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 production to the departure of veteran designer Chris Metzen in 2016, citing it as a significant distraction for the World of Warcraft development team.
Kotick described Metzen as "the heart and soul of creativity" at the company. He explained that the Warcraft film, a pre-existing deal Activision inherited, consumed considerable resources and diverted developers' attention from game development. This led to delays in World of Warcraft expansions and patches. Kotick emphasized the disruption, stating, "You think about all these people who make video games for a living, and now they have the chance to make a movie. They're helping with the casting, and they're on the set... it's just a huge distraction."
While the Warcraft film underperformed in North America, grossing only $47 million domestically, its international success, particularly in China, resulted in a global total of $439 million. Despite this, Legendary Pictures considered it a financial failure due to its substantial budget. Director Duncan Jones later revealed plans for a cancelled trilogy, which would have focused on Durotan's quest to secure a new home for his people.
Kotick revealed that Metzen, deeply affected by the film's production, left to start a board game company. Kotick subsequently "begged" Metzen to return as a consultant, but Metzen expressed dissatisfaction with plans for subsequent World of Warcraft expansions, advocating for a complete overhaul. Kotick admitted limited contact with Metzen after his return, stating, "What am I going to tell Chris Metzen about game design?" He concluded by praising Metzen's influence on the latest expansion, highlighting its critical success, referencing a 9/10 review stating it was "the best World of Warcraft has been on all fronts in many years."
