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 Universal's 2016 Warcraft adaptation, calling it "one of the worst movies I've ever seen" in a recent interview with Grit. Kotick, who led the company for 32 years before stepping down in December 2023, suggested the film significantly impacted World of Warcraft's development. He cited the movie as a major distraction for the team, contributing to the departure of veteran designer Chris Metzen in 2016. Kotick described Metzen as "the heart and soul of creativity" at Blizzard, stating that the movie's production diverted considerable resources and delayed World of Warcraft expansions and patches. He further elaborated on the negative impact, noting the involvement of game developers in aspects like casting and on-set activities, significantly disrupting their core responsibilities.

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

Kotick admitted that Metzen took the film's negative impact personally, leading to his departure to found a board game company. Kotick even "begged" Metzen to return as a consultant, but Metzen expressed dissatisfaction with plans for subsequent World of Warcraft expansions, advocating for their complete overhaul. While Kotick stated that he rarely spoke with Metzen after his return, he credits Metzen's involvement with the success of a recent expansion, which received a positive 9/10 rating in a World of Warcraft: The War Within review. Kotick expressed confidence in the quality of the next expansion as well.