Bobby Kotick Slams John Riccitiello as 'Worst Video Game CEO'

Former Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick didn't hold back in his criticism of ex-EA CEO John Riccitiello, labeling him "the worst CEO in video games" during a candid discussion on the Grit podcast alongside former EA chief creative officer Bing Gordon. Kotick's remarks came after Gordon hinted that Riccitiello's leadership style contributed to his exit from EA. Despite acknowledging that EA's business was, in many ways, superior to Activision's, Kotick humorously suggested that they "would have paid for Riccitiello to stay a CEO forever," emphasizing their belief in his detrimental impact on the gaming industry.

Riccitiello, who led EA from 2007 to 2013, departed amid poor financial performance and significant layoffs. His tenure at EA included controversial proposals like charging Battlefield players a dollar per reload. After leaving EA, Riccitiello took the helm at Unity Technologies in 2014, but his time there was also fraught with controversy, culminating in his departure in 2023 following a backlash over proposed install fees. His tenure at Unity was marked by other contentious remarks, such as his apology for calling developers who shunned microtransactions "the biggest f*cking idiots."

Kotick, who oversaw Activision Blizzard during its monumental $68.7 billion acquisition by Microsoft in 2023, revealed that EA had attempted to acquire Activision multiple times. He noted that EA's business was seen as more stable and, in some respects, better than Activision's. Kotick's own leadership at Activision Blizzard was financially successful but not without its controversies. The company faced numerous allegations of a toxic work environment, sexism, and mishandling of serious misconduct reports, including allegations of rape. These issues led to employee walkouts and a lawsuit by California's Department of Fair Employment and Housing in 2021, alleging a "frat boy" culture. The lawsuit concluded with a $54 million settlement in December 2023, with the California Civil Rights Department stating that no systemic sexual harassment or improper board conduct was substantiated.

In the same interview, Kotick also expressed his strong disapproval of Universal's 2016 film adaptation of Activision Blizzard's Warcraft, describing it as "one of the worst movies I've ever seen."

Former EA CEO John Riccitiello. Photographer: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images.

Ex-Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick. Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Gett