Former CEO Bobby Kotick Absolutely Hated the ‘Warcraft’ Movie, Thinks It Was a “Terrible Idea”

In 2016, Warcraft movie hit theaters, inspired by the hugely popular video game World of Warcraft. Universal and Activision Blizzard teamed up to make it happen. The film struggled in the U.S., pulling in just $47.4 million, but it found success overseas, racking up $439.1 million worldwide.

Bobby Kotick, who used to run Activision Blizzard, didn’t mince words about his dislike for the project. On the Grit podcast, he called it one of the worst films he’d ever watched. He blamed the movie for throwing Blizzard off track. According to Kotick, the focus on making the film drained the company’s resources and slowed down work on game updates and expansions.

Kotick also shared that the movie took a toll on Chris Metzen, a long-time Blizzard designer. He said Metzen got so worn out during the production that it hurt the team. Kotick wasn’t shy about his stance, calling the whole thing a “terrible idea” that distracted Blizzard from what they do best—making games.

Years later, in 2022, Kotick reached out to Metzen, asking him to come back to Blizzard. He admitted they haven’t talked much since, joking that he’s not sure what he’d even say to Metzen about designing games.

Quotes from Kotick on the podcast paint a clear picture of his frustration. “I thought it was one of the worst movies I’d ever seen,” he said. Reflecting on the impact, he added, “The movie caused major issues for Blizzard.” He didn’t hold back on his regret, stating, “It was a terrible idea.”

Even with the film’s global earnings, Kotick saw it as a misstep. Today, World of Warcraft keeps going strong, marking its 20th anniversary in 2024. Microsoft, which now owns Activision Blizzard, has no plans to add the game to Game Pass. The Warcraft universe shows no signs of slowing down, despite the rocky detour into Hollywood.

You can watch the whole interview here:

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