The highly controversial CEO of Activision Blizzard, Bobby Kotick, is going to leave the company on December 29. But he's not going to leave empty-handed because he will be paid a handsome package around the area of $400 million.
Mired in Countless Controversies
Bobby Kotick was the CEO of Activision since it was founded in 1991. The company, known for bringing Call of Duty games to the masses, acquired Blizzard back in July 2008. That is why the company is now called Activision Blizzard, which owns an impressive roster of popular games, including Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III, Candy Crush, World of Warcraft, Overwatch 2, and Starcraft II, among many others.
Fast forward to 2021, Activision Blizzard's head honcho was embroiled in controversy. A lawsuit filed by California's Department of Fair Employment and Housing has accused the CEO and some of its current and former employees of fostering a "frat boy culture."
Female employees were allegedly subjected to constant sexual harassment, with an employee committing suicide because her NSFW photos were passed around at a company party.
In addition, the DFEH said in its civil lawsuit that Activision Blizzard, Blizzard Entertainment, and Activision Publishing were violating California's Equal Pay and the Fair Employment and Housing Act because these companies did not fairly compensate their female employees, at least, when compared to their male counterparts.
It looks like the DFEH was right because Activision Blizzard and California's Civil Rights Department (CRD) have recently reached an accord, with the company promising to pay over $45 million to compensate female employees who were paid less than men for the same work, and those who were denied promotions since 2021.
Even though the women who were or are currently working for the company will be recompensed, the settlement has required the CRD to remove the bit about the workplace "frat boy" culture. This is a bittersweet victory, especially for those who have actually experienced sexual harassment within the organization.
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Under New Leadership
For those who were unaware, Microsoft acquired Activision Blizzard back in October. Although a new CEO has not been announced at the time of writing, Bobby Kotick's responsibilities as head of the company will be shared among a few individuals.
They are Blizzard President Mike Ybarra, Activision Blizzard Vice Chair Thomas Tippl, and Activision Publishing President Rob Kostich. When Kotick steps down on December 29, the aforementioned individuals will be the ones to report directly to Xbox Executive, Matt Booty.
Mixed Reactions
So, what does the gaming community have to say about Kotick leaving Activision Blizzard soon? Redditor @2JZGTEAristo did not hold back and said that Kotick was a detriment to both Activision and Blizzard.
Another Redditor is hoping that the change in leadership will bring about a better culture for all the parties involved.
While some are looking forward to a new Activision Blizzard, others are not too optimistic about a brighter future for the company. "Absolutely nothing will fundamentally change," said Redditor @AllMyJalens7.
With Bobby Kotick stepping down before the year ends, what do you think will happen to Activision Blizzard? Will the company start making great games again or are you skeptical that any meaningful change will happen?
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