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The Exiled · 19.01.2022., 21:28

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Activision CEO Bobby Kotick will reportedly leave the company after Microsoft acquisition closes

Citiraj:

One employee who apparently won't be joining Microsoft, though, is embattled Activision CEO Bobby Kotick: He's expected to leave the company once the deal closes, according to sources who spoke with the Wall Street Journal. Those sources said that both Microsoft and Activision have agreed that Kotick "will depart once the deal closes," which could take anywhere from 12 to 18 months. Spencer has been quite public about Microsoft's interest in massive gaming acquisitions for a while, and the Journal reports that he had discussed a potential deal with Activision in the past. But Kotick was "cool to the idea until Microsoft offered him a graceful exit," according to the Journal's sources.

Such an exit could be quite lucrative for Kotick; his share of the company is worth over $400 million at Microsoft's offered cash price of $95 a share. Activision could also owe Kotick up to $300 million if he's terminated without established cause, though it's unclear how the merger deal might affect that contractual clause. A separate Bloomberg report cites "a person familiar with the talks" in corroborating that "Kotick initially didn’t want to sell." But that report also suggests that "Kotick had little leverage with his board amid the ongoing public scrutiny at his company."

Kotick remains CEO of Activision, which will continue to operate as a separate entity until the Microsoft deal closes (that's expected to happen sometime in the 2023 fiscal year, which starts July 1). But Microsoft's announcement notes that "once the deal closes, the Activision Blizzard business will report to Phil Spencer, CEO, Microsoft Gaming," a statement that doesn't directly suggest a continuing role for Kotick after the acquisition.

Izvor: Business Insider i Ars Technica