This is how executive compensation should work. The perceived value of his company is increasing. The rise of stock value is a vote of confidence in Activision by market investors. Thus kotick makes out like a bandit, because he himself is a stock holder. This isn't the same as making loot via golden parachutes laden with millions in bullshit clauses. What this article ignores is if the stock tanked like the titanic, Kotick would have eaten it in the ass and lost millions of dollars.
Now if Activision were laying of 1500 employees and declaring epic losses for the quarter and Kotick was making tons of dinero, then yes raise the bullshit flag.
HOWEVER! I can still hate on him out of sheer jealously for his fat loots. THAT ASSHOLE! #modernwarfare2
@John-irl: What does Enron have to do with golden parachutes? They committed accounting fraud, saying the company was worth way more than it really was. Enron somehow got permission from the SEC to use future earnings (which were bogus because a lot of the projects didn't even make them a penny, just cost them an arm and a leg) in their filings for company profile, outlook, 10-K, etc. They also did not properly audit themselves, resulting in the collapse of Arthur Andersen and 85,000 people lost their jobs. Of course there are remnants of Arthur Andersen today, but they are nowhere near what AA used to be.
Enron invested in stupid properties like a powerplant in India (at the time had an election that had a new guy in power that they had to talk into letting them do the project, but on his terms losing money in the process), a plant in Brazil that was basically inoperable.
How do I know this? I had to read a book about the entire scandal for an MBA class. Just want people to know that the Enron story is WAY WORSE than people actually think it was. Read or watch Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Boardroom and you will have a new found distaste for such lies. #modernwarfare2
He didn't earn $20M in a week. It took him 9 years to earn that money. He just decided now was a good time to cash out. Wonder if he knows something we don't ... #modernwarfare2
Everyone hates Activision... except when people complain about Kurt Cobain or No Doubt in Guitar Hero, then they're heroes.
I think the message here is that gamers just want their games, and anything that prevents them from getting it... be it this jerk who wants to make games more expensive (or "remove fun") or artists who feel their likeness were violated... is the villain.
At least I take solace that this guy is the villain more often than not. #modernwarfare2
It's was YOUR money people. You spent it. I don't get why everyone hates someone else that makes more money than them. So he isn't personable. But he brought you MW and MW2. Which you bought. So come off it. #modernwarfare2
@ca$h is Mr. Happy: And so, it leads to the question... why didn't IW do it all on their own? Why doesn't Activision dump Kotick and get some cheaper CEO? Methinks there is more going on than the average internet angry person (not directed necessarily at you) thinks. #modernwarfare2
@Hey_Blinkon: IW is owned by Activision, and there's no way they'll be able to afford to buy their company back after hits like the MW series.
And of course Kotick is going to stick around simply because he gets results for the shareholders. I'm not arguing against Kotick individually, I just wanted to point out that in your original comment the tone was that Kotick did most of the work and we should be thanking him, not IW, for the games :)
oh stock options... I once managed to live for 3 weeks off of you when I was starving (not Activision, natch, but another company), so I can understand the impulse, but god c'mon...
Bobby Kotick wouldn't quit and go elsewhere if his salary got cut in half. Who else is going to pay him? It's not like he's going to be able to work his magic on Squeenix or Atlus or even go back to EA. If I owned Activision stock, I would put a pay cut for him to the board of directors. Hell, maybe I'll buy some of it so I can do that. #modernwarfare2
11/13/09
11/13/09
This is how executive compensation should work. The perceived value of his company is increasing. The rise of stock value is a vote of confidence in Activision by market investors. Thus kotick makes out like a bandit, because he himself is a stock holder. This isn't the same as making loot via golden parachutes laden with millions in bullshit clauses. What this article ignores is if the stock tanked like the titanic, Kotick would have eaten it in the ass and lost millions of dollars.
Now if Activision were laying of 1500 employees and declaring epic losses for the quarter and Kotick was making tons of dinero, then yes raise the bullshit flag.
HOWEVER! I can still hate on him out of sheer jealously for his fat loots. THAT ASSHOLE! #modernwarfare2
11/13/09
11/13/09
Enron invested in stupid properties like a powerplant in India (at the time had an election that had a new guy in power that they had to talk into letting them do the project, but on his terms losing money in the process), a plant in Brazil that was basically inoperable.
How do I know this? I had to read a book about the entire scandal for an MBA class. Just want people to know that the Enron story is WAY WORSE than people actually think it was. Read or watch Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Boardroom and you will have a new found distaste for such lies. #modernwarfare2
11/13/09
11/13/09
EDIT: Grammar
11/13/09
11/13/09
No need for everyone to jump down my throat over it. #modernwarfare2
11/13/09
Kinda sad. #modernwarfare2
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11/13/09
I think the message here is that gamers just want their games, and anything that prevents them from getting it... be it this jerk who wants to make games more expensive (or "remove fun") or artists who feel their likeness were violated... is the villain.
At least I take solace that this guy is the villain more often than not. #modernwarfare2
11/13/09
11/13/09
11/13/09
He looks like something that I cannot place... Hmmm...
Well regardless, if he keeps it up he'll literally look like the asshole he is. #modernwarfare2
11/13/09
11/13/09
If anyone plays the market, I'd say "sell now" too! #modernwarfare2
11/13/09
It's was YOUR money people. You spent it. I don't get why everyone hates someone else that makes more money than them. So he isn't personable. But he brought you MW and MW2. Which you bought. So come off it. #modernwarfare2
11/13/09
Actually, the hard working folks at Infinity Ward brought us MW and MW2. #modernwarfare2
11/13/09
11/13/09
And of course Kotick is going to stick around simply because he gets results for the shareholders. I'm not arguing against Kotick individually, I just wanted to point out that in your original comment the tone was that Kotick did most of the work and we should be thanking him, not IW, for the games :)
11/13/09
11/13/09
11/13/09
11/13/09
That picture is familiar... #modernwarfare2
11/13/09
11/12/09
Bobby Kotick wouldn't quit and go elsewhere if his salary got cut in half. Who else is going to pay him? It's not like he's going to be able to work his magic on Squeenix or Atlus or even go back to EA. If I owned Activision stock, I would put a pay cut for him to the board of directors. Hell, maybe I'll buy some of it so I can do that. #modernwarfare2