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{{Infobox person |
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|name=Bobby Kotick |
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|image=Bobby Kotick photo.jpg |
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|caption=Robert Kotick |
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|birth_date= {{Birth date and age|1963|3|1}} |
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|birth_place=[[United States]] |
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| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1963|3|1}} |
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|alma_mater=[[University of Michigan]] |
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|occupation=[[CEO]] of [[Activision Blizzard]] |
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|boards=[[The Coca-Cola Company]] |
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|website= {{url|http://bobbykotick.org/}} |
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| alma_mater = [[University of Michigan]] |
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| occupation = [[CEO]] of [[Activision Blizzard]] |
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| years_active = 1983–present |
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| known_for = [[Vivendi Games]] and [[Activision]] merger into [[Activision Blizzard]] (2007), founding [[Call of Duty Endowment]] (2009), [[King Digital Entertainment]] acquisition (2016) |
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| boards = [[The Coca-Cola Company]] |
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| website = {{url|http://bobbykotick.org/}} |
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'''Robert A. Kotick''' (born 1963)<ref name="Forbes">{{Cite news|url=http://people.forbes.com/profile/robert-a-kotick/1126|title=Robert A. Kotick Profile|accessdate=June 21, 2010|work=Forbes.com|publisher=[[Forbes]]}}{{dead}}</ref> is an American businessman<ref name=cocacola0:/> who serves as CEO of [[Activision Blizzard]]. On February 16, 2012, he was elected an outside director of [[The Coca-Cola Company]].<ref name=cocacola0:>[http://www.coca-colacompany.com/press-center/press-releases/the-board-of-directors-of-the-coca-cola-company-elects-robert-a-kotick-as-director#TCCC The Board of Directors of The Coca-Cola Company Elects Robert A. Kotick as Director]</ref> |
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From 2003 until 2008, he was a director at [[Yahoo!]].<ref name=cocacola0:/> |
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'''Robert A. Kotick''' (born 1963)<ref name="Forbesone"/> is an American businessman who currently serves as CEO of [[Activision Blizzard]], a member of the [[S&P 500]].<ref name="BKnnadsqa"/> Activision Blizzard is known for developing and publishing popular entertainment franchises such as ''[[Call of Duty]]'', ''[[World of Warcraft]]'', ''[[Candy Crush]]'', ''[[StarCraft]]'', ''[[Farm Heroes Saga|Farm Heroes]]'', ''[[Skylanders]]'' and ''[[Guitar Hero]]''. The company had net revenues of $4.66 billion in 2015,<ref name="q1fourthquarter2015"/> and ended the year with a market value of $29.0 billion.<ref name="q1fourthquarter2015"/> Kotick controls approximately 175 million shares of Activision Blizzard<ref name="qarouteenearnings"/> worth approximately $4.66 billion as of February 11, 2016.<ref name="q1fourthquarter2015"/> After [[Larry Ellison]] stepped down as CEO of [[Oracle Corporation|Oracle]], Kotick became the longest-serving CEO of any public technology company, having been in his role for 25 years.<ref name="qadsfsa"/> |
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==Early Life== |
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After starting his business career as co-founder of a [[software development]] company in the 1980s<ref name="businessweekone"/> and subsequently working with [[4Licensing Corporation|Leisure Concepts]],<ref name="Activision Blizzard"/> in 1990<ref name="DICE" /> Kotick purchased 9% of the stock in the video game company [[Activision]].<ref name="BKkforbesunlikely"/> He became CEO in 1991.<ref name="Forbesone" /> A member of the board of directors of [[The Coca-Cola Company]] since 2012,<ref name="cocacolapress"/> Kotick also serves on the boards of [[The Center for Early Education]], the [[Harvard Westlake School]],<ref name="CODE"/> the [[Los Angeles County Museum of Art]], and is the founder and co-chairman of the [[Call of Duty Endowment]], a non-profit that helps unemployed veterans start careers after they complete military service.<ref name="CODE"/> In 2015<ref name="adweekmostinf"/> and 2016, ''[[Adweek]]'' named Kotick to its annual Top 100 Leaders in Media list.<ref name="sadweek2016"/> In 2016 Kotick was named to ''[[Vanity Fair (magazine)|Vanity Fair’s]]'' New Establishment list<ref name="16list"/> for the third time,<ref name="marklacter"/><ref name="vanityfair2009"/> as well as the ''[[Harvard Business Review|Harvard Business Review's]]'' annual list of the world’s best-performing CEOs.<ref name="venturebeat2016"/> |
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Born in 1963<ref name=cocacola0:/> in the United States, Robert "Bobby" Kotick grew up in New York.<ref name=forbes09>http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2009/0202/052.html</ref> Kotick is of Ukrainian origin.{{cn}} He attended the [[University of Michigan]] in the 1980s.<ref name="DICE"/> |
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==Early life and education== |
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Robert "Bobby" Kotick was born in 1963<ref name="Forbesone"/> in the [[United States]] and he grew up in [[New York City]] and [[Long Island, New York|Long Island]]. After graduation, he attended the [[University of Michigan]] to study [[art history]] and [[literature]].<ref name="BKkforbesunlikely"/> |
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==Career== |
==Career== |
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{{update}} |
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===Early career=== |
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Kotick began his career in 1983 while he was still in college at the [[University of Michigan]],<ref name="DICE">{{cite web| url = http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/27299/DICE_2010_Kotick_Talks_Passion_For_Industry_Debuts_Indie_Contest.php|title= DICE 2010: Kotick Talks Passion For Industry|author= Simon Carless|publisher= Gamasutra.com|accessdate = February 18, 2010}}</ref><ref name="Gallagher" /> when he began creating software for the [[Apple II]] with financial backing from [[Steve Wynn]].<ref name="Crecente">{{cite web|url = http://kotaku.com/5559201/a-delightful-chat-with-the-most-hated-man-in-video-games|title=A Delightful Chat With the Most Hated Man in Video Games|author=Brian Crecente|publisher=Kotaku.com}}</ref> Kotick credits [[Steve Jobs]] for advising him to drop out of college to pursue his entrepreneurial interests in the software business.<ref>{{Cite news| url = https://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703509404575301231400042578.html?KEYWORDS=kotick |title= Activision CEO: Steve Jobs Convinced Me to Quit College |author= Yukari Iwatani Kane |work= Wall Street Journal|accessdate = June 14, 2010 |date=June 14, 2010}}</ref> |
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In 1987, he tried to acquire [[Commodore International]]. He planned to remove the keyboard and disk drive from the [[Amiga 500]] and turn it into the first 16 bit video game system. He was unsuccessful in persuading Commodore's then-Chairman Irving Gould to sell control of the company.<ref name="DICE" /><ref name="Gallagher" /> He subsequently purchased a controlling stake in Leisure Concepts, [[Nintendo]]'s licensing agent,<ref name="Gallagher" /> which was renamed [[4Kids Entertainment]].<ref name="Forbes" /> |
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===Early ventures (1980s)=== |
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{{See also|Leisure Concepts}} |
