• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

Wall Street Journal: Bobby Kotick to remain CEO of Activision Blizzard post acquisition

nordique

Member
We don’t know this yet. The acquisition hasn’t entirely gone through yet so once it is finalized we could see Microsoft give not just Bobby but the whole board a boot as they enabled the whole culture there
 

GHG

Gold Member
No the other one

Interested Season 10 GIF by Curb Your Enthusiasm


Considering I've never even had a twitter account I'm interested in where this is going.
 
It makes no sense. Not from a moral perspective, but just a business perspective. This one name is the poster child for the horrible PR just having an Activision logo on a product has become.

He has to go.
 

lefty1117

Gold Member
Yes no doubt about it, I don't think MS would have made this move without securing Kotick's departure. And probably will be some additional executive cleanup afterwards as well.
 
If I’m honest, this has lowered my opinion of Phil Spencer a bit. I understand it’s a money making business but if Phil is all about inclusion and making work a comfortable place (which I believe he has championed before) he should set a good example and look to remove Kottick from post as soon as he is able.
I agree.

Anyway I'm sure him leaving is part of the deal, but also part of the deal (because the guys has such an ego) it has to seem like he stepped down after everything blew out.

So that's after 1/2 years of Microsoft purchase being complete. Perhaps earlier if there's more scandals around him. And he'll keep an advisory role.


As for Phil, he really changed his tone in a few weeks time, from saying that Microsoft's relationship with Activision was damaged and Activision knew it (by the looks of it, they're best buds) to advocating cross-plat and cross-manufacturer ban lists to, well, this.
 
Last edited:

SegaShack

Member
If I’m honest, this has lowered my opinion of Phil Spencer a bit. I understand it’s a money making business but if Phil is all about inclusion and making work a comfortable place (which I believe he has championed before) he should set a good example and look to remove Kottick from post as soon as he is able.
I have to agree. They bought a company at the height of its worst reputation possible. Maybe it was on sale? Either way it looks really bad to keep Kotick around.
 
This takes the shine off the Activision acquisition announcement and makes me think Phil could be a little full of shit himself.

Why the fuck is this cancerous puss filled hemorrhoid Kotick kept on as CEO?
 
This takes the shine off the Activision acquisition announcement and makes me think Phil could be a little full of shit himself.

Why the fuck is this cancerous puss filled hemorrhoid Kotick kept on as CEO?

Phil/Microsoft can't remove him yet. Microsoft has only started this process, and until it's official he can't even really publicly discuss much about it. The deal appears to be as soon as Microsoft's ownership is official he gets the boot which unfortunately includes the severance he is contractually obligated to receive.
 
Phil/Microsoft can't remove him yet. Microsoft has only started this process, and until it's official he can't even really publicly discuss much about it. The deal appears to be as soon as Microsoft's ownership is official he gets the boot which unfortunately includes the severance he is contractually obligated to receive.
The tub of lard getting a severance irks me but not as much as staying on as CEO. I really do hope you're right and he fucks off when its made official and the takeover process is complete.
If he does stay on then Phil really is full of shit.
 
The tub of lard getting a severance irks me but not as much as staying on as CEO. I really do hope you're right and he fucks off when its made official and the takeover process is complete.
If he does stay on then Phil really is full of shit.
He'll stay as an advisor/on the board. No real power, but that allows him to save face.
 

Clear

CliffyB's Cock Holster
Why the fuck is this cancerous puss filled hemorrhoid Kotick kept on as CEO?

Because under his tenure as CEO he's headed up a company from near bankruptcy to being worth $70b. Give the devil his due, by any standards he's an extremely effective businessman, and likely more competent and successful than any replacement/successor.

Also, he's probably ready and willing and able to clean house on the way out, because let's face it they have an activist contingent among the workforce that is a potential issue going forwards.
 

GymWolf

Member
Reeeee green rats in shambles right now, being happy that M bought blizzard or being against this because bob is still the president and they need to fake concern...

Boy this acquisition is entartaining in multiple ways :lollipop_tears_of_joy:
 
Last edited:

splattered

Member
This takes the shine off the Activision acquisition announcement and makes me think Phil could be a little full of shit himself.

Why the fuck is this cancerous puss filled hemorrhoid Kotick kept on as CEO?

