Reports: “Graceful exit” for Kotick helped convince CEO to sell Activision ~ USA Latest Games

Two months ago, The Wall Street Journal published a bombshell report accusing Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick of widespread mismanagement surrounding the sexual assault and discrimination allegations and lawsuits embroiling the company. Now, new reports suggest that the aftershocks of that November reporting were key to bringing Microsoft and Activision together for an industry-changing $68.7 billion acquisition deal, first announced Monday.

That timeline is according to behind-the-scenes reports from The Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg, both of which suggest the deal came together quickly in the two months following the Journal's November report on Kotick.

According to "a person familiar with the matter" cited by Bloomberg, Microsoft initially reached out in part to offer support and address "concerns about the treatment of women at Activision" after that report. But Microsoft also wanted "to ensure that if Kotick and the board were willing to sell the company, Microsoft would be well positioned to make an offer," as Bloomberg put it.

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