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Kotick began his career as a software developer in 1983 while he was at the University of Michigan.<ref name="DICE"/><ref name="Gallagher" /> Kotick was a passionate [[video game]] player, spending hours playing games like [[Sierra Games|Sierra's]] ''[[Mystery House]]'' and ''[[Defender (arcade game)|Defender]]'',<ref name="Gallagher" /> and he soon began developing software for the [[Apple II]].<ref name="BKkforbesunlikely"/><ref name="Crecente"/> Kotick credits [[Steve Jobs]] for advising him to drop out of college to pursue his entrepreneurial interests in the software business.<ref name="wsjarticle"/> In 1983<ref name="DICE"/><ref name="Gallagher" /> casino mogul [[Steve Wynn]], his longtime mentor, became an investor. Wynn contributed $300,000 in startup capital for the new venture.<ref name="BKkforbesunlikely"/><ref name="Crecente"/> In 1985<ref name="businessweekone"/><ref name="BKkforbesunlikely"/> Kotick became a software developer on the [[Electronic Arts]] platform, and worked on ''Deluxe Write'' mainly for the [[Amiga (computer)|Amiga]].<ref name="Crecente" /> In 1987 Kotick tried to acquire [[Commodore International]], with plans to remove the keyboard and disk drive from the [[Amiga 500]] and turn it into the first [[16 bit]] video game system. When Kotick was unsuccessful in persuading Commodore's then-Chairman Irving Gould to sell control of the company,<ref name="DICE" /><ref name="Gallagher" /> he purchased a controlling stake in Leisure Concepts, [[Nintendo]]'s licensing agent,<ref name="Gallagher" /> which was renamed to [[4Kids Entertainment]] in 1995.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://yahoo.brand.edgar-online.com/displayfilinginfo.aspx?FilingID=1273361-1510-115119&type=sect&TabIndex=2&companyid=2289&ppu=%252fdefault.aspx%253fcompanyid%253d2289|title=10-K|publisher=Edgar Online|date=January 4, 1996|accessdate=August 12, 2016}}</ref> At LCI, Kotick served as CEO and Chairman from June to December 1990.<ref name="Activision Blizzard">{{cite web|url=http://investor.activision.com/secfiling.cfm?filingID=718877-95-9&CIK=718877|title=SCHEDULE 14A|publisher=[[Activision Blizzard]]|date=July 31, 1995|accessdate=August 16, 2016}}</ref> |
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Kotick and his partner Brian Kelly bought a 25% stake in [[Activision]] in December 1990,<ref name="DICE" /><ref name="Gallagher">{{cite web|last = Gallagher|first=Dan|title=Kotick changes the game at Actvision Blizzard|publisher=Marketwatch.com|url= http://www.marketwatch.com/story/bobby-kotick-changes-game-activision }}</ref> and became CEO in February 1991.<ref name="Forbes" /> Kotick also served as a founder of International Consumer Technologies and was President from 1986 to January 1995. In 1995, International Consumer Technologies became a wholly owned subsidiary of Activision.<ref>{{cite web|url = http://www.businessweek.com/it100/2005/executive/ATVI.htm|title= CEO BIO: Robert A. Kotick|accessdate=June 21, 2010|work=Business Week.com|publisher=[[Business Week]]}}{{dead}}</ref> |
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===Purchase of Activision (1990s)=== |
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{{Main|Activision}} |
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In December 1990,<ref name="DICE" /><ref name="Gallagher"/> Kotick and his business partner Brian Kelly bought a 25% stake in the gaming company [[Activision]] (then called Mediagenic) for $400,000.<ref name="DICE"/> Kotick purchased 9% of the stock,<ref name="BKkforbesunlikely"/> and became CEO in February 1991.<ref name="Forbesone" /> According to Kotick, he bought the stake partly out of his love for old Activision titles such as ''[[Kaboom! (video game)|Kaboom!]]'' as well as [[Infocom]] games.<ref name="DICE"/> Despite the fact that Activision was $30 million in debt and insolvent, Kotick stated he saw an opportunity to remake classic Activision games.<ref name="BKkforbesunlikely"/> After moving Activision to [[Los Angeles]] in 1992, Kotick raised $40 million for the company in a stock offering,<ref name="BKkforbesunlikely"/> and set out to build what he described as "an institutional quality, well managed company with a focus on the independent developer."<ref name="Gallagher"/> In a June 14, 2010 interview with gaming blog [[Kotaku]], Kotick stated "part of the whole philosophy of Activision was whether you’re owned outright or not, if you’re a studio you have control of your destiny, you could make decisions about who to hire, flexibility on what products to make, how to make them, schedules appropriate to make them, budgets."<ref name="Crecente"/> |
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===Work with Activision Blizzard=== |
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Kotick oversaw a number of acquisitions for Activision starting in the early 1990s.<ref name="businessweekone"/><ref name="BKkforbesunlikely"/> From 1997 and 2003 he bought nine video game studios, and built several new ones.<ref name="BKkforbesunlikely"/> Activision's [[Neversoft]] studio released ''[[Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater]]'' in 1999, which became a major hit as a games franchise.<ref name="BKkforbesunlikely"/> Kotick helped fund [[Infinity Ward]], which released Activision's blockbuster franchise ''[[Call of Duty]]'' in 2003.<ref name="BKkforbesunlikely"/> Kotick also oversaw Activision's $90 million acquisition of [[RedOctane]] in 2006, which brought the ''[[Guitar Hero]]'' franchise to Activision.<ref name="Gallagher" /> |
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At Activision, Kotick set out to build "an institutional quality, well managed company with a focus on the independent developer."<ref name="Gallagher" /> In a 14 June 2010 interview with gaming blog [[Kotaku]], Kotick stated, "…[P]art of the whole philosophy of Activision was whether you're owned outright or not, if you're a studio you have control of your destiny, you could make decisions about who to hire, flexibility on what products to make, how to make them, schedules appropriate to make them, budgets."<ref name="Crecente" /> |
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Kotick engineered the Activision Blizzard merge, and stockholders of Activision Blizzard approved Kotick as CEO of the combined company on 9 July 2008.<ref>{{cite web|url = http://investor.activision.com/releasedetail.cfm?releaseid=320328|title= Investors approve Activision Blizzard merger |accessdate=July 9, 2008|work= videogamemedia.com |publisher =Video Game Media}}</ref> In 2009, as reported by ''[[Forbes]]'' magazine, Robert Kotick received approximately $3.2 million USD in salary, benefits, options and incentives for his work with Activision Blizzard, of which $953,654 was his actual salary.<ref name="Forbes" /> By 2013, Kotick was the second highest compensated CEO in the United States, earning $64.9 million USD, mostly in stock.<ref>{{cite news|title=Executive Pay by the Numbers|url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2013/06/30/business/executive-compensation-tables.html?hp|accessdate=June 30, 2013|newspaper=The New York Times|date=June 29, 2013}}</ref> |
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===Activision Blizzard merger and growth (2008–2012)=== |
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{{Main|Activision Blizzard}} |
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Kotick initiated the merger of Activision and [[Blizzard Entertainment]] in 2008, and became CEO of the combined company – [[Activision Blizzard, Inc.]] – on July 9 of that year.<ref name="investoractivision"/> That year, Kotick was named a finalist for the 2008 ''[[MarketWatch]]'' CEO of the Year award,<ref name="Gallagher" /> and the following year Activision Blizzard had an overall market value of $12.3 billion.<ref name="BKkforbesunlikely"/> Since the company's inception, Kotick has used Activision Blizzard's industry position to push for changes that he has maintained would benefit the gaming community as a whole.<ref name="adsfooga"/> In October 2009, Kotick founded the [[Call of Duty Endowment]], a non-profit with the mission of placing veterans into high-quality careers.<ref name="CODE"/> He put pressure on [[Sony]] to lower the price of the [[PlayStation 3]] console in 2009.<ref name="adsfooga"/> In the summer of 2010, Kotick urged the British government to encourage game companies to invest in the U.K.’s pool of game developers by giving these companies the same kinds of tax incentives provided by [[Canada]], [[Singapore]] and eastern bloc countries.<ref name="finantimes"/> In 2010 Kotick launched an Independent Games Competition with $500,000 in total available prize money for small developers working with new platforms,<ref name="gamasutra"/> and he has stated that "keeping passion in game development" is something that's important to him.<ref name="DICE" /> |
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Kotick has used Activision Blizzard's industry position to push partners for changes that he maintains would benefit the gaming community. In July 2009, Kotick threatened to stop making games for the [[PlayStation 3]] platform if [[Sony]] did not cut the price of the console.<ref>{{Cite news| url = http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/media/article6531367.ece|title= Sony should beware — Activision chief is not simply playing games|author= Dan Sabbagh|publisher= The Times|accessdate = July 19, 2009|location=London}}</ref> Kotick also urged the British government to reward Activision for continuing to invest in the country's pool of game developers by providing Activision with the same kinds of tax incentives provided by [[Canada]], [[Singapore]] and [[eastern bloc]] countries.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/6e111258-83de-11df-ba07-00144feabdc0.html|title= Computer games industry hits at tax rethink|author= Maija Palmer and Tim Bradshaw|publisher= [[Financial Times]]|accessdate = June 30, 2010}}</ref> Kotick has launched an Independent Games Competition with $500,000 in total available prize money for small developers working with new platforms and has stated that "keeping passion in game development is something that's important to him."<ref name="DICE" /><ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/28813/Activision_Announces_Independent_Games_Competition.php|title= Activision Announces Independent Games Competition|author= Eric Caoili|publisher= Gamasutra.com}}</ref> |
