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 interview with Grit. 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. Kotick highlighted the departure of veteran designer Chris Metzen in 2016, directly linking it to the film's production. He described Metzen as "the heart and soul of creativity" at Blizzard, stating that the movie's development "took a lot of resources and distracted [developers]." The diversion of talent to film production, including involvement in casting and on-set activities, significantly hampered game development.

Kotick further revealed that the film, which was greenlit before Activision's acquisition of Blizzard, was a "terrible idea" in his opinion. The resulting project, despite its international success (primarily in China, where it grossed significantly more than its $47 million domestic take), ultimately failed to break even due to its massive budget. The film's global box office revenue totaled $439 million.

Metzen, deeply affected by the film's production, left Blizzard to establish a board game company. Kotick admitted to "begging" Metzen to return as a consultant, but Metzen's dissatisfaction with plans for subsequent World of Warcraft expansions led to significant revisions. Kotick confirmed limited contact with Metzen following his return, prioritizing Metzen's creative autonomy. He expressed confidence in the quality of the latest expansion, stating that Metzen's influence was evident in its success. This sentiment is echoed by a 9/10 review of World of Warcraft: The War Within, which praised the expansion for revitalizing the long-running MMO.