As Bobby Kotick leaves Microsoft and Activision for good, an ex-employee describes how he once threatened to “have an employee killed”::Today marks Bobby Kotick’s last day at the helm of Activision Blizzard King, a day this former employee chose to share an interesting tale of Kotick’s alledged behaviour while CEO of the company.

    • rockSlayer@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      54
      ·
      edit-2
      11 months ago

      The board of directors chose to keep him on after this was revealed 2 years ago. They made a statement along the lines of “we stand by him”.

  • WhosMansIsThis@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    41
    ·
    11 months ago

    You know its bad when Blizzard fans are happy that the company was bought by Microsoft.

    Microsoft. And they’re happy.

    What a time to be alive.

    That said, if Microsoft revived HotS I’d tatoo Bill Gates face on my face. That game is way too good to go out the way it did.

  • lobut@lemmy.ca
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    18
    ·
    11 months ago

    Fun fact: Bobby Kotnik was in Moneyball, he played the owner that didn’t want to pony up extra crash.

    • rockSlayer@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      15
      ·
      11 months ago

      And because he was in a SAG-AFTRA movie, he had to join the union. And then proceeded to use this as a reason add onto his union busting

  • AutoTL;DR@lemmings.worldB
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    8
    ·
    11 months ago

    This is the best summary I could come up with:


    As foretold in a memo to staff earlier this December, swooping leadership changes have been made at Activision Blizzard as the company enters 2024 as its first year under the helm of Microsoft following the $69 billion acquisition.

    While it’s not confirmed if the allegation is true, Kotick has faced accusations from multiple employees over the years, either of direct mistreatment or disregarding problematic workplace attitudes and swiftly settling complaints out of court.

    Andy Belford, formerly of the community team at Activision-Blizzard, sounded the alarm that Overwatch 2 would be immediately review bombed after hitting Steam.

    Belford recounted how Bobby Kotick himself was happy to drop the game straight on Steam without giving the community team any form of additional support.

    With allegations of the company and Kotick himself not taking sexual harassment, assault, and unequal pay complaints seriously dating back to 2006.

    According to WSJ, Activision has said the state has agreed to file an amended complaint that withdraws its 2021 claims alleging widespread and systemic workplace harassment at the company.


    The original article contains 833 words, the summary contains 172 words. Saved 79%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!

      • Decoy321@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        4
        ·
        11 months ago

        It was like a golden age of Internet. I remember being in some gaming chatroom with Ash’s brother, who talked about how him and Ash just made these silly videos for the fuck of it. Now I’m seeing Ashley Burch kill it as an actress on Mythic Quest and get incredible voice acting roles like Tiny Tina and Aloy. Go Ash!

  • poopkins@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    3
    ·
    11 months ago

    Another reason why piracy is justified. You’re pandering to corporations and lining the wallets of rich douches like Kotick if you’re paying for video games. ^♪

  • trackcharlie@lemmynsfw.com
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    2
    ·
    11 months ago

    It’s bobby’s world.

    He’s a billionaire and will never see consequences for his actions.

    Same as every other billionaire.