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By 2010, Activision Blizzard was the largest video games publisher in the world.<ref name="finantimes"/> The 2011 release of ''[[Call of Duty]]'': ''[[Modern Warfare 3]]'' grossed $400 million in the US and UK alone in its first 24 hours, making it the biggest entertainment launch of all time.<ref name="MW3 US And UK Sales">{{cite web|url=http://kotaku.com/5857400/call-of-duty-modern-warfare-3-shatters-all-sales-records-surprises-no-one|title=Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Shatters All Sales Records|publisher=Kotaku|last=Crecente|first=Brian|date=2011-11-11|accessdate=2011-11-11}}</ref> 2011 was the third year in a row that the ''[[Call Of Duty]]'' series broke the biggest launch record; 2010's ''[[Call of Duty: Black Ops]]'' grossed $360 million on day one; and in 2009 ''[[Modern Warfare 2]]'' brought in $310 million.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.next-gen.biz/news/modern-warfare-3-breaks-black-ops-launch-record|title=MW3 Breaks Black Ops Launch Record|date=2011-11-11|accessdate=2011-11-11}}</ref> In 2011, Activision Blizzard debuted its ''[[Skylanders]]'' franchise.<ref name="BKiSpyro"/> With this launch, the press has credited Kotick's team with inventing a new "toys-to-life" category.<ref name="BKiSpyro"/><ref name="stylanderss"/><ref name="ventureb"/> The first release ''[[Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure]]'' was nominated for two [[Toy Industry Association]] awards in 2011: "Game of the Year" and "Innovative Toy of the Year".<ref name="nominesstoy"/> ''Skylanders: Spyro’s Adventure'' and its sequels were released for major consoles and PC, and many were released on mobile devices as well.<ref name="BKiSpyro"/> |
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In October 2009, under Kotick’s direction, Activision Blizzard launched Call of Duty Endowment, a non-profit public benefit corporation, which helps soldiers transition to civilian careers after their military service, with a commitment to create thousands of jobs for veterans including those returning from the [[Middle East]]. Kotick recruited an advisory board composed of veterans representing the various service branches.<ref name="CODE">{{cite web|url=http://www.callofdutyendowment.org/about-us/about-code/|title=Call of Duty Endowment Home Page }}</ref> |
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===New franchises and S&P 500 (2013–2015)=== |
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In July 2013, Activision Blizzard announced that it would purchase company shares from parent company [[Vivendi]].<ref name="BKlbuyoutinfjunction"/><ref name="BKmquit"/> In December 2013 the ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' reported that Kotick had "[orchestrated] a complex $8.2 billion deal that returned control of the company over to its public shareholders."<ref name="BKblatimeskotcih"/> That year Kotick was named the tenth most influential CEO of the [[NASDAQ 100]].<ref name="BKnnadsqa"/> At the time, Kotick was the second highest compensated CEO in the United States, earning $64.9 million USD, mostly in stock.<ref name="executivepay"/> Also in 2013, the company released ''[[Call of Duty: Ghosts]]'', which was written by screenwriter [[Stephen Gaghan]].<ref name="BKblatimeskotcih"/> When ''Call of Duty: Ghosts'' was released, Kotick stated "the talent of Hollywood … for the first time is engaged and interested in our medium in a way where they feel like they actually can help move the art form forward.”<ref name="BKblatimeskotcih"/> On its first release day the game sold $1 billion into retail.<ref name="BKaforbesonff"/> |
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===Recent=== |
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Under Kotick, the company released a new title, ''[[Destiny (video game)|Destiny]]'', on September 9, 2014. The game made over $500 million in retail sales on the first day of release, setting a record for the biggest first day launch of a new gaming franchise.<ref name="BKaforbesonff"/> After [[Larry Ellison]] stepped down as CEO of [[Oracle Corporation|Oracle]] in 2014, Kotick became the longest-serving CEO of any public technology company, having been in his role for 25 years.<ref name="qadsfsa"/> Activision Blizzard had net revenues of $4.41 billion in 2014, and at that time had a market value of $19.4 billion.<ref name="quarterearnings"/> According to Activision Blizzard’s 2014 annual report, a $100 investment in Activision Blizzard in the mid-1990s would have returned over $4,400 to date, “almost nine times more than the $520 the S&P 500 would have returned in that same period of time and almost five times more than [[Berkshire Hathaway]].”<ref name="almostninetimes"/> On September 15, 2015, Bungie and Activision Publishing released ''[[Destiny: The Taken King]]'', the follow up to the ''[[Destiny]]'' saga. Two days later [[Sony]] announced that the game broke the record for the most downloaded day-one game in PlayStation history, in terms of both total players and peak online concurrency.<ref name="mcvuk"/> The company released the next iteration of the ''Skylanders'' franchise in September 2015, which added vehicles to the “toys to life” category.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2015-06-03-skylanders-superchargers-adds-vehicles-to-the-mix|title=Skylanders SuperChargers adds vehicles to the list|first=Wesley|last=Yin-Poole|work=[[Eurogamer]]|date=June 3, 2015|accessdate=June 3, 2015}}</ref> Activision Blizzard joined the [[S&P 500]] on August 28, 2015, with Kotick stating "we believe we are well-positioned for long-term growth."<ref name="asdfasdfk"/> |
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In October 2016, Kotick confirmed the creation of Activision Blizzard's [[Overwatch League]].<ref>http://www.espn.com/esports/story/_/id/17844105/activision-blizzard-ceo-bobby-kotick-confirms-overwatch-league</ref> |
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In 2016 November, Activision Blizzard inked a deal with Kotick where he might receive bonuses if certain financial benchmarks were met concerning M&A. Earlier that that year, Activision had acquired companies such as [[King Digital Ent]] and [[Major League Gaming]].<ref>https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-11-29/don-t-be-surprised-when-activision-blizzard-ceo-does-a-big-deal</ref> |
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===Studio division and King Digital (2015–2016)=== |
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==Boards of Directors== |
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On November 6, 2015, the company launched Activision Blizzard Studios, a [[television studio|television]] and [[film studio]] devoted to creating original content based on the company's extensive library of intellectual properties. Kotick described the new studios as "yet another way we're celebrating our players and fans, and we expect that our film and television productions will entertain and delight whole new audiences.”<ref name="q5investor"/> The ''[[Financial Times]]'' published a profile on Kotick the day that Activision Blizzard Studios was launched.<ref name="q12fit"/> The reporter opined the new studio would likely produce [[blockbuster (entertainment)|blockbuster]]s, stating that Kotick's "knack for blockbusters is the envy of his [[Hollywood film industry|Hollywood]] friends.”<ref name="q12fit"/> In the article, film studio executive [[Jeffrey Katzenberg]] praised Kotick's storytelling, stating "He’s a great storyteller. I don’t think I could touch him at his game.”<ref name="q12fit"/> The first production by Activision Blizzard Studios, ''[[Skylanders Academy]]'' debuted on Netflix in October 2016.<ref name="VarietyDigitalspangler"/> |
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Kotick was also a [[Yahoo!]] board member from March 2003 to August 2008,<ref name="Forbes" /><ref name="cnet">{{cite web |url=http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10008598-93.html |title=It's a done deal: Icahn on Yahoo board |accessdate=September 27, 2008 |work=cnet.com |publisher=[[CNET]] |date=August 6, 2008}}</ref><ref name="fool.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2008/06/17/are-you-the-next-yahoo-ceo.aspx |title=Are You the Next Yahoo! CEO? |accessdate=September 27, 2008 |work=fool.com |publisher=The Motley Fool |date=June 17, 2008}}</ref> and is currently a board member for the Center for Early Education, the [[Los Angeles County Museum of Art]], and the [[Tony Hawk|Tony Hawk Foundation]].<ref name="Forbes" /> |
