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

Former Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick unleashed a scathing critique of his ex-EA counterpart, John Riccitiello, labeling him "the worst CEO in video games" during a recent appearance on the Grit podcast. Joined by former EA chief creative officer Bing Gordon, who hinted Riccitiello's leadership contributed to his departure, Kotick acknowledged EA's superior business model but declared he'd gladly pay to keep Riccitiello away from the helm. Kotick stated this wasn't a personal attack against Gordon, clarifying that their primary concern was preventing Gordon from taking the reins at EA. "We would have paid for Riccitiello to stay a CEO forever. We thought he was the worst CEO in video games," Kotick asserted.

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 proposals, including suggesting Battlefield players pay per reload. He later led Unity Technologies, leaving in 2023 amidst controversy over installation fees. His time at Unity also included an apology to developers for his disparaging remarks about those who resisted microtransactions.

Interestingly, Kotick, who oversaw Activision Blizzard's $68.7 billion acquisition by Microsoft in 2023, revealed EA's multiple attempts to acquire Activision Blizzard. He admitted that EA's business model was, in many aspects, stronger and more stable than Activision's.

Kotick's own leadership at Activision Blizzard, while financially successful, was also plagued by controversy. Numerous complaints regarding sexism, a toxic work environment, and allegations of mishandling serious misconduct surfaced. While Activision Blizzard maintains that independent reviews found allegations of widespread sexual harassment and improper board actions to be unsubstantiated, a $54 million settlement was reached with the California Civil Rights Department in December 2023. The settlement noted that no court or independent investigation substantiated claims of systemic or widespread sexual harassment or improper board actions.

In the same interview, Kotick also panned Universal's 2016 Warcraft adaptation, calling it "one of the worst movies I've ever seen."