Bobby Kotick Criticizes Warcraft Film as 'One of the Worst'

Former Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick has openly criticized Universal's 2016 adaptation of the company's Warcraft franchise, describing it as "one of the worst movies I've ever seen." In a revealing interview on Grit, Kotick, who helmed Activision Blizzard for 32 years before stepping down in December 2023, pointed out that the film's production not only impacted the development of World of Warcraft but also played a role in the departure of veteran designer Chris Metzen from the company in 2016.

Kotick praised Metzen as "the heart and soul of creativity" at Activision Blizzard, highlighting the designer's significant burnout and subsequent exit. He attributed part of this burnout to the distractions caused by the Warcraft movie, which he considered a "terrible idea" and a resource-intensive project that was already in motion when Activision acquired the company.

The involvement of Blizzard's developers in the film's production, from casting to on-set activities, was described by Kotick as a "huge distraction" that delayed game expansions and patches. Kotick's candid assessment of the movie's quality was harsh, underscoring his disappointment with the project.

While the Warcraft movie did not meet expectations in North America, earning just $47 million, it achieved significant success internationally, particularly in China, and became the most successful video game adaptation at the time, grossing $439 million globally. However, this was not enough to break even on its hefty budget, leading Legendary Pictures to deem it a failure.

Director Duncan Jones had plans for a trilogy that would have explored "the fulfilling of Durotan’s promise to give his people a new home," but these plans were ultimately scrapped. Kotick mentioned that Metzen took the movie's failure personally, which contributed to his decision to leave and start a board game company. However, Kotick later "begged" Metzen to return to Blizzard on a consultancy basis.

Upon his return, Metzen expressed dissatisfaction with the plans for the next two expansions, suggesting they needed a complete overhaul. Kotick admitted to minimal interaction with Metzen after his return, respecting his expertise and allowing him to focus on his work. Kotick praised Metzen's influence on the last expansion, which our review of World of Warcraft: The War Within rated a 9/10, describing it as "the best World of Warcraft has been on all fronts in many years, making this two-decade-old MMO feel fresh and thrilling again."