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==Controversy== |
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Also in November 2015, Activision Blizzard announced its plans to acquire [[King Digital Entertainment]] - creators of franchises ''[[Candy Crush]]'', ''Farm Heroes'', ''Pet Saga'' and ''[[Bubble Witch Saga|Bubble Witch]]'' - for $5.9 billion. Upon announcement of the news, ''[[USA Today]]'' reported that “the deal gives Activision immediate access to the growing [[mobile gaming]] audience, the fastest-rising sector in video games.”<ref name="q4ustaoday"/> After the deal was announced, ''[[Wall Street Journal]]'' reporter Greg Bensinger dubbed Kotick the “King of Fun.”<ref name="q7tiwttergreg"/> On February 23, 2016, Activision Blizzard closed its acquisition of [[King Digital Entertainment]]. Activision Blizzard as a result operates the world's largest game network,<ref name="q10investordetail"/> reaching around 500 million users<ref name="q10investordetail"/> in 196 countries.<ref name="ainvestoractivision"> |
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===Gaming press=== |
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{{cite news |
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{{Unreliable sources}} |
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| title =Activision Blizzard Announces Agreement to Acquire King Digital Entertainment and Better-Than-Expected Third Quarter 2015 Financial Results |
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Kotick has at times been a controversial figure in the gaming community.<ref name="Crecente" /> In part this can be attributed to advocating a business strategy focused on only developing intellectual property which can be, in his words, "exploited" over a long period, to the exclusion of new titles which cannot guarantee sequels.<ref name="Arstechnica">{{cite web |url=https://arstechnica.com/journals/thumbs.ars/2008/11/06/activision-if-we-cant-run-a-game-into-the-ground-we-dont-want-it |title=Activision: if we can't run a game into the ground, we don't want it |accessdate=November 7, 2008 |work=arstechnica.com |publisher=[[Condé Nast Publications]] |date=November 6, 2008}}</ref> In responding to why Activision Blizzard chose not to publish certain games following the Activision/Blizzard merger, he stated that focusing on franchises that "have the potential to be exploited every year on every platform with clear sequel potential and have the potential to become $100 million franchises" has "worked very well for [[Activision Blizzard]]". Kotick described this business strategy as "narrow and deep" or "annualizable" and cited it as key to attracting development talent who may not be drawn to "speculative franchises".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://seekingalpha.com/article/104341-activision-blizzard-f2q09-qtr-end-9-30-08-earnings-call-transcript |title=Activision Blizzard SF2Q09 (Qtr End 9/30/08) Earnings Call Transcript |accessdate=October 20, 2009 |work=seekingalpha.com |publisher=[[Seeking Alpha]] |date=November 5, 2008}}</ref> Kotick also created a stir when commenting on Activision Blizzard's peripheral-driven franchises. During Activision Blizzard's Q2 2009 financial results conference, Kotick was challenged over his "comfort level" around high prices attached to "new games that have some expensive controllers" and said, "if it was left to me, I would raise the prices even further."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://seekingalpha.com/article/154118-activision-blizzard-q2-2009-earnings-call-transcript?page=8 |title=Activision Blizzard Q2 2009 Earnings Call Transcript |accessdate=October 11, 2009 |work=seekingalpha.com |publisher=[[seekingalpha.com]] |page=8|date=August 5, 2009}}</ref> While Spong took the comment at face value,<ref name="Spong">{{cite web |url=http://news.spong.com/article/18838/Activisions-Kotick-Id-Raise-Game-Prices-Even-More |title=Activision's Kotick: I'd Raise Game Prices Even More — Bobby Wants MORE |accessdate=November 7, 2009 |work=news.spong.com |date=August 6, 2009}}</ref> Gamesindustry.biz thought the comment was a joke, but could be seen as "insensitive at a time when consumers are likely to be feeling the economic pinch".<ref name="Gameindustrybiz">{{cite web |url=http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/kotick-jokes-about-even-higher-prices |title=Kotick Jokes About 'Even Higher' Prices |accessdate=November 7, 2009 |author=Phil Elliott |work=gamesindustry.biz |publisher=Eurogamer Network Ltd |date=August 7, 2009}}</ref> |
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| url =http://investor.activision.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=939963 |
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| publisher =Activision Blizzard |
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| date =November 2, 2015 |
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| accessdate = 2016-03-03 |
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}}</ref> About the King acquisition, Kotick explained that "we see great opportunities to create new ways for audiences to experience their favorite franchises, from ''[[Candy Crush]]'' to ''World of Warcraft'' to ''Call of Duty'' and more, across mobile devices, consoles and personal computers."<ref name="q10investordetail"/> |
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A frequent complaint from the gaming press is the gap between Kotick and Activision's chief consumers. [[Ars Technica]] editor Ben Kuchera wrote, "Kotick doesn't play his games, and it shows."<ref name="Arstechnica" /> Video game developer [[Tim Schafer]] said Kotick "doesn't have to be as much of a dick" in his attitude towards Activision's customers.<ref>{{cite web|last=Yin |first=Wesley |url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/double-fines-tim-schafer-develop-interview |title=Double Fine's Tim Schafer Interview • Page 1 • Interviews • |publisher=Eurogamer.net |date=July 14, 2010 |accessdate=October 19, 2013}}</ref> Gaming blog Kotaku reported, however, that Kotick confessed to a passion for video games that "has never really gone away," and "rattle[d] off an impressive list of consoles he's owned in the past and games he loved."<ref name="Crecente" /> |
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===Recent developments and esports (2016)=== |
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On October 21, 2015,<ref name="fortuneesports"/> Activision Blizzard launched its [[esports]] division and hired the former CEO of [[ESPN]] and the [[NFL Network]] as its chairman.<ref name="charimanvariety"/> At the time Kotick explained that "celebrating our players and their unique skill, dedication and commitment is the essence of our eSports initiatives."<ref name="fortuneesports"/> On January 6, 2016, Activision Blizzard acquired the business of [[Major League Gaming]] (MLG), which is known for creating and streaming premium live gaming events, organizing high-profile professional competitions, and running competitive gaming leagues. The acquisition expanded Activision Blizzard's esports reach by adding additional [[live streaming]] capabilities and technologies to the Activision Blizzard Media Networks division.<ref name="q8investorrelease"/> [[CNBC]]’s [[Jim Cramer]] praised the deal, calling it "another great acquisition by Bobby Kotick… he just keeps hitting it out of the park."<ref name="q9iqmediacorp"/> Executives with backgrounds in traditional sports, such as [[Fox Sports]] and [[ESPN]], joined the division.<ref name="reportervlast"/> |
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At [[Blizzcon]]<ref name="overwathcusatoday"/> in early November 2016, Kotick and Activision Blizzard announced the creation of an Overwatch League, where franchised teams hire ''[[Overwatch (video game)|Overwatch]]'' gamers to compete in live arenas and via video streaming.<ref name="hollywoodreporteroverwathc"/><ref name="overwathcusatoday"/> A meeting for prospective team owners was held at Blizzcon after the announcement, with [[New England Patriots]]’ owner [[Robert Kraft]], and [[Los Angeles Rams]] owner [[Stan Kroenke]] among the attendees.<ref name="hollywoodreporteroverwathc"/> Asserting that "nothing like this has ever really been done before" in relation to [[esports]],<ref name="overwathcusatoday"/> Kotick described Overwatch League as a professional sports league<ref name="overwathcusatoday"/> providing salaries and benefits for competitors.<ref name="hollywoodreporteroverwathc"/> He also described teams based out of various cities worldwide and owners required to "cultivate team and player development."<ref name="overwathcusatoday"/> The inaugural season of the Overwatch League is set to start in the second half of 2017<ref name="overwathcusatoday"/> with a "combine," where players are invited to try out for teams for guaranteed contracts.<ref name="msprtleqagueofrwat"/><ref name="overwathcusatoday"/> |
