Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick is reportedly planning to step down after Microsoft acquisition

pcgamer.com:

One of the big questions left in the wake of Microsoft's $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard is: what will become of Bobby Kotick? The beleaguered CEO has been facing pressure to resign over the company's workplace misconduct scandal since at least November, following a report that he'd been aware of complaints for years and had engaged in abusive behavior himself. Neither Microsoft nor Activision Blizzard have commented on his post-acquisition status with the company, but according to the Wall Street Journal he is expected to step down once the deal is closed. A report by Bloomberg says the same, citing a person familiar with the sale.

In the acquisition announcement, Microsoft said Kotick will continue to serve as CEO of Activision Blizzard, but added that once the takeover is complete, «the Activision Blizzard business will report to Phil Spencer, CEO, Microsoft Gaming.» No mention is made of what role Kotick will play at that point.

Kotick said something very similar in his own announcement of the Microsoft buyout. «Transactions like these can take a long time to complete,» he wrote. «Until we receive all the necessary regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions are satisfied, which we expect to be sometime in Microsoft’s fiscal 2023 year ending June 30, 2023, we will continue to operate completely autonomously. I will continue as our CEO with the same passion and enthusiasm I had when I began this amazing journey in 1991.»

He has expressed interest in maintaining a role at the company once it falls under Microsoft's control, telling the New York Times that he will be «available as needed» after the deal closes. He said something very similar in an interview with VentureBeat, saying that