Following 32 years as CEO of Activision Blizzard, Bobby Kotick has recently come under scrutiny after numerous ex-employees have accused him of inappropriate behavior.
Kotick, who played a significant role in the development of Overwatch 2, stepped down from his position following the company’s major merger with Microsoft on Friday, December 29. Within a day of his departure, current and former employees have shared on social media their experiences of Kotick not paying attention to concerns, making threats, and being an ineffective leader. Continue reading for the full details of this news.
Former Activision Blizzard Employee’s Allegations
A former employee of Activision Blizzard, chhopsky, spoke out about the behavior of ex-CEO Bobby Kotick. Chhopsky, who worked as a programmer on Call of Duty at Demonware for two years, claimed that the first-person shooter (FPS) games suffered and became “worse” because of decisions made by the now-former CEO, Bobby Kotick, on his last day in the position.
She said, “In my first month it came out he threatened to have an employee killed”. Afterward, during the team meeting, nobody wanted to be the first to speak. Then, she insisted that he should be fired in front of everyone. We should stand up against people like her every time.
This was an incident in 2006 where Kotick left a threatening voicemail, saying he would have his assistant killed. A spokesperson for Kotick admitted in 2021 to the Wall Street Journal that he deeply regrets making that statement. However, employees remain skeptical and unconvinced.
What Did Andy Belford Say?
Andy Belford, a current community development manager at Activision Blizzard, also shared that Bobby Kotick did not address employee issues.
According to Belford, Overwatch 2 was anticipated to receive poor reviews on Steam, and employees had pleaded with higher-ups for more resources. However, their requests were reportedly denied, and Kotick allegedly pushed for a Steam launch without providing additional support for the community team.
Andy said that this is just one example of the culture that Kotick created at AB. Everything tended to be passed down to the lowest-paid and most overworked individuals. The management was too busy dealing with constantly changing directions and decisions that didn’t make any sense.
Other Stories
This isn’t the only issue. Some people who used to work or still work at Activision Blizzard have also talked about their experiences at the company, including.
- A woman who was given a lower position after reportedly reporting harassment.
- A mother who was breastfeeding had her breast milk stolen from the company’s refrigerators.
- Tragically, an employee died by suicide after facing sexual harassment.
In July 2021, California’s Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) took legal action against Activision Blizzard, accusing the company of promoting a culture of sexual harassment. In November 2021, around 1,000 employees signed a petition calling for the resignation of the CEO, Bobby Kotick.
For constant updates, keep following Gamevro.
