Former Activision Blizzard Boss Bobby Kotick Slams Warcraft Film, Calls It 'One of the Worst Movies I've Ever Seen'

Former Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick slammed the 2016 Warcraft film adaptation as "one of the worst movies I've ever seen" in a recent Grit interview. Kotick, who helmed Activision Blizzard for 32 years before his departure in December 2023, attributed the film's negative impact to several key issues within Blizzard.

He cited the movie as a significant distraction for the World of Warcraft development team, contributing to delays in expansions and patches. This distraction, Kotick argued, played a role in the departure of veteran designer Chris Metzen in 2016. Kotick described Metzen as "the heart and soul of creativity" at the company.

Kotick revealed that the decision to produce the Warcraft film was made before Activision's acquisition of Blizzard, stating it was a "terrible idea" that consumed considerable resources. He painted a picture of game developers diverted from their core responsibilities, involved in aspects such as casting and on-set work.

Despite the film's international success, grossing $439 million globally (though significantly underperforming in North America with only $47 million domestically), Kotick deemed it a financial failure due to its substantial budget. He acknowledged Metzen's personal disappointment with the film, stating Metzen took it "very personally."

Following Metzen's departure to establish a board game company, Kotick attempted to persuade him to return as a consultant. However, Metzen expressed strong reservations about the planned expansions, advocating for a complete overhaul. Kotick admitted to minimal interaction with Metzen post-return, prioritizing his creative autonomy.

Kotick expressed confidence in the quality of the subsequent World of Warcraft expansion, stating it was "excellent," and anticipating the next to be similarly successful. This positive assessment aligns with critical reception; our review of World of Warcraft: The War Within awarded it a 9/10, praising its revitalization of the long-running MMO.