featured several contentious moments, including a public apology for his disparaging remarks about developers who resisted microtransactions.

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

Kotick's own leadership at Activision Blizzard, while financially successful, was also marked by significant controversy. Numerous employee complaints regarding sexism, a toxic work environment, and allegations of mishandling serious misconduct allegations surfaced. 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 confirmed systemic or widespread sexual harassment.

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