Bobby Kotick Calls John Riccitiello the Worst Video Game CEO in Controversial Remarks

The Irony of CEO Rankings in Gaming: A Look at Bobby Kotick’s Comments

Bobby Kotick, the former CEO of Activision Blizzard, has often been labeled one of the least effective leaders in the gaming industry. In a striking display of irony, he recently shared his thoughts on who he believes deserves that dubious title.

Podcast Revelations

In an appearance on the Grit podcast, Kotick, alongside former EA chief creative officer Bing Gordon, discussed their history with John Riccitiello, a former CEO of both EA and Unity. They conveyed that, at their time at Activision, they considered Riccitiello to be the worst CEO in the video game sector, even expressing a desire for him to maintain his position to mitigate competition from EA.

They joked that Activision would have funded Riccitiello’s tenure at EA indefinitely.

Kotick’s Tenure and Controversies

Bobby Kotick helmed Activision Blizzard for over 20 years, having assumed the role in 1991. Despite his resignation coinciding with Microsoft’s acquisition of the company—where he remained briefly at Phil Spencer’s request—his legacy is marred by serious allegations. His leadership period was characterized by rampant workplace harassment, which he reportedly overlooked for years. This culminated in California’s lawsuit against the company, highlighting a severe failure in corporate governance.

Ricciutiello’s Controversial Leadership

Though Kotick is often seen as the quintessential poor CEO in gaming, his assessment of Riccitiello is intriguing. Riccitiello, who recently attempted to implement a controversial runtime fee for Unity’s game engine—essentially billing developers for each installation—provoked an uproar in the gaming community. The backlash was intense enough that Riccitiello had to resign shortly thereafter, illustrating significant missteps in leadership and consumer relations.

Concluding Thoughts

This dialogue around leadership effectiveness raises critical questions about accountability and transparency in the gaming industry. The instances involving both Kotick and Riccitiello serve as reminders of the implications of executive decisions and public perception in a sector where consumer trust is paramount.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2urSgcuyyo

#229 Bobby Kotick, former CEO of Activision Blizzard; and Bing Gordon, Advisor at Kleiner Perkins (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2urSgcuyyo)

For further insight, you can read more about these tumultuous events here.