LogInThe infamous "profits-above-all" ex-executive believes his connections in China will give him an edge in securing the potential bid.
As we approach the quarter-century mark and, consequently, the one-year anniversary of Activision Blizzard's infamous ex-CEO Bobby Kotick's departure from the studio, a new report has surfaced online suggesting that the name and figure many have already forgotten will start appearing in headlines more frequently come 2025.
According to The Information, Kotick's high hopes of owning TikTok one day, first highlighted back in March, haven't gone anywhere since then, as he is reportedly biding his time until the U.S. government changes in late January, a shift the former CEO believes might serve as a potential push for TikTok owner ByteDance to part with the platform.
The report continues, citing several individuals close to Kotick, by claiming that it remains unclear who is financially backing him to secure the deal. Without financial support from a powerful entity, be it a company or a single person, it seems unlikely that the businessman with a net worth of around $600 million could afford a deal that may rival or even exceed Microsoft's $69 billion purchase of Activision Blizzard, with TikTok's estimated price ranging from $30 billion to $100 billion. Earlier reports mentioned that Kotick floated the idea of collaboration to several individuals, including OpenAI's CEO Sam Altman, but it is currently unknown if any of them have agreed.
The sources further claim that Kotick thinks his connections with China, built during his years as CEO, might give him an edge over other potential bidders, as allegedly, he's on good terms with Zhang Yiming, ByteDance's Founder, who might play a key role in discussions about a potential TikTok acquisition. So far, however, no offer has yet been made to TikTok's current owner by Kotick, the report concludes.
If, by some miracle, the stars align in just the right way and the deal does go through, crowning Kotick as the king of TikTok, the video-sharing platform might undergo dramatic changes similar to those Blizzard experienced after its 2007 merger with Activision. Whether the ex-executive's "profits-above-all" mentality would benefit TikTok and its users or become the cause of numerous internal conflicts – once again, as it did at Blizzard – remains to be seen.
What do you think about the report? Would Kotick as TikTok CEO be beneficial for anyone? Does he even stand a chance? Share your thoughts in the comments!
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