Former Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick slammed the 2016 Warcraft film adaptation as "one of the worst movies I've ever seen" in a recent interview with Grit. Kotick, who helmed Activision Blizzard for 32 years before his departure in December 2023, attributed the film's negative impact to resource drain and distraction for the World of Warcraft development team, ultimately contributing to the departure of veteran designer Chris Metzen in 2016.
Kotick described Metzen as the "heart and soul of creativity" at Blizzard, expressing regret over the film's production, which he deemed a "terrible idea" despite pre-existing contractual obligations. The project, he stated, significantly diverted resources, delaying expansions and patch releases. Development team members were involved in aspects like casting and on-set activities, creating substantial workflow disruptions.
While the Warcraft film's North American box office performance was underwhelming ($47 million), its international success, particularly in China, resulted in a global gross of $439 million. However, Legendary Pictures ultimately considered the film a financial failure due to its substantial budget.
Kotick revealed that Metzen, deeply affected by the film's production, left to establish a board game company. Kotick subsequently attempted to re-engage Metzen as a consultant, but Metzen expressed dissatisfaction with the planned expansions, advocating for their complete overhaul. Despite a subsequent consultancy, Kotick admitted limited interaction with Metzen, preferring to allow him creative autonomy.
The final expansion, however, garnered significant praise, receiving a 9/10 rating in a World of Warcraft The War Within review, described as revitalizing the two-decade-old MMO.
