Former Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick slammed the 2016 Warcraft film adaptation, calling it "one of the worst movies I've ever seen" in a candid interview with Grit. Kotick, who led the company for 32 years before stepping down in December 2023, attributed the film's production to the departure of veteran designer Chris Metzen in 2016, citing it as a significant distraction for the World of Warcraft development team.
He described Metzen as "the heart and soul of creativity" at Blizzard, explaining that the movie's production, initiated before Activision's acquisition, diverted substantial resources and impacted development timelines. "It took a lot of resources and distracted [developers at Blizzard]," Kotick stated. "Our expansions were late. Patches weren't getting done on time. And the movie was… it was one of the worst movies I've ever seen."
Kotick revealed that Metzen, deeply affected by the film's production, left Blizzard to found a board game company. Kotick later attempted to persuade Metzen to return as a consultant, but Metzen expressed dissatisfaction with the planned expansions, demanding a complete overhaul. Despite a subsequent return, Kotick admitted limited contact with Metzen, stating, "What am I going to tell Chris Metzen about game design?"
Despite the film's negative impact, Warcraft achieved significant international success, particularly in China, grossing $439 million globally, though it underperformed domestically, earning only $47 million in North America. While director Duncan Jones had envisioned a trilogy, those plans were ultimately scrapped. Kotick concluded by expressing confidence in the quality of the most recent World of Warcraft expansion, stating it was "excellent," and anticipating the next to be equally impressive. This sentiment is echoed by our own review of The War Within, which awarded it a 9/10, praising its revitalizing effect on the long-running MMO.
