Former Activision Boss Bobby Kotick Returns to Business, Joins Skydance

Former Activision Blizzard boss Bobby Kotick is returning to the entertainment business after nearly three years away. He has become a member of the board of directors at Skydance Corporation, formed after the completion of the merger between Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery. The transaction, valued at approximately $111 billion, closed on October 6 and created one of the biggest players in the film, television, and gaming industries.

Kotick will serve as an independent board member at the new company, chaired by David Ellison. Ellison praised Kotick’s more than 30 years of experience leading Activision, building major gaming brands, and running a global entertainment business. Skydance plans to draw on that experience as it integrates its extensive operations, which include the Paramount and Warner Bros. film studios, television networks such as HBO, CBS, and CNN, as well as gaming companies.

Kotick led Activision from 1991 and later headed Activision Blizzard, which built franchises such as Call of Duty and World of Warcraft. His tenure ended in December 2023 after Microsoft completed its $68.7 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard. Since leaving the company, he has not held a similarly prominent leadership position in the gaming industry.

Gaming studios also come together under Skydance

Kotick’s arrival is particularly notable because the new Skydance also includes a sizeable gaming division. The merger of Paramount and Warner Bros. brings Warner Bros. Games and Paramount Games Studio together. The group now includes studios such as Rocksteady, NetherRealm Studios, Avalanche Software, TT Games, and WB Games Montréal, which are behind titles including Batman: Arkham, Mortal Kombat, Hogwarts Legacy, and LEGO games.

Paramount also brings its own brands and licenses, including Star Trek, SpongeBob SquarePants, and Avatar. However, the new Games and Experiences division will not be directly led by Kotick, but by Tony Driscoll, who previously oversaw Paramount’s gaming operations.

Kotick will operate at the corporate level and, according to official documents, will also join the committee responsible for nominations and corporate governance. This means he will not directly manage the gaming studios or individual projects, but may take part in strategic decisions about the group’s future direction.

His return may not be universally welcomed. The final years of his tenure at Activision Blizzard were marked by allegations involving the company’s workplace culture, discrimination, and sexual harassment. In 2023, the company reached an agreement with California authorities without admitting wrongdoing.