460°

Bobby Kotick Breaks Silence: CEO Addresses Toxic Workforce Claims as Microsoft Deal Hangs in Balance

Bobby Kotick has a secret: He was ready to buy Time Warner a few years ago. The CEO of Activision Blizzard drops this nugget early on while sitting at the company’s Santa Monica headquarters for his first extensive interview since 2012.

lukasmain961d ago

Bottom feeding scumbag. Fighting tooth and nail for the ABK deal so he can secure his golden parachute.

Aloymetal961d ago

He will fit nicely in the MS ''ecosystem'' a big happy family.

darthv72961d ago

He isnt sticking around after this... you know that right?

OptimusDK961d ago

You dont sound fully up to speed

Eonjay961d ago

@darthv72 Thats the point. He needs the deal to go through and then on top of that he needs for Microsoft to fire him to collect the full pot of gold. This is a lose lose situation for anyone with a shred of decency.

anast961d ago

He does fit in well. He could almost be their mascot.

Godmars290960d ago

@darthv72:
Given that seemingly everyone' forgotten what triggered the sale in the first place, really wouldn't bet on him leaving if it goes through.

Bobertt960d ago

Him Bill Gates and Epstein.

MadLad960d ago

Well he's leaving when the deal is finalized. Was part of the acquisition, so ...

+ Show (4) more repliesLast reply 960d ago
961d ago
SullysCigar961d ago

It's uncomfortable looking at those soulless eyes. Toxicity isn't a problem to the Bobster - it's a feature and you must pay him for it.

darthv72961d ago

on a side note, I recently watched Moneyball and noticed he was in it. I'd seen it a long time ago and didn't notice him then but I noticed him now. Kind of hard NOT to recognize that face.

Hofstaderman961d ago

When you stare into the abyss, the abyss stares back at you…

isarai961d ago

Seeing as how you're the toxic one, I'm sure it does

Pocahontas961d ago

Can someone explain shit that was proven of what he did. Never get a straight answer. Legitimately want to know.

TOTSUKO961d ago

He was paying workers to keep quiet about bad workplace. Accusers were whistleblowing about worker misconduct and even rape. Bobby Kotick we’re paying them to keep quiet and going as far to have their pregnancies aborted. Although it was all rumors, it was never proven or probed because he settled for 35 million.

https://www.cnbc.com/2023/0...

Pocahontas961d ago

That’s crazy but why the absolute hate if not proven. Abuse happens a lot in the workplace but rape I just don’t see it. Rape pretty easy to prove if you do go through the proper steps. So my guess and it’s just that the allegations got out of control and he settled. Doesn’t mean you’re guilty. Just another avenue to take from pretty damaging allegations. I’ll do more research myself. Thanks for the reply.

Crows90961d ago

Settled doesn't mean anything though. Could completely unrelated things that he didn't want made public. You could get a ton more from him if these accusations were true. Both party's agreed to a settlement so what does that say...

Not defending the guy but c'mon. Let's go with facts instead of feelings...crappy ass company and head regardless ..and that's all on facts alone.

TOTSUKO961d ago

Um actually rape is not easy to prove. Rape cases gets unproven all the time if there is no sign of struggle. Unless it’s violent rape I can understand. So it’s more than likely it ends up looking consensual.

There was never an investigation so we can’t base opinions on either side. All we know there was smoke and we never found the fire because Bobby paid it off. Why take a guess on llittle we know?

TOTSUKO961d ago (Edited 961d ago )

@Crows

How is it a crappy company and head when there are literally no evidence of them being crappy? That’s based on feeling not facts lol

Are you trying to say ABK is a crappy company because they make a lot of money? No that’s one real fact that makes them a great company.

Pocahontas961d ago (Edited 961d ago )

@TOTSUKO I’m not the one that believes you could have a non violent rape. Have family that it has happened too and almost always will be violent. I’ve personally witnessed Women that have made false accusations. Non-violent and rape don’t belong in the same sentence.

TOTSUKO961d ago (Edited 961d ago )

@Pocahontas

False accusations or not, non-violent or not. The law sees it as unlawful to act upon is it not? I understand your personal experience. It’s not easy to prove cases like this which is why it’s usually settled through money or gets dropped.

DarXyde960d ago

Pocahontas,

"I’m not the one that believes you could have a non violent rape."

Then you say:

" Have family that it has happened too and almost always will be violent."

So you say you don't believe it cannot be non violent... Then proceed to say "almost always will be violent." Do you see why this is a contradiction?

Given the nature of my past work (and to some extent, my current work) I can offer some thoughts here...

What you ignore is the context. If this involves a pretty imbalance, it very often involves two types of coercion: directly demanding sex when someone doesn't want to and coupling the demand with threats until someone relents (very morally gray area, though I would objectively say this is reprehensible) OR a person in a powerful position creating the conditions for these things to take place, such as having a boss rent a private suite and inviting someone just for drinks and they're in an altered state when they are preyed upon. Even if people are cautious about these situations, they could be struggling financially and not want to upset their higher-ups (and generally believing that you're dealing with someone who is professional and wouldn't do something so terrible).

You really have to look at this more comprehensively.

+ Show (4) more repliesLast reply 960d ago
anast961d ago

Proof is idealism. It means nothing.

Spenok957d ago

To answer your second question (why the hate if no proof) is because people don't believe in "innocent until proven guilty" anymore and go based SOLELY on rumor and speculation. It is SO much easier to demonize people instead of doing the right thing by having a bit of patience to wait for the actual proof.

It's extremely pervasive in our societies now, and is clear across pretty much every form of social media and topic now. Basically, call someone something clearly bad, and therefore they are now that bad thing. It doesn't matter.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 957d ago
starforge71961d ago (Edited 961d ago )

hands up to anyone who cares what this ugly ass troll thinks as for myself i wish he would just stfu and go away

Show all comments (45)
50°

Kotick claims lawsuit objecting to MS-Activision deal was "tied to Embracer's desire to boost sales"

Former CEO describes lawsuit filed by Swedish pension fund as a "collateral attack" on Activision Blizzard.

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OpenGL1d 2h ago

Yeah, the Microsoft deal has DEFINITELY worked out for everyone.

galgor23h ago

Can this mother fucker just get lost already

PRIMORDUS22h ago

He belongs in here ⚰️, hopefully sooner than later.

MrDead7h ago(Edited 7h ago)

Kotick Made $155 million from MS in the buyout, the little b*tch needs to stop whining. Thanks to this Microslop deal and massive industry consolidation thousands upon thousands of devs and other workers lost their livelihoods. This greedy piggie pervert needs shut up and f-off.

50°

Larry Hyrb (Major Nelson) announces he has been laid off by Unity

Larry writes: "As many of you have been with me during my career in gaming, I'd like to share personal news. Like many in the gaming space recently, I've been laid off from @Unity"

darthv722d ago

...me thinks a switch was involved.

1Victor1d 23h ago

That’s some major layoffs best of luck to him and the rest that got laid off. It always hurt specially more before or during holidays.

The_Blue1d 16h ago

Cool, sucks to see him go!

elJoker51d 8h ago

Met Larry a couple times. Sucks to hear he got laid off. Real standup guy who just loves gaming and the industry.

SegaSaturn6691d 2h ago

Dude finally got laid at 58 years old. Bit of a weird flex but im still happy for the guy!🥂

30°

New owner of GOG discusses taking on Steam, the devil of DRM, and following in Nightdive's footsteps

"We see DRM as something which can make the life of a legal customer more difficult," says Michał Kiciński, "so there is no reason to keep it alive."

Read Full Story >>
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