Activision Blizzard has stated that its CEO Bobby Kotick and Microsoft have not yet discussed what his employment status will be following Microsoft’s acquisition of the company.
As spotted by Axios’ Stephen Totilo, Activision added a line to its United States Securities and Exchange Commission filing about the planned sale to Microsoft that made clear these talks have not happened yet.
Activision Blizzard Lawsuit Timeline: The Story So Far
“No discussions or negotiations regarding post-closing employment arrangements with Microsoft occurred between Microsoft and Mr. Kotick prior to the approval and execution of the merger agreement and the transactions contemplated thereby, or have occurred subsequent to such approval and execution, through the date hereof,” the filing reads.
A big question following the announcement of Microsoft’s intent to purchase Activision Blizzard for $68.7 billion was whether Kotick would be coming along with the deal or not. Reports have come out saying that he is set to leave after the deal closes, but nothing has been confirmed one way or another.
Kotick is at the center of the fallout of a lawsuit filed by the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing that alleged Activision Blizzard fostered a “frat boy” culture in which female employees were subjected to sexual harassment, unequal pay, and more.
Another report claimed Kotick knew about these allegations “for years” and over 1,000 Activision Blizzard employees reacted by signing a petition for the removal of Kotick from the company.
The Activision Blizzard and Microsoft deal is not set to close until “sometime in Microsoft’s fiscal 2023 year ending June 30, 2023,” which means many details are obviously still being worked out.
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Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.
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