In a recent interview on the Grit podcast, Bobby Kotick, former CEO of Activision Blizzard, strongly criticized John Riccitiello, former CEO of Electronic Arts and Unity Technologies. Kotick stated that during his time at Activision, he considered Riccitiello “the worst CEO in the video game industry.” He even mentioned that the company would be willing to pay for Riccitiello to remain at the helm of EA indefinitely, suggesting that Riccitiello’s unfavorable leadership benefited competitors. Thanks to Wccftech for the information.
John Riccitiello led EA from 2007 to 2013, a period marked by controversial decisions, including monetization proposals that sparked controversy in the gaming community. Later, as CEO of Unity Technologies in 2023, he faced intense criticism when he tried to implement a fee based on the number of installations of games produced with the Unity engine. The negative reaction from producers was so significant that it led to his departure from the company in October of the same year.
Following the turmoil, Unity reversed its decision regarding the runtime fee in September 2024. Additionally, the company faced financial and operational difficulties, including layoffs and office closures, during a period of instability under Riccitiello’s leadership.
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