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==Film and television== |
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Kotick had an uncredited cameo role in the 2011 film ''[[Moneyball (film)|Moneyball]]'',<ref name="Kotaku"/> directed by his close friend [[Bennett Miller]],<ref name="lianabaker"/> where he played the owner of the [[Oakland Athletics]] baseball team [[Stephen Schott]].<ref name="BKblatimeskotcih"/> ''[[Reuters]]'' reported that he agreed to appear in the film if Miller would direct a short film to support Kotick's Call of Duty Endowment non-profit.<ref name="lianabaker"/> He is an executive producer of ''Skylanders Academy,'' the first production by Activision Blizzard Studios,<ref name="pnetflixstreamig"/> which began streaming on Netflix in October 2016. |
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<ref name="VarietyDigitalspangler"/> |
|||
==Blog coverage== |
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Frequently featured in business and mainstream media, Kotick has also attracted attention from [[video game industry]] press.<ref name="Crecente" /> He has advocated a business strategy focused on developing intellectual property<ref name="billzairdactive"/> that could be leveraged over a long period of time, with less frequent publication of new titles that cannot guarantee sequels.<ref name="Arstechnica"/> Kotick described this business strategy as "narrow and deep" or "annualizable" and cited it as key to attracting development talent who may not be drawn to "speculative franchises."<ref name="billzairdactive"/> |
|||
After a 2008 ''[[Ars Technica]]'' story opined that Kotick didn't seem like the type to play his own games,<ref name="Arstechnicatwo" /> gaming blog [[Kotaku]] reported that Kotick discussed a passion for video games that "has never really gone away," and "rattle[d] off an impressive list of consoles he's owned in the past and games he loved."<ref name="Crecente" /> Kotick has described a reluctance to get overly involved in the creative process behind his company's releases, citing it as a measure to protect the games' integrity.<ref name="Crecente" /> He also stated that "keeping passion in game development" is important to him.<ref name="DICE" /> |
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A number of press outlets covered his response<ref name="Spong"/><ref name="Gameindustrybiz"/><ref name="winwesley"/> to a question posed on the Q2 2009 earnings call regarding his "comfort level" around prices attached to "new games that have some expensive controllers."<ref name="seekingalpha"/> After some gaming bloggers criticized Kotick's defense of the pricing,<ref name="Spong"/><ref name="Gameindustrybiz"/><ref name="winwesley"/> Kotick later assured interviewers that profit wasn't his only concern, as "I want to make sure that every one of the games is a lasting franchise that is the very best game it could be."<ref name="Crecente" /> |
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==Boards and non-profits== |
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Kotick is currently a board member for [[The Center for Early Education]],<ref name="businessweekone"/> the [[Harvard Westlake School]],<ref name="CODE"/> and the [[Los Angeles County Museum of Art]] (LACMA),<ref name="businessweekone"/> where as a vice chairman<ref name="vicechaira"/> he has donated several works of art and funded various programs, including those focused on arts education.<ref name="educationa"/> In a November 2015 profile on Kotick in the ''[[Financial Times]]'', the director of the [[Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles|Los Angeles Contemporary Museum of Art]] stated about Kotick, "He’s very generous and has been key to assembling the next generation of philanthropists.”<ref name="q12fit"/> On February 16, 2012, Kotick was elected an outside director of [[The Coca-Cola Company]], and he was also appointed to Coca-Cola's Management Development Committee.<ref name="cocacolapress"/> Previously,<ref name="businessweekone"/> he served on the board of [[4Kids Entertainment]] starting in 1990,<ref name="Forbesone" /><ref name="businessweekone"/> and as a [[Yahoo!]] board member from March 2003<ref name="Forbesone" /><ref name="fool.com"/> to August 2008.<ref name="cnet"/> |
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Kotick is the founder and co-chairman of the [[Call of Duty Endowment]],<ref name="CODE"/> a non-profit public benefit corporation that places veterans into high-quality careers.<ref name="CODE"/><ref name="BKcendowmentmission"/> Co-chairman General [[James L. Jones|James Jones]] is a former U.S. National Security Advisor.<ref>[http://www.callofdutyendowment.org/who/leadership/james-jones James Jones Biography at CallofDutyEndowment]</ref> Upon its founding in 2009, the organization announced a commitment to create thousands of career opportunities for veterans, including those returning from the [[Middle East]].<ref name="CODE"/> Annual awards given by the endowment include the “Seal of Distinction,” a $30,000 initial grant given to selected veteran’s service organizations.<ref name="BKdannouncesreci"/> In November 2014, the endowment launched the “Race to 1,000 Jobs” campaign to encourage gamers to donate money to and get involved in organizations that provide veterans with services.<ref name="BKecracejobs"/> After placing 14,700 veterans in jobs by 2015,<ref name="callofendowment"/> as of 2016, the Call of Duty Endowment had provided around $20 million in grants to veterans’ organizations in the United States.<ref name="CODE"/> In August 2016, the endowment announced it had funded the placement of 25,000 veterans into careers, its original goal for 2018. The organization set a new goal of placing 50,000 veterans by 2019.<ref name="endoument"/><ref name="aheadofschedule"/> |
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==Personal life== |
==Personal life== |
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A native of Long Island, New York, Kotick resides in California with his family.<ref name="Portfolio">{{cite web|url = http://www.portfolio.com/executives/features/2008/04/10/Interview-With-Activision-CEO/index.html|title=Game Boy|author=Kevin Maney|publisher=Portfolio.com}}</ref> He divorced his wife in late 2012.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/16/business/bobby-kotick-of-activision-drawing-praise-and-wrath.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 Kotick|title=At Activision, a Hero and Villain, Zapped Into One|author=Amy Chozick|date=December 15, 2012|publisher=The New York Times}}</ref> He had a cameo role in the 2011 film ''[[Moneyball (film)|Moneyball]]''.<ref name="Kotaku">{{cite web|url=http://kotaku.com/5812473/what-the-fuck-is-bobby-kotick-doing-in-this-brad-pitt-movie|title=What the Fuck is Bobby Kotick Doing in This Brad Pitt Movie?|author=Luke Plunkett|accessdate=June 16, 2011|publisher=Kotaku}}</ref> |
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Kotick is a native of [[Long Island, New York]].<ref name="Portfolio"/> He is divorced<ref name="praiseandwrath"/> and resides in California with his family.<ref name="Portfolio"/> |
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==Awards and nominations== |
|||
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |
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|- |
|||
!Year |
|||
!Award |
|||
!Nominee |
|||
!Category |
|||
!Result |
|||
|- |
|||
|rowspan="2"|2008 |
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||[[MarketWatch|''MarketWatch'' Awards]] |
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|rowspan="7"|Robert Kotick |
|||
| CEO of the Year<ref name="Gallagher" /> |
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|{{Nominated|Finalist}} |
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|- |
|||
|rowspan="2"|[[Vanity Fair (magazine)|''Vanity Fair'' Rankings]] |
|||
| 2008 New Establishment List<ref name="marklacter"/> |
|||
| {{Won|No. 72}} |
|||
|- |
|||
||2009 |
|||
| 2009 New Establishment List<ref name="vanityfair2009"/> |
|||
| {{Won|No. 94}} |
|||
|- |
|||
|2015 |
|||
|rowspan="2"|[[Adweek|''Adweek'' Rankings]] |
|||
| Top 100 Leaders in Media <ref name="adweekmostinf"/> |
|||
| {{Won|No. 27}} |
|||
|- |
|||
|rowspan="3"|2016 |
|||
| Top 100 Leaders in Media<ref name="sadweek2016"/> |
|||
| {{Won|No. 24}} |
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|- |
|||
|[[Harvard Business Review|''Harvard Business Review'' Rankings]] |
|||
| 2016 Best Performing CEOs in the World<ref name="venturebeat2016"/> |
|||
| {{Won|No. 75}} |
|||
|- |
|||
|[[Vanity Fair (magazine)|''Vanity Fair'' Rankings]] |
|||
| 2016 New Establishment List<ref name="16list"/> |
|||
| {{Won|No. 50}} |
|||
|- |
|||
|} |
|||
==See also== |
|||
{{Portal|Video games}} |
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*[[List of video game developers]] |
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*[[List of entrepreneurs]] |