Well... the Activision board hasn't voted to remove Kotick or other managers that enable the shitty toxic culture. Do you think Acti would sell to a company that up front says they are going to kick everyone's ass to the curb? Microsoft has to play nice while this deal is going through, THEN they will have the freedom to do whatever they want. It may end up costing them a bit more but in the end it's probably the only way to secure the company, clean house, and elevate to whatever their ultimate vision may be.
 
Well... the Activision board hasn't voted to remove Kotick or other managers that enable the shitty toxic culture. Do you think Acti would sell to a company that up front says they are going to kick everyone's ass to the curb? Microsoft has to play nice while this deal is going through, THEN they will have the freedom to do whatever they want. It may end up costing them a bit more but in the end it's probably the only way to secure the company, clean house, and elevate to whatever their ultimate vision may be.
Ah, well you put it like that makes sense.

If he likes pineapple pizza, then I'm absolutely sure he has skeletons in his closet. You are a sick person if you like pineapple pizza.
True. Something went very wrong somewhere in your childhood if you like pineapple on pizza.
 
Last edited:

The Alien

Banned
Pachter write this? Lol.
Doubt it. MS is too PC/woke to let him stay.

Regardless, the dude would receive hundreds of millions of dollars as a buyout package.

Dont shed any tears for Bobby.
 

NickFire

Member
He'll stay as an advisor/on the board. No real power, but that allows him to save face.
This dude is not worried about saving face. His legacy is already cemented as one of the most successful people in the history or gaming (World even). No one that matters in his world (key phrase is his world) cares a smidge about the mud thrown his way. They will pretend they do if they are public facing, but when cameras are gone they know him for two things: 1) Massive profits; 2) Massive sale price.
 

IbizaPocholo

NeoGAFs Kent Brockman

According to a new line added to a filing by Activision Blizzard’s 8-K filing (as spotted by Axios’ Stephen Totilo), the company claims that Kotick and Microsoft didn’t discuss his plans before the acquisition announcement, and still hasn’t.

“No discussions or negotiations regarding post-closing employment arrangements with Microsoft occurred between Microsoft and Mr Kotick prior to the approval and the execution of the merger agreement and the transactions contemplated thereby, or have occurred subsequent to such approval and execution, through the date hereof,” it claims.
 

ethomaz

Banned

According to a new line added to a filing by Activision Blizzard’s 8-K filing (as spotted by Axios’ Stephen Totilo), the company claims that Kotick and Microsoft didn’t discuss his plans before the acquisition announcement, and still hasn’t.

“No discussions or negotiations regarding post-closing employment arrangements with Microsoft occurred between Microsoft and Mr Kotick prior to the approval and the execution of the merger agreement and the transactions contemplated thereby, or have occurred subsequent to such approval and execution, through the date hereof,” it claims.
Well makes little sense to start plans before the fusion get approved by regulators.

It is same for any type of Fusion… that is why nVidia did nothing on ARM too.
 
Last edited:

IbizaPocholo

NeoGAFs Kent Brockman

In January 2022, the Wall Street Journal reported that sources said to be familiar with Kotick’s plans told the outlet they expected the controversial CEO to leave.

While it has still to be definitively confirmed whether this is actually the case, Fox Business now claims Kotick will stay as CEO if the deal breaks down.

The publication claims that, according to “sources close to the situation”, Kotick “will absolutely remain at the gaming giant to run the company” should regulators derail the planned takeover.
 

BadBurger

Is 'That Pure Potato'
Bobby Kotick exists to absorb money by no means of his own. What a wonderful life it must have been. Just being a dumb-looking asshole and getting hundreds of millions for it.

One can dream.
 
"should regulators derail the planned takeover."
"derail" sounds hollow.

Regulators are supposed to do their job, if they say the takeover can't happen I think derailing is not the term. More like they're stopping what shouldn't happen.

Not implying it should or shouldn't even though I'm not really in favour of it due to a multitude of reasons. I don't adore mergers but I also don't feel it's a good purchase for Microsoft.

For Activision I don't really care as what they do as a separate entity doesn't affect me in any way.
if they haven't told him he has a job, he doesn't.

Both sides know he will leave when the merger is done. Only fools think he would stay on.
He will only leave if they pay him what he's due. Which is no unsubstancial matter as he's the current CEO and did special rules specifically for the what if scenario of his firing/leaving.

So although he will be away from decisions, he might stay on payroll and still with a big title for a long time. Either that or paying 300 million severance package for that not to happen.
 
Last edited:
Top Bottom