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

Former Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick recently slammed his 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 absence from the CEO role. He even jokingly stated that Activision would have paid to keep Riccitiello in the position indefinitely.

Riccitiello's departure from EA in 2013 followed a period of financial struggles and layoffs. His tenure, which began in 2007, was marked by controversial decisions, including a proposal to shareholders suggesting Battlefield players pay per reload. He later served as CEO of Unity Technologies, leaving in 2023 amidst controversy surrounding installation fees. His time at Unity also included an apology to developers for his inflammatory comments about those opposed to microtransactions.

Interestingly, Kotick revealed EA's multiple attempts to acquire Activision Blizzard. He admitted EA's business model was, in many ways, superior to Activision's, citing its greater stability.

Kotick's own leadership at Activision Blizzard, culminating in Microsoft's $68.7 billion acquisition in 2023, was not without controversy. The company faced numerous allegations of sexism, a toxic work environment, and mishandling of serious misconduct allegations. While Activision Blizzard maintains that independent reviews found these claims unsubstantiated, a $54 million settlement was reached with the California Civil Rights Department in December 2023. The settlement concluded that no court or independent investigation substantiated allegations of widespread sexual harassment or improper board conduct regarding workplace misconduct.

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