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==References== |
==References== |
||
{{Reflist|30em |
{{Reflist|30em}} |
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<ref name="pnetflixstreamig"> |
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{{cite news |
|||
| title =Skylanders Academy |
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| url =http://www.imdb.com/title/tt5916218/?ref_=nm_flmg_prd_1 |
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| publisher =[[IMDB]] |
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| date = |
|||
| accessdate = 2016-11-29 |
|||
}}</ref> |
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<ref name="VarietyDigitalspangler"> |
|||
{{cite news |
|||
| title =Netflix Debuts ‘Skylanders Academy’ Based on $3 Billion Toys-to-Life Game Franchise |
|||
| first =Todd |
|||
| last =Spangler |
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| url =http://variety.com/2016/digital/news/netflix-skylanders-academy-video-game-1201903117/ |
|||
| newspaper =Variety |
|||
| publisher = |
|||
| date =October 28, 2016 |
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| accessdate = 2016-11-29 |
|||
}}</ref> |
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<ref name="reportervlast"> |
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{{cite news |
|||
| title =Activision Blizzard Taps Fox Sports' Pete Vlastelica to Run Major League Gaming |
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| first =Natalie |
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| last =Jarvey |
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| url =http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/activision-blizzard-taps-fox-sports-926136 |
|||
| newspaper =[[The Hollywood Reporter]] |
|||
| publisher = |
|||
| date =September 7, 2016 |
|||
| accessdate = 2016-11-29 |
|||
}}</ref> |
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<ref name="charimanvariety"> |
|||
{{cite news |
|||
| title =Activision Blizzard Taps TV Veteran Steve Bornstein to Head eSports Division |
|||
| first =Todd |
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| last =Spangler |
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| url =http://variety.com/2015/digital/news/steve-bornstein-activision-blizzard-esports-1201623873/ |
|||
| newspaper =[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |
|||
| publisher = |
|||
| date =October 22, 2015 |
|||
| accessdate = 2016-11-29 |
|||
}}</ref> |
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<ref name="sadweek2016"> |
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{{cite news |
|||
| title =Adweek's Power List 2016: The Top 100 Leaders in Marketing, Media and Tech |
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| first =David |
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| last =Gianatasio |
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| url =http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/adweeks-power-list-2016-top-100-leaders-marketing-media-and-tech-171373 |
|||
| newspaper =[[Adweek]] |
|||
| publisher = |
|||
| date =May 22, 2016 |
|||
| accessdate = 2016-11-29 |
|||
}}</ref> |
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<ref name="venturebeat2016"> |
|||
{{cite news |
|||
| title =Harvard Business Review ranks Nvidia boss Jen-Hsun Huang as a top 10 best-performing CEO |
|||
| first =Jeff |
|||
| last =Grubb |
|||
| url =http://venturebeat.com/2016/10/11/harvard-business-review-ranks-nvidia-boss-jen-hsun-huang-as-a-top-10-best-performing-ceo/ |
|||
| newspaper = |
|||
| publisher =[[VentureBeat]] |
|||
| date =October 11, 2016 |
|||
| accessdate = 2016-11-29 |
|||
}}</ref> |
|||
<ref name="16list"> |
|||
{{cite news |
|||
| title =100 The New Establishment |
|||
| url =http://www.vanityfair.com/new-establishment-2016/list |
|||
| newspaper =[[Vanity Fair (magazine)|Vanity Fair]] |
|||
| publisher = |
|||
| date =2016 |
|||
| accessdate = 2016-11-29 |
|||
}}</ref> |
|||
<ref name="q10investordetail"> |
|||
{{cite news |
|||
| title =Activision Blizzard Completes King Acquisition Becomes the Largest Game Network in the World with over 500 Million Users |
|||
| url =http://investor.activision.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=956435 |
|||
| publisher =Activision Blizzard |
|||
| date =February 23, 2016 |
|||
| accessdate = 2016-03-02 |
|||
}}</ref> |
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<ref name="q8investorrelease"> |
|||
{{cite news |
|||
| title =Activision Blizzard Acquires the Business of Major League Gaming |
|||
| url =http://investor.activision.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=948649 |
|||
| publisher =Activision Blizzard |
|||
| date =January 4, 2016 |
|||
| accessdate = 2016-03-02 |
|||
}}</ref> |
|||
<ref name="q9iqmediacorp"> |
|||
{{cite news |
|||
| title =Squawk on the Street |
|||
| url =https://iqmediacorp.com/ClipPlayer/?ClipID=20216482-ef35-43ed-8202-337d3309ac95 |
|||
| publisher =[[CNBC]] |
|||
| date =January 5, 2016 |
|||
| accessdate = 2016-03-02 |
|||
}}</ref> |
|||
<ref name="q12fit"> |
|||
{{cite news |
|||
| title =Bobby Kotick, king of gamers |
|||
| url =http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/daba471a-83b2-11e5-8e80-1574112844fd.html#axzz41mytLRoE |
|||
| newspaper =[[Financial Times]] |
|||
| date =November 6, 2015 |
|||
| accessdate = 2016-03-02 |
|||
}}</ref> |
|||
<ref name="q7tiwttergreg"> |
|||
{{cite news |
|||
| title =Activision's Kotick: King of Fun |
|||
| first =Greg |
|||
| last =Bensinger |
|||
| url =https://twitter.com/GregBensinger/status/661955865637818368 |
|||
| newspaper = |
|||
| publisher =[[Wall Street Journal]] |
|||
| date =November 4, 2015 |
|||
| accessdate = 2016-03-02 |
|||
}}</ref> |
|||
<ref name="q5investor"> |
|||
{{cite news |
|||
| title =Activision Blizzard Launches Activision Blizzard Studios to Create Original Film and TV Content Based on Iconic, Globally-Recognized Franchises |
|||
| url =http://investor.activision.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=941323 |
|||
| publisher =Activision Blizzard |
|||
| date =November 6, 2015 |
|||
| accessdate = 2016-03-02 |
|||
}}</ref> |
|||
<ref name="q4ustaoday"> |
|||
{{cite news |
|||
| title =Activision Blizzard scoops up 'Candy Crush' maker for $5.9B |
|||
| first =Brett |
|||
| last =Molina |
|||
| url =http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2015/11/02/activision-blizzard-scoops-up-candy-crush-maker/75075430/ |
|||
| newspaper =[[USA Today]] |
|||
| publisher = |
|||
| date =November 3, 2015 |
|||
| accessdate = 2016-03-02 |
|||
}}</ref> |
|||
<ref name="q1fourthquarter2015"> |
|||
{{cite news |
|||
| title =Activision Blizzard announces Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2015 financial results |
|||
| url =http://files.shareholder.com/downloads/ACTI/167440100x0x874837/3BB2B4FA-6A05-45B1-8174-8D32C61BE8B5/Q4_2015_ATVI_Press_Release.pdf |
|||
| publisher =Activision Blizzard |
|||
| date =February 11, 2016 |
|||
| accessdate = 2016-03-02 |
|||
}}</ref> |
|||
<ref name="Kotaku">{{cite web|url=http://kotaku.com/5812473/what-the-fuck-is-bobby-kotick-doing-in-this-brad-pitt-movie|title=What the Fuck is Bobby Kotick Doing in This Brad Pitt Movie?|author=Luke Plunkett|accessdate=June 16, 2011|publisher=Kotaku}}</ref> |
|||
<ref name="praiseandwrath"> |
|||
{{cite news |
|||
| title =At Activision, a Hero and Villain, Zapped Into One |
|||
| first =Amy |
|||
| last =Chozick |
|||
| url =https://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/16/business/bobby-kotick-of-activision-drawing-praise-and-wrath.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 |
|||
| newspaper =[[The New York Times]] |
|||
| date =December 15, 2012 |
|||
| accessdate = 2015-08-29 |
|||
}}</ref> |
|||
<ref name="hollywoodreporteroverwathc"> |
|||
{{cite news |
|||
| title =Activision Blizzard to Create eSports League for 'Overwatch' Video Game |
|||
| first =Paul |
|||
| last =Bond |
|||
| url =http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/activision-blizzard-create-esports-league-overwatch-video-game-944096 |
|||
| newspaper =[[The Hollywood Reporter]] |
|||
| publisher = |
|||
| date =November 4, 2016 |
|||
| accessdate = 2016-11-29 |
|||
}}</ref> |
|||
<ref name="overwathcusatoday"> |
|||
{{cite news |
|||
| title =Blizzard to launch pro sports league for 'Overwatch' |
|||
| first =Brett |
|||
| last =Molina |
|||
| url =http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/gaming/2016/11/04/blizzard-launch-pro-sports-league-overwatch/93292006/ |
|||
| newspaper =[[USA Today]] |
|||
| publisher = |
|||
| date =November 5, 2016 |
|||
| accessdate = 2016-11-29 |
|||
}}</ref> |
|||
<ref name="msprtleqagueofrwat"> |
|||
{{cite news |
|||
| title =Blizzard Entertainment Establishes Professional Sports League for Overwatch |
|||
| url =http://investor.activision.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=997804 |
|||
| newspaper = |
|||
| publisher =Press release - Activision Blizzard |
|||
| date =November 4, 2016 |
|||
| accessdate = 2016-11-29 |
|||
}}</ref> |
