Ex-Activision Blizzard CEO Pans 'Warcraft' Film

Former Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick slammed the 2016 Warcraft film adaptation as "one of the worst movies I've ever seen" in a recent interview with Grit. Kotick, who led the company for 32 years before his departure in December 2023, attributed the film's negative impact to resource diversion and creative burnout within the World of Warcraft development team.

He specifically cited the film's role in the departure of veteran designer Chris Metzen in 2016, calling Metzen "the heart and soul of creativity" at Activision Blizzard. Kotick stated that the film, a pre-existing deal before Activision's acquisition, significantly drained resources and distracted developers, leading to delays in World of Warcraft expansions and patches. The project, he claimed, involved developers in casting and on-set activities, creating a major disruption.

While the Warcraft movie's international success, particularly in China, yielded a $439 million gross for Legendary Pictures, it ultimately fell short of expectations due to its substantial budget and underperformance in North America ($47 million domestically). This was deemed a significant failure by the studio.

Kotick revealed that Metzen, deeply affected by the film's production, eventually left to establish a board game company. Kotick subsequently attempted to persuade Metzen to return as a consultant, but Metzen expressed dissatisfaction with the planned expansions, advocating for a complete overhaul. Despite Metzen's brief return, Kotick admits limited subsequent interaction, emphasizing his desire to allow Metzen creative autonomy. He concluded by expressing confidence in the quality of the latest World of Warcraft expansion, citing Metzen's involvement. This expansion received a positive 9/10 rating in a World of Warcraft The War Within review, praised for revitalizing the long-running MMO.