Former Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick slammed Universal's 2016 Warcraft film adaptation, calling it "one of the worst movies I've ever seen" in a candid interview with Grit. Kotick, who led Activision Blizzard for 32 years before stepping down in December 2023, attributed the film's negative impact to the development of World of Warcraft. He cited the movie as a significant distraction for the development team, contributing to burnout and the departure of veteran designer Chris Metzen in 2016.
Kotick described Metzen as "the heart and soul of creativity" at the company. He explained that the Warcraft film, a deal signed before Activision's acquisition of Blizzard, consumed considerable resources and diverted developers' attention. He stated that developers were involved in casting and on-set activities, causing delays to World of Warcraft expansions and patches. The film's production, according to Kotick, resulted in significant setbacks for the game's development.
While the Warcraft movie failed to achieve box office success in North America, grossing only $47 million domestically, its international performance, particularly in China, propelled it to become, temporarily, the highest-grossing video game adaptation. Despite earning $439 million globally for Legendary Pictures, the film was ultimately considered a financial failure due to its substantial budget.
Kotick revealed that Metzen took the film's impact personally, leading to his departure to found a board game company. Kotick subsequently attempted to persuade Metzen to return as a consultant, but Metzen expressed dissatisfaction with plans for upcoming expansions, advocating for a complete overhaul. Although Kotick and Metzen rarely spoke after Metzen's return, Kotick credited Metzen's involvement with the success of a recent World of Warcraft expansion, praising its quality and positive reception. This expansion received a 9/10 rating in a review, described as "the best World of Warcraft has been on all fronts in many years."
