Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick Steps Down After Extended Tenure

Bobby Kotick will step down as CEO of Activision Blizzard on December 29, 2023, according to an internal memo from Xbox head Phil Spencer. Humam Sakhnini, Lulu Meservey, and several other executives will also leave, while Thomas Tippl, Mike Ybarra, and Tjodolf Sommestad will remain and report to Matt Booty, Microsoft’s president of gaming content and studios. Kotick has been with Activision since 1991 and oversaw popular franchises like Call of Duty and Candy Crush. The company has faced lawsuits and settlements related to sexual harassment, but Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard, valued at $69 billion, has been approved after 21 months of legal battles. Kotick is expected to make $375 million from the acquisition.