Microsoft lastly closed its acquisition of Activision Blizzard in the present day, but it surely seems like Bobby Kotick can be staying on as CEO by way of to the top of 2023.
It might have taken about 20 months, however as of in the present day, Microsoft has formally acquired Activision Blizzard. That after all comes with a heap of questions, and one of many huge ones is clearly: what about Bobby Kotick? In an electronic mail despatched to all Activision Blizzard King workers, as reported by The Verge, Kotick seems to be staying on as CEO of the corporate, a minimum of till the top of 2023. “Phil has requested me to remain on as CEO of ABK, reporting to him, and we have now agreed that I’ll do this by way of the top of 2023,” wrote Kotick. “We each stay up for working collectively on a clean integration for our groups and gamers.”
It must be famous that previously couple of years, there have been requires Kotick to resign, partially due to sexual harassment and bullying allegations that led to a number of lawsuits. Kotick had reportedly additionally been conscious of stated allegations for years, and even had a number of allegations in opposition to him as effectively. With the deal now having gone by way of, it is also potential that Kotick will obtain as a lot as $400 million from Microsoft as a payout.
With Activision Blizzard below the Microsoft banner, it now owns large titles like Name of Obligation, World of Warcraft, Overwatch, and Sweet Crush Saga. That does not imply that these video games will all of the sudden be unique to Xbox, a number of offers (together with one with PlayStation) have assured that, and also you should not count on all of Activision Blizzard’s catalogue to be out there on Recreation Cross till subsequent yr both.
Activision Blizzard joins builders like Bethesda, Mojang, Doublefine, and numerous others as Xbox first-party studios, in addition to the entire builders it owns itself.