Bobby Kotick has stepped down from Activision Blizzard.
Activision Blizzard boss steps down after more than 30 years
The gaming boss has been with the developers for more than 30 years but is now quitting the company altogether as he thanked staff, colleagues for all of their support over the years.
In a company blog post, he wrote: " cannot adequately express the pride I have in the people who continue to contribute to our success and all those who have helped throughout my 32 years leading this company. We are now part of the world's most admired company. That isn't an accident.
Following Microsoft's acquisition of the company, CEO Phil Spencer will succeed Bobby in his role and went on to assure staff and cosumers alike that they "could not be in better hands" as the Xbox boss steps up to the plate to take over.
He added: "Phil [Spencer] shares our values and recognises our talents. He is passionate about our games and the people who make them. He has bold ambition. As we move into our next exciting chapter, you could not be in better hands. "
Bobby will officially step down from the role on 29 December and in his own memo, Phil thanked the long-time gaming boss for his work over the decades.
He said: "Under Bobby’s watch, Activision Blizzard in its many incarnations has been an enduring pillar of video games. Whether it’s Call of Duty, World of Warcraft, Candy Crush Saga or any number of other titles, his teams have created beloved franchises and entertained hundreds of millions of players for decades. I’d like to thank Bobby—for his invaluable contributions to this industry, his partnership in closing the Activision Blizzard acquisition and his collaboration following the close—and I wish him and his family the very best in his next chapter."
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