Former Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick named to Skydance board
The $111 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery by Paramount has been finalized, resulting in a new entity named Skydance. The company has appointed former Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick to its board of directors.
The megamerger creates a media powerhouse spanning film, cable news, and streaming services. A significant component of the new organization is its gaming division. The video game assets from both companies are being consolidated into a new division called Games and Experiences. This division will be led by Tony Driscoll, a former executive at Epic Games, Warner Bros., AT&T, and Disney.
The new division will merge Paramount Games Studio with Warner Bros.' internal developers, including Avalanche Software, NetherRealm Studios, Rocksteady, TT Games, WB Montreal, and WB Boston. These studios are responsible for recent titles such as Hogwarts Legacy, Mortal Kombat One, Suicide Squad, LEGO Batman, and Gotham Knights.
Kotick's appointment follows a period of significant upheaval for his former employer. In 2023, Microsoft completed its acquisition of Activision Blizzard (including King) following legal challenges in California regarding the company's workplace culture. Kotick departed from Activision Blizzard shortly after the acquisition process was finalized.