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

Bobby Kotick, former CEO of Activision Blizzard, recently slammed his ex-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 expressed a preference for Riccitiello's continued leadership at EA. He stated, "We would have paid for Riccitiello to stay a CEO forever. We thought he was the worst CEO in video games." This statement, made alongside former EA chief creative officer Bing Gordon, was partially fueled by concerns about Gordon potentially succeeding Riccitiello.

Riccitiello's departure from EA in 2013 followed a period of financial struggles and layoffs. His tenure, beginning in 2007, included controversial proposals, such as charging players for ammunition reloads in Battlefield. He later served as CEO of Unity Technologies, leaving in 2023 amidst controversy surrounding installation fees. His time at Unity also saw him apologize for his disparaging remarks towards developers who opposed microtransactions.

Kotick, who oversaw Activision Blizzard's $68.7 billion acquisition by Microsoft in 2023, revealed EA's multiple attempts to acquire Activision Blizzard. He admitted EA's business model often appeared stronger and more stable than Activision's.

Kotick's own leadership at Activision Blizzard, while financially successful, was also marked by significant controversy. Allegations of sexism, a toxic work environment, and mishandling of serious misconduct allegations surfaced. While Activision Blizzard maintained that independent reviews found these claims unsubstantiated, a $54 million settlement was reached with the California Civil Rights Department in December 2023.

The interview also saw Kotick criticize Universal's 2016 Warcraft film adaptation, calling it "one of the worst movies I've ever seen."