The Los Angeles Times reports that Activision-Blizzard has undergone a significant internal reorganization and elected not to notify investors or the public. The changes were circulated in an inter-company memo obtained by the newspaper and later confirmed by a company spokesperson.
The new company map features one business unit focused squarely on the Call of Duty franchise, another overseeing Activision-owned brands such as Tony Hawk and Guitar Hero, and a third unit to handle licensed properties. Blizzard Entertainment rounds out the fourth unit but interestingly, Blizzard's Mike Morhaime now reports directly to newly appointed chief operating officer Thomas Tippl, who in turn reports to Activision CEO Bobby Kotick.
"This is an important change as it will allow me, with Thomas, to become more deeply involved in areas of the business where I believe we can capture great potential and opportunity," Kotick said in the employee memo.
Check out the original article from the L.A. Times.
[Correction: Activision-Blizzard has two primary divisions, Activision Publishing and Blizzard Entertainment. The Activision Publishing arm has reorganized into three separate business units.]
Reader Comments (41)
Posted: Mar 31st 2010 5:38PM Nottom said
And so it begins...
Blizzard will never be the same once KotDICK gets more involved.
Blizzard will never be the same once KotDICK gets more involved.
Posted: Mar 31st 2010 5:44PM (Unverified) said
*Cue Imperial March*
Posted: Mar 31st 2010 5:44PM AlamoeJones said
What was the previous setup as opposed to this new one? I don't know about this Kotick fellow, I've heard bad stories...
Posted: Mar 31st 2010 10:50PM nopunin10did said
Kotick is a businessman through and through, and he doesn't entirely understand gamers. He tends to say very off-putting things to the media, so he's not well-liked in gamer circles.
However, as unpopular as he is, he stands to make Activision quite a lot of money. They'll continue to have some ups and downs, and he'll continue to piss off people... but he's not really hired to be nice.
I mean, it kinda takes chutzpah, and a willingness to look like a bad guy, to do what Activision did with the CoD creators. I'm guessing he found out about the "mutiny" they were planning (quitting Infinity Ward after receiving their royalties and taking their best employees with them to start a new company) and made the hard decision to put a stop to it.
'Course a lot of that is still officially rumor, rather than fact, but if it pans out... Kotick was willing to put himself on the line and look like a total d-bag in order to make sure that Activision didn't suffer a huge financial loss at the hands of a few disgruntled employees.
Reply
However, as unpopular as he is, he stands to make Activision quite a lot of money. They'll continue to have some ups and downs, and he'll continue to piss off people... but he's not really hired to be nice.
I mean, it kinda takes chutzpah, and a willingness to look like a bad guy, to do what Activision did with the CoD creators. I'm guessing he found out about the "mutiny" they were planning (quitting Infinity Ward after receiving their royalties and taking their best employees with them to start a new company) and made the hard decision to put a stop to it.
'Course a lot of that is still officially rumor, rather than fact, but if it pans out... Kotick was willing to put himself on the line and look like a total d-bag in order to make sure that Activision didn't suffer a huge financial loss at the hands of a few disgruntled employees.
Posted: Apr 5th 2010 4:43AM (Unverified) said
Wow... looks to me like somebody has been drinking the company issued kool-aid.
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Posted: Mar 31st 2010 5:48PM (Unverified) said
Nothing like a corporate power struggle to brighten ones day.
Posted: Mar 31st 2010 5:53PM Graill440 said
STOP!! Ye angel of darkness!! A new order is about to begin!!!.....................
*laugh*
*laugh*
Posted: Mar 31st 2010 5:57PM (Unverified) said
This is probably the beginning of the end for Blizzard, if WoW loses any subscribers just because it's a sad tired old title then it seems like now Activision will just restructure them and ruin everything. Success is a curse!
Posted: Mar 31st 2010 5:58PM Vitamin Dei said
An entire Call of Duty business unit suggests a couple of outcomes to me. They're either A) going to continue go the Tony Hawk route and iterate until the franchise is a desiccated husk with a wildly split player base, or they're going to launch a product that puts everyone effectively in the same game and then charge a subscription and released content via patches and expansions.
I like the idea of the latter more than the former if it's handled well and integrates clan support, leaderboards, leagues and various other bells and whistles. Though I'm sure many of the current player base who have become accustomed to not paying a monthly fee to play might bristle a bit.
