In a recent interview on the Grit podcast, former Activision CEO Bobby Kotick shared intriguing details about a failed deal that could have changed the landscape of Call of Duty forever. For those looking to speed up their progress or need help unlocking all rewards, U4gm offers bo6 cod best boosting services that can help you easily claim your prizes. Use coupon code "allen" to get 5% off at U4gm. According to Kotick, Electronic Arts (EA) had multiple attempts to acquire Activision and its flagship franchise, Call of Duty. However, the deal never materialized, much to the relief of CoD fans.
Kotick revealed that EA was particularly interested in merging with Activision, even initiating merger discussions on several occasions. He also mentioned that before Activision fully acquired Call of Duty and Guitar Hero, EA had considered purchasing the rights to these iconic properties.
Despite EA’s continued interest, Kotick didn’t hold back when speaking about former EA CEO John Riccitiello, who served from 2007 to 2013. Kotick criticized Riccitiello, calling him the "worst CEO in video games" and even suggested Activision would have happily paid to keep him in charge of EA forever, though clearly, this was meant as a harsh criticism.
The news that EA almost acquired Call of Duty has sparked significant discussion among fans. Many players expressed relief that the deal never went through, fearing that EA’s infamous microtransactions and monetization strategies would have dramatically altered the game. One player even speculated that, under EA’s control, Call of Duty would have suffered a decline "unlike anything we’ve ever seen."
Even with Black Ops 6 and Warzone facing decreasing player counts, fans seem to prefer the current ownership of Call of Duty under Activision (now part of Microsoft) rather than a potential future with EA at the helm.
The October 2023 completion of Microsoft’s $68.7 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard has already seen Call of Duty titles like CoD MW3, CoD Black Ops 6, Diablo IV, and Crash Bandicoot 4 added to Xbox Game Pass. Rumors suggest classic CoD games may join the service as well. While some critics blame Call of Duty for causing price hikes and changes to Xbox Game Pass tiers, the general reception has been positive, leaving many thankful that EA’s attempt to take over Call of Duty never came to fruition.
In the end, fans can breathe easy, knowing that the fate of Call of Duty could have been far worse had EA been in charge.
