Ben-DutkaAdmittedly, we journalists are guilty of making headlines designed to grab the attention of readers, and we're big fans of hard-hitting sound bites.
But that doesn't necessarily paint an accurate picture of a dynamic persona like Activision Blizzard boss Bobby Kotick. In speaking to MCV , Blizzard founder Mike Morhaime defends the oft-discussed game boss. Unlike most of us, he has actually had conversations with Kotick and there's something to be said for that. Said Morhaime:
"I have an advantage there because I know Bobby personally and we have very long, in-depth conversations, so my view of him is not limited to small sound bites taken out of context. I can tell you that Bobby has been very supportive of Blizzard and that we have a great relationship with him. I don’t think the public image that some people have of him is fair or accurate."
Also, if you're about to accuse Activision of lording over Blizzard since the merger, Morhaime wants to clear that up, too. He says that when the deal went down, his team was convinced the two businesses were "complementary," and that Blizzard wouldn't be forced to give up any "creative autonomy." Now, several years down the road, he adds: "And that's exactly how it's panned out."
Okay, so who's ready to give Kotick a break? …anyone?