Bobby Kotick will remain at Activision Blizzard until the end of this year

In an email sent to employees It was published on the Activision Blizzard King websiteKotick wrote that he’s excited about the company’s future under the bright green Xbox umbrella. He also wrote that in order to facilitate a smooth transition, he intends to temporarily remain as CEO of ABK Bank, reporting to Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer.

“Phil has asked me to remain CEO of Activision Blizzard King, reporting to him, and we have agreed that I will do so through the end of 2023,” Kotick wrote. Kotick, who became CEO of Activision in 1991, will receive more than Compensation amounting to $375 million Now that the deal is done.

Kotick was expected to leave Activision Blizzard once Microsoft’s $68.7 billion acquisition of the company was completed. After nearly two years of regulatory hearings, including an unsuccessful bid by the Federal Trade Commission to block the deal, the acquisition was finalized this morning, bringing Activision Blizzard’s prolific game library into the Xbox family.

In 2008, Kotic engineered the merger of Activision with French developer Vivendi Games, creating Activision Blizzard. In 2015, Activision Blizzard acquired Crush candy Developer King for $5.9 billion, to create the three-headed gaming giant Activision Blizzard King.