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 in a recent interview with Grit, calling it "one of the worst movies I've ever seen." Kotick, who led the company for 32 years before stepping down in December 2023, attributed the film's production to the departure of key designer Chris Metzen and delays in World of Warcraft development.

He described Metzen as the "heart and soul of creativity" at Blizzard, stating that the movie's production, a pre-existing deal Activision inherited, heavily diverted resources and attention away from game development. Kotick explained that the film's production pulled developers away from their core responsibilities, leading to delays in expansions and patches. He emphasized the significant distraction it caused, saying, "You think about all these people who make video games for a living, and now they have the chance to make a movie. They're helping with the casting, and they're on the set...it's just a huge distraction."

While the Warcraft film underperformed in North America, grossing only $47 million domestically, its international success, particularly in China, led to a worldwide total of $439 million. Despite this, Legendary Pictures considered it a failure due to its substantial budget. Director Duncan Jones later revealed plans for a cancelled trilogy, which would have focused on Durotan's quest to find a new home for his people.

Kotick revealed that Metzen, deeply affected by the film's production, left Blizzard to start a board game company. Kotick attempted to bring Metzen back as a consultant, but Metzen expressed dissatisfaction with plans for upcoming World of Warcraft expansions, suggesting they needed a complete overhaul. Kotick stated that while he rarely spoke to Metzen after his return, Metzen's influence was evident in the quality of the latest expansion, which Kotick praised, referencing a positive review scoring it a 9/10.