Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick has always been something of a controversial figure, to say the least, and over the last couple of years in particular, his position at the company has often been publicly questioned. Amidst reports alleging his role in the company’s widespread workplace issues, Kotick’s resignation was demanded by many of the company’s employees, and though it was reported that he would consider resigning if the situation could not be turned around under his leadership, he has remained in his position while the company’s proposed acquisition by Microsoft is investigated by regulatory bodies around the world.
However, should the aforementioned deal end up falling through, Kotick may not end up stepping down, as many would expect following a failed merger. That’s as per a report published by Fox Business, which claims, citing “sources close to the situation”, that though confidence is high within Activision Blizzard that the acquisition will be approved, if it fails to go through, Kotick will “absolutely remain at the gaming giant to run the company.”
If the deal does end up getting approved, however, past reports have claimed that Kotick could end up leaving his post after all.
As for where Microsoft’s proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard stands, the companies have hit numerous stumbling blocks over recent months, with a number of regulatory bodies around the world having either taken steps or posed warnings against the deal, including the United States’ Federal Trade Commission, the United Kingdom’s Competition and Markets Authority, and the European Commission.
However, both companies reportedly remain confident of successfully arguing their cases, while some analysts believe the deal is likely to close by mid-May in spite of the aforementioned roadblocks.
