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

Former Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick launched a scathing attack on his former EA counterpart, John Riccitiello, labeling him "the worst CEO in video games" during a recent appearance on the Grit podcast. Speaking alongside former EA chief creative officer Bing Gordon, who hinted that Riccitiello's leadership contributed to his own departure, Kotick acknowledged EA's superior business model, stating, "We would have paid for Riccitiello to stay a CEO forever. We thought he was the worst CEO in video games." This comment, Kotick clarified, wasn't influenced by Gordon's presence, stemming instead from a fear that Gordon himself might lead EA.

Riccitiello's tenure at EA, from 2007 to 2013, concluded amidst poor financial performance and widespread layoffs. His time was punctuated by controversial proposals, such as suggesting Battlefield players pay to reload their weapons. He later served as CEO of Unity Technologies from late 2014 to 2023, a period also marked by controversy, including a public apology to developers for his disparaging remarks about those opposed to microtransactions.

Interestingly, Kotick revealed that EA made multiple attempts to acquire Activision Blizzard. He admitted that EA's business model was, in many respects, stronger and more stable than Activision's.

Kotick's own leadership at Activision Blizzard, while marked by significant financial success culminating in Microsoft's $68.7 billion acquisition in 2023, was also embroiled in controversy. The company faced numerous allegations of sexism, a toxic work environment, and mishandling of serious misconduct claims. While Activision Blizzard maintains that independent reviews found these allegations unsubstantiated, a $54 million settlement was reached with the California Civil Rights Department in December 2023. The settlement, however, stated that no court or independent investigation substantiated allegations of widespread sexual harassment or improper board handling of misconduct.

In the same interview, Kotick also offered a less-than-favorable review of Universal's 2016 Warcraft adaptation, calling it "one of the worst movies I've ever seen."