Bobby Kotick Slams John Riccitiello as 'Worst Video Game CEO'

In a candid discussion on the podcast Grit, former Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick took a swipe at ex-EA CEO John Riccitiello, labeling him "the worst CEO in video games." Kotick, who was speaking alongside former EA chief creative officer Bing Gordon, humorously acknowledged that despite EA's business being "in a lot of ways better than [Activision's]," they "would have paid for Riccitiello to stay a CEO forever" due to his perceived ineffectiveness.

Riccitiello, who led EA from 2007 until his departure in 2013 amid poor financial performance and extensive layoffs, later joined Unity Technologies as CEO in 2014. His time at Unity was not without controversy, culminating in his exit in 2023 following a backlash over proposed install fees. Riccitiello also sparked controversy by suggesting developers who didn't embrace microtransactions were "the biggest f*cking idiots."

Kotick, whose leadership saw Activision Blizzard acquired by Microsoft for a staggering $68.7 billion in 2023, revealed that EA had attempted to acquire his company multiple times. He praised EA's stability and business model, admitting that their operations were, in many ways, superior to Activision's.

Despite his financial successes at Activision Blizzard, Kotick's tenure was also marked by significant 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 allegations. Activision Blizzard contested these claims, stating that independent reviews found no evidence of systemic sexual harassment or improper actions by the board, including Kotick.

In December 2023, the California Civil Rights Department settled with Activision Blizzard for $54 million over claims of a retaliatory "frat boy" culture, though the settlement noted that no court or investigation substantiated allegations of widespread sexual harassment or improper handling of misconduct by the board.

During the same interview, Kotick didn't shy away from critiquing other ventures, describing Universal's 2016 adaptation of Warcraft as "one of the worst movies I've ever seen."

Former EA CEO John Riccitiello. Photographer: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images.

Ex-Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick. Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images.