|||
<ref name="BKiSpyro"> |
|||
{{cite news |
|||
| title =Bobby Kotick On Hatching Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure |
|||
| first =David |
|||
| last =M. Ewalt |
|||
| url =http://www.forbes.com/sites/davidewalt/2011/07/29/bobby-kotick-skylanders-spiros-adventure/ |
|||
| newspaper =[[Forbes]] |
|||
| date =July 29, 2011 |
|||
| accessdate = 2015-08-29 |
|||
}}</ref> |
|||
<ref name="BKlbuyoutinfjunction"> |
|||
{{cite news |
|||
| title =Activision Blizzard Buyout On Hold After Court Injunction: ATVI Remains 'Committed' |
|||
| first =Daniel Nye |
|||
| last =Griffiths |
|||
| url =http://www.forbes.com/sites/danielnyegriffiths/2013/09/18/activision-blizzard-buyout-on-hold/ |
|||
| newspaper =[[Forbes]] |
|||
| date =September 18, 2013 |
|||
| accessdate = 2015-08-29 |
|||
}}</ref> |
|||
<ref name="BKkforbesunlikely"> |
|||
{{cite news |
|||
| title =Activision's Unlikely Hero |
|||
| first =Peter C. |
|||
| last =Beller |
|||
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<ref name="Spong">{{cite web |url=http://news.spong.com/article/18838/Activisions-Kotick-Id-Raise-Game-Prices-Even-More |title=Activision's Kotick: I'd Raise Game Prices Even More — Bobby Wants MORE |accessdate=November 7, 2009 |work=news.spong.com |date=August 6, 2009}}</ref> |
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<ref name="investoractivision">{{cite web|url = http://investor.activision.com/releasedetail.cfm?releaseid=320328|title= Investors approve Activision Blizzard merger |accessdate=July 9, 2008|work= videogamemedia.com |publisher =Video Game Media}}</ref> |
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<ref name="cnet">{{cite web |url=http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10008598-93.html |title=It's a done deal: Icahn on Yahoo board |accessdate=September 27, 2008 |work=cnet.com |publisher=[[CNET]] |date=August 6, 2008}}</ref> |
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<ref name="nominesstoy">{{cite web|last=Appell|first=Adrienne|title=Toy Industry Unveils Nominees for 2012 Toy of the Year (TOTY) Awards; Announces Inductees into Toy Industry Hall of Fame|url=http://www.toyassociation.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home&TEMPLATE=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&CONTENTID=16688|publisher=[[Toy Industry Association]]}}</ref> |
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<ref name="fool.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2008/06/17/are-you-the-next-yahoo-ceo.aspx |title=Are You the Next Yahoo! CEO? |accessdate=September 27, 2008 |work=fool.com |publisher=The Motley Fool |date=June 17, 2008}}</ref> |
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<ref name="businessweekone">{{cite web|url = https://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/people/person.asp?personId=181233&privcapId=4222231|title= CEO BIO: Robert A. Kotick|accessdate=August 12, 2016|work=Business Week.com|publisher=[[Business Week]]}}</ref> |
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| title =Kotick changes the game at Activision Blizzard |
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| title =A Delightful Chat With the Most Hated Man in Video Games |
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<ref name="Arstechnicatwo"> |
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| title =Activision’s Bobby Kotick brings cash, but not heart |
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<ref name="DICE">{{cite web| url = http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/27299/DICE_2010_Kotick_Talks_Passion_For_Industry_Debuts_Indie_Contest.php|title= DICE 2010: Kotick Talks Passion For Industry|author= Simon Carless|publisher= Gamasutra.com|accessdate = February 18, 2010}} (June 2, 2010, author Eric Caoili)</ref> |
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<ref name="Forbesone">{{Cite news|url=http://people.forbes.com/profile/robert-a-kotick/1126 |title=Robert A. Kotick Profile |accessdate=June 21, 2010 |work=Forbes.com |publisher=[[Forbes]] |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100525000518/http://people.forbes.com/profile/robert-a-kotick/1126 |archivedate=May 25, 2010 }}</ref> |
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<ref name="cocacolapress">{{cite news |
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| title =The Board of Directors of The Coca-Cola Company Elects Robert A. Kotick as Director |
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| newspaper = [[VentureBeat]] |
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| date = 2015 |
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| accessdate = 2015-08-29 |
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| publisher = MCV - UK |
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| date = September 18, 2015 |
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<ref name="fortuneesports">{{cite news |
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| title = Why Activision-Blizzard just launched a new eSports division |
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| first = Chris |
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| last = Morris |
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| url = http://fortune.com/2015/10/22/activision-blizzard-new-esports-division/ |
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| publisher = |
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{{cite news |
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| title =Activision Blizzard Completes King Acquisition Becomes the Largest Game Network in the World with over 500 Million Users |
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| url =http://investor.activision.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=956435 |
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| publisher =Activision Blizzard |
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| date =February 23, 2016 |
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| accessdate = 2016-03-02 |
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<ref name="endoument"> |
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{{cite news |
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| title =Call of Duty Endowment Hits 25 Thousand Goal Two Years Ahead of Schedule |
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| url =https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/callofduty/pages/153/attachments/original/1472056089/25K_Announcement.pdf?1472056089 |
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| publisher =Call of Duty Endowment |
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| date =August 24, 2016 |
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| accessdate = 2016-08-25 |
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<ref name="aheadofschedule"> |
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{{cite news |
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| title =Call of Duty Veterans' Fund Reaches Major Milestone Ahead of Schedule |
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| url =http://www.gamespot.com/articles/call-of-duty-veterans-fund-reaches-major-milestone/1100-6442964/ |
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| publisher =[[GameSpot]] |
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| date =August 24, 2016 |
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| accessdate = 2016-08-25 |
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}}</ref> |
|||
}} |
|||
==External links== |
==External links== |
||
{{Commons category|Robert Kotick}} |
{{Commons category|Robert Kotick}} |
||
*{{url|http://bobbykotick.org/}} |
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* {{official website}} |
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{{Activision}} |
{{Activision}} |
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{{Blizzard Entertainment}} |
{{Blizzard Entertainment}} |
||
Revision as of 22:38, 17 July 2017
Bobby Kotick | |
|---|---|
| File:Bobby Kotick photo.jpg Robert Kotick | |
| Born | March 1, 1963 |
| Alma mater | University of Michigan |
| Occupation | CEO of Activision Blizzard |
| Board member of | The Coca-Cola Company |
| Website | bobbykotick |
Robert A. Kotick (born 1963)[1] is an American businessman[2] who serves as CEO of Activision Blizzard. On February 16, 2012, he was elected an outside director of The Coca-Cola Company.[2]
From 2003 until 2008, he was a director at Yahoo!.[2]
Early Life
Born in 1963[2] in the United States, Robert "Bobby" Kotick grew up in New York.[3] Kotick is of Ukrainian origin.[citation needed] He attended the University of Michigan in the 1980s.[4]
Career
 | This article needs to be updated. |
Early career
Kotick began his career in 1983 while he was still in college at the University of Michigan,[4][5] when he began creating software for the Apple II with financial backing from Steve Wynn.[6] Kotick credits Steve Jobs for advising him to drop out of college to pursue his entrepreneurial interests in the software business.[7]
