Activision CEO Calls It Quits
No, not that CEO: Mike Griffith, CEO and president of Activision Publishing, has resigned from both of his positions two months before his employment contract was scheduled to expire.
Things are getting shaken up over in the world of Activision. Not only is the publishing giant fielding not one but two lawsuits [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/100310-Activision-Slapped-With-Another-Infinity-Ward-Lawsuit] borne out of the chaos at Infinity Ward, but one of its highest executives is now stepping down.
SEC filings reveal that Mike Griffith is tending his resignation as CEO and president of Activision Publishing two months before his current employment contract ends on June 30th, though he will continue to serve as vice-chairman on the board of directors of Activision Blizzard. Griffith will remain on that post for a 12-year (renewable) contract with a salary of $250,000. I wish I could resign and still collect a yearly quarter-mil.
The timing is suspicious, particularly given the troubles and tensions over at Activision, but the publisher has not offered any reason for Griffith's departure or mentioned whether it is tied to the IW affair in any way. It's hard not to see the two as related, though - could Griffith be trying to avoid getting caught in the crossfire, or is he being "asked" to step down as a potential scapegoat?
Either way, I don't think we've seen the last shakeup at Activision. Things could go either way from here ... but let's be honest, they're probably headed downhill.
(Via Gamasutra [http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/28280/Activision_Exec_Griffith_Resigns.php])
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No, not that CEO: Mike Griffith, CEO and president of Activision Publishing, has resigned from both of his positions two months before his employment contract was scheduled to expire.
Things are getting shaken up over in the world of Activision. Not only is the publishing giant fielding not one but two lawsuits [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/100310-Activision-Slapped-With-Another-Infinity-Ward-Lawsuit] borne out of the chaos at Infinity Ward, but one of its highest executives is now stepping down.
SEC filings reveal that Mike Griffith is tending his resignation as CEO and president of Activision Publishing two months before his current employment contract ends on June 30th, though he will continue to serve as vice-chairman on the board of directors of Activision Blizzard. Griffith will remain on that post for a 12-year (renewable) contract with a salary of $250,000. I wish I could resign and still collect a yearly quarter-mil.
The timing is suspicious, particularly given the troubles and tensions over at Activision, but the publisher has not offered any reason for Griffith's departure or mentioned whether it is tied to the IW affair in any way. It's hard not to see the two as related, though - could Griffith be trying to avoid getting caught in the crossfire, or is he being "asked" to step down as a potential scapegoat?
Either way, I don't think we've seen the last shakeup at Activision. Things could go either way from here ... but let's be honest, they're probably headed downhill.
(Via Gamasutra [http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/28280/Activision_Exec_Griffith_Resigns.php])
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