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 led the company for 32 years before stepping down in December 2023, claimed the film significantly hampered World of Warcraft's development, acting as a major distraction for the team and contributing to the departure of veteran designer Chris Metzen in 2016.
Kotick described Metzen as the "heart and soul of creativity" at Blizzard, noting his burnout following the film's production. He criticized the decision to make the movie, stating the deal was signed before Activision's acquisition and that it consumed substantial resources and diverted developers' attention. He explained that the film's production pulled developers away from their core responsibilities, resulting in delays to expansions and patches.
While the Warcraft movie, despite underperforming in North America ($47 million domestic gross), achieved international success, particularly in China, ultimately grossing $439 million globally, it was considered a financial failure for Legendary Pictures due to its massive budget. Kotick revealed that Metzen took the film's impact personally, leading to his departure to establish a board game company. Kotick later attempted to persuade Metzen to return as a consultant, but Metzen expressed dissatisfaction with plans for subsequent World of Warcraft expansions, advocating for a complete overhaul.
Although Kotick stated he rarely spoke to Metzen after his return, he credited Metzen's significant influence on the latest expansion, praising its quality and expressing confidence in the upcoming expansion. This last expansion indeed received high praise, earning a 9/10 score in a World of Warcraft: The War Within review, lauded as a revitalizing experience for the long-running MMO.
