The Hits Keep Coming for Activision CEO Bobby Kotick

Another day, another report of alleged abuse on the part of Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick. A new Wall Street Journal report on Wednesday reveals that, among other things, that in 2006, Kotick reportedly left his assistant a voicemail threatening to have her killed–which an Activision Blizzard rep. now calls "obviously hyperbolic and inappropriate" and says that he apologized for the remark 16 years ago. 

There’s more (there’s always more) including allegations of rape at Sledghammer Games and sexual harrassment at Treyarch that Kotick either allegedly covered up or went to bat for the person being accused and did not bother to tell the board of directors about these situations.

Meanwhile, the ABK Workers Alliance, a group of Activision Blizzard and King workers seeking to exact change, announced a walkout Wednesday to protest and demand for the removal of Kotick as CEO: “We have instituted our own Zero Tolerance Policy,” the group posted on Twitter. “We will not be silenced until Bobby Kotick has been replaced as CEO, and continue to hold our original demand for Third-Party review by an employee-chosen source.  We are staging a Walkout today. We welcome you to join us.”

Sadly there will probably be a lot more stories about Kotick’s questionable behavior and other employees at Activision Blizzard who have been victimized before Microsoft can complete the acquisition of the company.  When that happens and Kotick is gone, Microsoft has a lot of work to do to clean up the company so it is an environment where everyone can work without having to worry about abuse and descrimination. 

Well enough about Kotick – let’s get into this week’s biggest moves in esports and gaming!

- James Fudge.