I admit I'm not the lease bit invested in Call of Duty, but I might have my interest piqued if they tried something along this path.
(and yeah, you'll need dedicated servers for that, ActiBlizz. ;) )
I like the idea of the latter more than the former if it's handled well and integrates clan support, leaderboards, leagues and various other bells and whistles. Though I'm sure many of the current player base who have become accustomed to not paying a monthly fee to play might bristle a bit.
I admit I'm not the lease bit invested in Call of Duty, but I might have my interest piqued if they tried something along this path.
(and yeah, you'll need dedicated servers for that, ActiBlizz. ;) )
Posted: Apr 1st 2010 9:11PM Kingshield said
Oh Goodie! Borg 2.0 is born. This going to guarantee death to the famous Blizzard "polish and shine". Diablo 3 is surely going to suck now!
Posted: Mar 31st 2010 5:59PM Valentina said
Does this actually mean anything to players of blizzard games?
Posted: Mar 31st 2010 6:43PM DevilSei said
In a perfect world? It would mean a Renaissance for WoW, in which it reaches 20million subscribers (all active), and every class is perfectly balanced while also completely unique, with the Dance Studio in full swing.
You want the truth though so yes, it does affect us. Don't believe anyone else when they say it won't. Kottick is one of the worst, right around Smedley level, and just as cocky as Tasos or any other self-righteous Indie/self-funded sandbox dev. The dance studio will be coming, sure, but now we'll have to pay 1-5$ to alter the dance. If we want heirlooms, they'll move to the Blizzard store. The guy is as bad as they come, look around for some of his quotes, its pretty much his greed that forced the former Infinity Ward heads out, and he''s only interested in dollar signs. If anyone is having fun, he has personally announced he'll do all he can to stop that.
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You want the truth though so yes, it does affect us. Don't believe anyone else when they say it won't. Kottick is one of the worst, right around Smedley level, and just as cocky as Tasos or any other self-righteous Indie/self-funded sandbox dev. The dance studio will be coming, sure, but now we'll have to pay 1-5$ to alter the dance. If we want heirlooms, they'll move to the Blizzard store. The guy is as bad as they come, look around for some of his quotes, its pretty much his greed that forced the former Infinity Ward heads out, and he''s only interested in dollar signs. If anyone is having fun, he has personally announced he'll do all he can to stop that.
Posted: Apr 1st 2010 4:03AM (Unverified) said
Up to now WoW players have been blithely oblivious of th Kotick factor. Sounds like that is about to change.
Of course it is not like he is going to upset an apple cart that is earning his company hundred of millions is he? Ahem..... ask Messrs West and Zampella the answer to that question.
Of course it is not like he is going to upset an apple cart that is earning his company hundred of millions is he? Ahem..... ask Messrs West and Zampella the answer to that question.
Posted: Mar 31st 2010 6:38PM ravenstorm said
Who did Morhaime report to before? Presumably somebody at Activision who ultimately reported to Kotick, so ... is this really much of a change? Probably not.
Posted: Mar 31st 2010 6:41PM Joshua Przygocki said
Oh boy, and to think I was considering re-subbing to WoW for Cataclysm...
Things like this worked out so well in the past... SOE and EQ/SWG/all their other titles...
I know it's not the exact same but still...
These are the things the Mayans prophesied!!!
ITS THE END OF DAYS!!!
Things like this worked out so well in the past... SOE and EQ/SWG/all their other titles...
I know it's not the exact same but still...
These are the things the Mayans prophesied!!!
ITS THE END OF DAYS!!!
Posted: Mar 31st 2010 7:07PM karnisov said
everyone look into the infinity ward fiasco and make your own projections.
http://brokentoys.org/2010/03/04/activision-moving-from-sucking-all-the-fun-out-of-development-to-actually-killing-your-dog/
http://brokentoys.org/2010/03/04/activision-moving-from-sucking-all-the-fun-out-of-development-to-actually-killing-your-dog/
Posted: Mar 31st 2010 7:08PM (Unverified) said
Kotick is the scum and a leech in video game culture, bastard doesn't deserve a nickel he gets.