In 1987, he tried to acquire Commodore International. He planned to remove the keyboard and disk drive from the Amiga 500 and turn it into the first 16 bit video game system. He was unsuccessful in persuading Commodore's then-Chairman Irving Gould to sell control of the company.[4][5] He subsequently purchased a controlling stake in Leisure Concepts, Nintendo's licensing agent,[5] which was renamed 4Kids Entertainment.[1]
Kotick and his partner Brian Kelly bought a 25% stake in Activision in December 1990,[4][5] and became CEO in February 1991.[1] Kotick also served as a founder of International Consumer Technologies and was President from 1986 to January 1995. In 1995, International Consumer Technologies became a wholly owned subsidiary of Activision.[8]
Work with Activision Blizzard
At Activision, Kotick set out to build "an institutional quality, well managed company with a focus on the independent developer."[5] In a 14 June 2010 interview with gaming blog Kotaku, Kotick stated, "…[P]art of the whole philosophy of Activision was whether you're owned outright or not, if you're a studio you have control of your destiny, you could make decisions about who to hire, flexibility on what products to make, how to make them, schedules appropriate to make them, budgets."[6]
Kotick engineered the Activision Blizzard merge, and stockholders of Activision Blizzard approved Kotick as CEO of the combined company on 9 July 2008.[9] In 2009, as reported by Forbes magazine, Robert Kotick received approximately $3.2 million USD in salary, benefits, options and incentives for his work with Activision Blizzard, of which $953,654 was his actual salary.[1] By 2013, Kotick was the second highest compensated CEO in the United States, earning $64.9 million USD, mostly in stock.[10]
Kotick has used Activision Blizzard's industry position to push partners for changes that he maintains would benefit the gaming community. In July 2009, Kotick threatened to stop making games for the PlayStation 3 platform if Sony did not cut the price of the console.[11] Kotick also urged the British government to reward Activision for continuing to invest in the country's pool of game developers by providing Activision with the same kinds of tax incentives provided by Canada, Singapore and eastern bloc countries.[12] Kotick has launched an Independent Games Competition with $500,000 in total available prize money for small developers working with new platforms and has stated that "keeping passion in game development is something that's important to him."[4][13]
In October 2009, under Kotick’s direction, Activision Blizzard launched Call of Duty Endowment, a non-profit public benefit corporation, which helps soldiers transition to civilian careers after their military service, with a commitment to create thousands of jobs for veterans including those returning from the Middle East. Kotick recruited an advisory board composed of veterans representing the various service branches.[14]
Recent
In October 2016, Kotick confirmed the creation of Activision Blizzard's Overwatch League.[15]
In 2016 November, Activision Blizzard inked a deal with Kotick where he might receive bonuses if certain financial benchmarks were met concerning M&A. Earlier that that year, Activision had acquired companies such as King Digital Ent and Major League Gaming.[16]
Boards of Directors
Kotick was also a Yahoo! board member from March 2003 to August 2008,[1][17][18] and is currently a board member for the Center for Early Education, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and the Tony Hawk Foundation.[1]
Controversy
Gaming press
 | Some of this article's listed sources may not be reliable. |
Kotick has at times been a controversial figure in the gaming community.[6] In part this can be attributed to advocating a business strategy focused on only developing intellectual property which can be, in his words, "exploited" over a long period, to the exclusion of new titles which cannot guarantee sequels.[19] In responding to why Activision Blizzard chose not to publish certain games following the Activision/Blizzard merger, he stated that focusing on franchises that "have the potential to be exploited every year on every platform with clear sequel potential and have the potential to become $100 million franchises" has "worked very well for Activision Blizzard". Kotick described this business strategy as "narrow and deep" or "annualizable" and cited it as key to attracting development talent who may not be drawn to "speculative franchises".[20] Kotick also created a stir when commenting on Activision Blizzard's peripheral-driven franchises. During Activision Blizzard's Q2 2009 financial results conference, Kotick was challenged over his "comfort level" around high prices attached to "new games that have some expensive controllers" and said, "if it was left to me, I would raise the prices even further."[21] While Spong took the comment at face value,[22] Gamesindustry.biz thought the comment was a joke, but could be seen as "insensitive at a time when consumers are likely to be feeling the economic pinch".[23]
A frequent complaint from the gaming press is the gap between Kotick and Activision's chief consumers. Ars Technica editor Ben Kuchera wrote, "Kotick doesn't play his games, and it shows."[19] Video game developer Tim Schafer said Kotick "doesn't have to be as much of a dick" in his attitude towards Activision's customers.[24] Gaming blog Kotaku reported, however, that Kotick confessed to a passion for video games that "has never really gone away," and "rattle[d] off an impressive list of consoles he's owned in the past and games he loved."[6]
Personal life
A native of Long Island, New York, Kotick resides in California with his family.[25] He divorced his wife in late 2012.[26] He had a cameo role in the 2011 film Moneyball.[27]
References
- ^ a b c d e f "Robert A. Kotick Profile". Forbes.com. Forbes. Retrieved June 21, 2010.[dead link]
- ^ a b c d The Board of Directors of The Coca-Cola Company Elects Robert A. Kotick as Director
- ^ http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2009/0202/052.html
- ^ a b c d e Simon Carless. "DICE 2010: Kotick Talks Passion For Industry". Gamasutra.com. Retrieved February 18, 2010.
- ^ a b c d e Gallagher, Dan. "Kotick changes the game at Actvision Blizzard". Marketwatch.com.
- ^ a b c d Brian Crecente. "A Delightful Chat With the Most Hated Man in Video Games". Kotaku.com.
- ^ Yukari Iwatani Kane (June 14, 2010). "Activision CEO: Steve Jobs Convinced Me to Quit College". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved June 14, 2010.
- ^ "CEO BIO: Robert A. Kotick". Business Week.com. Business Week. Retrieved June 21, 2010.[dead link]
- ^ "Investors approve Activision Blizzard merger". videogamemedia.com. Video Game Media. Retrieved July 9, 2008.
- ^ "Executive Pay by the Numbers". The New York Times. June 29, 2013. Retrieved June 30, 2013.
- ^ Dan Sabbagh. "Sony should beware — Activision chief is not simply playing games". London: The Times. Retrieved July 19, 2009.
- ^ Maija Palmer and Tim Bradshaw. "Computer games industry hits at tax rethink". Financial Times. Retrieved June 30, 2010.
- ^ Eric Caoili. "Activision Announces Independent Games Competition". Gamasutra.com.
- ^ "Call of Duty Endowment Home Page".
- ^ http://www.espn.com/esports/story/_/id/17844105/activision-blizzard-ceo-bobby-kotick-confirms-overwatch-league
- ^ https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-11-29/don-t-be-surprised-when-activision-blizzard-ceo-does-a-big-deal
- ^ "It's a done deal: Icahn on Yahoo board". cnet.com. CNET. August 6, 2008. Retrieved September 27, 2008.
- ^ "Are You the Next Yahoo! CEO?". fool.com. The Motley Fool. June 17, 2008. Retrieved September 27, 2008.
- ^ a b "Activision: if we can't run a game into the ground, we don't want it". arstechnica.com. Condé Nast Publications. November 6, 2008. Retrieved November 7, 2008.
- ^ "Activision Blizzard SF2Q09 (Qtr End 9/30/08) Earnings Call Transcript". seekingalpha.com. Seeking Alpha. November 5, 2008. Retrieved October 20, 2009.
- ^ "Activision Blizzard Q2 2009 Earnings Call Transcript". seekingalpha.com. seekingalpha.com. August 5, 2009. p. 8. Retrieved October 11, 2009.
- ^ "Activision's Kotick: I'd Raise Game Prices Even More — Bobby Wants MORE". news.spong.com. August 6, 2009. Retrieved November 7, 2009.
- ^ Phil Elliott (August 7, 2009). "Kotick Jokes About 'Even Higher' Prices". gamesindustry.biz. Eurogamer Network Ltd. Retrieved November 7, 2009.
- ^ Yin, Wesley (July 14, 2010). "Double Fine's Tim Schafer Interview • Page 1 • Interviews •". Eurogamer.net. Retrieved October 19, 2013.
- ^ Kevin Maney. "Game Boy". Portfolio.com.
- ^ Amy Chozick (December 15, 2012). Kotick "At Activision, a Hero and Villain, Zapped Into One". The New York Times.
{{cite news}}: Check|url=value (help) - ^ Luke Plunkett. "What the Fuck is Bobby Kotick Doing in This Brad Pitt Movie?". Kotaku. Retrieved June 16, 2011.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Robert Kotick.
