Kotick could have bought Blizzard for $7m

By Oli Welsh Published 19 January, 2010

Instead, it cost Activision billions.

Bubbly brunette Bobby Kotick likes to laugh, even when it's about wasting billions of dollars. The Activision chief has revealed that he thought $7 million was far too much to pay for Blizzard back in 1995. 12 years later, Activision would merge with Vivendi Games in a deal worth $18.9 billion, largely so Kotick could get his hands on the Warcraft developer.

Kotick told Game Informer about a dinner in 1995 with Davidson & Associates in which the educational software company revealed it had bought Blizzard for $7 million.

"That year Activision probably had 60 million in revenues," Kotick said. "They said they paid seven million dollars for Blizzard. I'm like, 'Are you out of your minds? They're like a contract developer! They have Warcraft but what else do they have? You paid seven million! That's insane!"

Kotick's not the only one to rue a missed opportunity, although for Blizzard founder Mike Morhaime, the situation is reversed.

"I was talking to Mike Morhaime the other day and I said, 'You know, I could have bought you for seven million and instead it was seven billion,'" laughed Kotick. "He said, 'Yeah, could you imagine if I had just held out for the seven billion instead of the seven million?'"

Kotick sounds pretty jolly for someone who's said he wants to "take all the fun out of game development". Still, the two men have plenty to smile about. Analysts estimate World of Warcraft contributes half of Activision Blizzard's revenues. And since 1995, it's taken Blizzard just six games and six expansion packs to multiply its valuation a thousand times over.

Picture of Oli.

About Oli Welsh

Oli is Eurogamer's acting deputy editor and reviews editor and likes to take things one word at a time. He is among the best dressed people in South London.

Read more articles from Oli by visiting the Oli Welsh archive page.

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Comments (30) Latest comment 2 years ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • webcider #1 2 years ago

    Rich men laugh at each other over cash ^^ wonderful news just wonderful.

    Omg will i be the first to comment too :o

  • rock27gr #2 2 years ago

    Yes, but I don't think the Blizzard history of evolution would be the same if that had happened.

    EDIT:
    or what the guys above said
    Edited by rock27gr at 19/01/10 @ 09:13

  • chukcyQ #3 2 years ago

    So does Kotick cut himself every day now that he knows this?

  • BabyJesus #4 2 years ago

    Just think how much he could save if he gave up Big Macs aswell.

  • Bravestinsane #5 2 years ago

    Don't care what he says nothing will change my opinion he is still the worlds biggest cunt.

    hes like a little puppy looking for food, but rather than food there doller bills just wave one in front of him and he comes running. I have never seen anyone who's more of a greedy and selfish prick than this guy, hate the dick if he got hit by a car now or all of his companies failed miserably i wouldn't even take the time to say "meh"

  • AphoticCosmos #6 2 years ago

    Bobby Kodick: "HAW HAW HAW LOOK AT HOW MUCH MONEY I HAVE, AREN'T I GREAT?"
    Everyone: Fuck off, you prick.

    "So does Kotick cut himself every day now that he knows this?"

    Here's hoping.
    Edited by AphoticCosmos at 19/01/10 @ 09:31

  • ZuluHero #7 2 years ago

    well boy does he have egg on his face.

  • kangarootoo #8 2 years ago

    They weren't worth $7m 15 years ago. So the news is that Kotick isn't clairvoyant. Incredible stuff.

    Of course it would have been great if he could have seen 10-15 years into the future, but that is just the same conversation people have down the pub about how great it would have been to have bought shares in Google years back 'cos now "we'd all be millionaires". Then everyone talks about how GREAT it would be to have a time machine, until somebody goes for a piss.

  • Skurmedel #9 2 years ago

    Boy will he cry when WoW starts to decline.

  • photoboy #10 2 years ago

    Like Kotick would have allowed Blizzard to make WoW if he'd bought them. He'd have them working on churning out Diablo 14 and Guitar Hero Warcraft by now.

  • Slipstream #11 2 years ago

    I swear this guy...

    I doubt we'd have had WoW in its current successful state had Activision got their trifling hands on the company so many years back.
    Hell would we even have WoW? Or would it just be Warcraft Hero 10?

    Touché Photoboy
    Edited by Slipstream at 19/01/10 @ 10:08

  • miiiguel #12 2 years ago

    To each its own, this guy realy digs money. I couldn't ever be a doctor - I get emotional when I see wounded ppl, and rich, I have no idea how to make money (apart from working).
    Edited by miiiguel at 19/01/10 @ 10:11

  • kangarootoo #13 2 years ago

    "To each its own, this guy realy digs money."

    Tbh, no big private corporation should be employing a CEO that DOESN'T dig money. That is what they are there for.

  • Shinetop #14 2 years ago

    Yeah, and had I thought about it in 1975 I could've bought Microsoft for one million dollars and be the richest man in the universe now. Isn't hindsight amazing?

  • NGCes26294BIV #15 2 years ago

    Kotick can cock off. Arrogant blimp.

  • local_celebrity #16 2 years ago

    Did he fiddle with his micropenis while telling this story?

  • oceanclub #17 2 years ago

    Does even his mother love him?

  • M4RV #18 2 years ago

    The guy definately wants every one to loathe him... It hardly cares what you say about him, as long as you talk s**t about him. Period. Such an awesome achievement ( no pun intended ) indeed...

  • chrisola #19 2 years ago

    I get the feeling Kotick's office is in an underground or volcanic lair, and he owns a cat and a large leather chair.

  • Hantheman #20 2 years ago

    God I hate that man.

  • metalmike25 #21 2 years ago

    He's like Montgomery Burns but without the class

  • M4RV #22 2 years ago

    He's like Montgomery Burns but without the class

    Where's Smithers then...?! :\

  • sfp_noodle #23 2 years ago

    i dnt actually have anything against rich ppl as long as they are humble. this mofo on the other hand thinks he has a right o be richer and better than everybody else. no company is on top forever. EA was king once and hated for being mainstream but they have turned tht image around. i cannot see acti following the same path in the future, bat for me thts a good thing. their demise wud bring me nothing but happiness

  • Mono_X #24 2 years ago

    "I get the feeling Kotick's office is in an underground or volcanic lair, and he owns a cat and a large leather chair."

    Bond sneaks into the secret lair of K.O.T.I.C.K. and is caught by henchmen.
    ---
    Bond: I suppose you expect me to talk.

    Dr. Kotick: No Mr Bond, I expect you to buy MW3 for...... (camera zooms in on Dr. Kotick's face) ONE MILLION DOLLARS!
    Edited by Mono_X at 19/01/10 @ 14:14

  • M_of_the_sys #25 2 years ago

    So does Kotick cut himself every day now that he knows this?

    Yes but he bleeds gold bullions.

  • actionfitz #26 2 years ago

    Yeah, can't see Blizzard having the same autonomy they have today to do their own thing if they'd been bought by Kuntik back before wow.
    His 'removing the fun from game development' strategy would probably have resulted in the best talent leaving and setting up shop elsewhere.
    We would then probably be looking at that studio and its 'world of something else - craft' with its 10 million subs getting bought for 7 billion or whatever.
    my 2p.

  • freakzilla #27 2 years ago

    Its a bit difficult to enjoy his mistake knowing that WoW is allowing them to recoup all the money pretty quickly.

  • Rack #28 2 years ago

    Kotick is happy because he's doing so well at taking all the fun out of gaming.

  • cairbre1977 #29 2 years ago

    Kotick is a cunt

  • EmiliasHorse #30 2 years ago

    @Calibre1977

    Sometimes there is only one word that can sum up a person, I think you nailed there.