It’s understandable that in this current economic climate people would be concerned about the profitability of their business ventures. However, one would also assume that the heads of major corporations would be attempting to keep company morale high while simultaneously presenting their best face toward the public. Not so for Activision Blizzard CEO, Bobby Kotick, who seems to be hellbent on doing his best impression of a Sith Lord by openly copping to cultivating fear in his employees.
In a presentation at the Deutsche Bank Securities Technology Conference, Kotick touched on a number of topics, from the possibility of a console-less Guitar Hero, to Facebook integration, to new technologies. The issue that has had everyone talking, however, was Kotick’s open admission to preying on the fear of the current economy to motivate employees in a workplace he’s done his best to make devoid of fun.
After pointing towards such “beneficial” changes as an employee incentive program that “really rewards profit and nothing else”, he later went on to say that “The goal that I had in bringing a lot of the packaged goods folks into Activision about 10 years ago was to take all the fun out of making video games.” Now we understand work is just that – work – but apparently Bobby doesn’t subscribe to the theory that happy worker is a productive worker.
Don’t believe me? It gets better. Kotick also admits to fostering a company culture of “skepticism, pessimism, and fear” surrounding the current crappy state of the economy.
“We are very good at keeping people focused on the deep depression,” he said, while – and this is unconfirmed, mind you – strangling an infant and kicking a puppy at the same time.
Seriously, this man has no shame at all, it seems. I don’t even see how he can spin this one, saying his quotes have been taken out of context. I really don’t know what else I can say about this. What are your thoughts, people of the interweb? Is Kotick just another ruthless businessman or is he actually working on a mobile space station made of leftover Guitar Hero peripherals that can wipe rival companies off the map from orbit? Chime in below and let us know.
[Via: GameSpot]
