After the sudden acquisition of Activision Blizzard by Microsoft, changes within the company should be felt. Nevertheless, Bobby Kotick, CEO of Activision Blizzard since 1991, will remain at the head of the group. Targeted by accusations of complicity in the infamous case of sexual harassment within the company, he is not yet ready to give up his place.
A statement from Microsoft said: “Bobby Kotick will remain CEO of Activision Blizzard, and he and his team will continue to focus on driving efforts to further strengthen the company’s culture and accelerate business growth. Once the transaction closes, Activision Blizzard’s business will be led by Phil Spencer, CEO of Microsoft Gaming..
It is only from June 2023 (end date of the transaction) that Bobby Kotick will be under the management of Phil Spencer, head of Xbox Games Studio. For now, he will continue to oversee the actions of Activision Blizzard.
Upon news of the sexual harassment charges at Activision Blizzard, Phil Spencer reacted in November 2021, saying he and Microsoft teams had been “disturbed and deeply disturbed by the horrific events and actions of which the company is accused” continuing “This kind of behavior has no place in our industry”.
About this takeover, Bobby Kotick told him: “Combining Activision Blizzard’s world-class talent and extraordinary franchises with Microsoft’s technology, distribution, access to talent, ambitious vision and shared commitment to gaming and inclusion will help ensure our continued success in an increasingly competitive industry”.
The two companies will now have to work together, hoping that this takeover will have a positive impact and that the Activision Blizzard teams will finally be able to evolve in a healthy environment.