Kotick Exercises Stock Options, Walks Away With $20.2 Million
See Full ImageIt must be nice to be CEO of the publisher that is responsible for what will likely be the single biggest selling video game in history.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 certainly had the biggest launch ever, as 4.7 million copies were sold in just the first 24 hours, thereby generating over $310 million. The dollar total matches Grand Theft Auto IV in 2008 but in terms of overall sales numbers, there's little doubt that MW2 will soon be on top of the gaming world. And CEO Bobby Kotick is lovin' it. According to GameSpot citing a Securities and Exchange Commission filing, Kotick took advantage of this momentous event to exercise almost 2 million stock options he had vested back in 2000 and back then, those options were only worth a little over $1. Well, Activision's stock is now at about $11.47/share, which means that once you subtract the initial $2 million, Kotick comes clean with $20.2 million...that ain't bad. And he still owns over 3.1 million shares, which are worth around $35.5 million. That's a nice little pay day, wouldn't you say? And before you all start freaking out, bear in mind that Kotick took the reigns at Activision way back in 1991, just before it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. So yeah...he did his job.
I'm thinkin' I should get into some game stocks. This is just downright absurd.
11/12/2009 9:39:52 PM Ben Dutka
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Comments (25 posts)
WorldEndsWithMe
Thursday, November 12, 2009 @ 10:34:09 PM
Reply
8 up, 2 down
Arvis
Friday, November 13, 2009 @ 9:07:35 AM
But I'm with you on this one.
-Arvis
2 up, 0 down
WorldEndsWithMe
Friday, November 13, 2009 @ 12:50:31 PM
0 up, 0 down
___________
Thursday, November 12, 2009 @ 11:12:21 PM
Reply
i seriously can not trust or believe anyone in this industry these days, there constantly contradicting themselves.
a few days ago here was a article of IW saying kotick is not such a bad guy.
today i read a article saying IW wants to get away from activision not entirely because of him but also because there being forced to do things they dont want to.
developers strike again!
do they listen to what there saying?
im really starting to think before they do interviews there thinking of ways they can contradict what they said in a previous interview.
almost like there doing it on purpose.
1 up, 0 down
Kangasfwa
Thursday, November 12, 2009 @ 11:57:33 PM
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0 up, 0 down
Qubex
Friday, November 13, 2009 @ 12:08:57 AM
Reply
Q!
"i am home"
3 up, 1 down
Alienange
Friday, November 13, 2009 @ 10:00:50 AM
2 up, 0 down
Qubex
Friday, November 13, 2009 @ 11:04:37 AM
Q!
"i am home"
1 up, 0 down
Banky A
Friday, November 13, 2009 @ 1:09:04 AM
Reply
And good for him.
0 up, 1 down
just2skillf00l
Friday, November 13, 2009 @ 1:24:00 AM
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You gonna pass on Final Fantasy 13, Resonance of Fate, Dante's Inferno, Assassin's Creed 2, Bayonetta (well you might pass on Bayonetta), but Bioshock 2, Neir (kinda shady on), and Darksiders as well.
I know you heard something you liked.? Right? I mean I want to only support ps3 exclusives too. And I will support the many great exclusives to come (especially and mostly next year). But some/most/all of these games are just so tempting. I am gonna be broke...hehe...no that's...it's not really funny this time round.
1 up, 0 down
Qubex
Friday, November 13, 2009 @ 11:05:32 AM
Q!
"i am home"
0 up, 0 down
daus26
Friday, November 13, 2009 @ 2:24:04 AM
Reply
0 up, 0 down
Naztycuts
Friday, November 13, 2009 @ 2:46:27 AM
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3 up, 0 down
LinTr
Friday, November 13, 2009 @ 8:04:20 AM
2 up, 0 down
Gordo
Friday, November 13, 2009 @ 2:54:36 AM
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I'm not sure why some gamers hate some game companies so much though?
Would our gaming experiences be better without EA or Activision or Microsoft of heaven forbid Sony? I think they are all pushing our gaming experiences forward in a positive way.
We wouldnt have Sony in its present form without Microsoft and we probably wouldnt have the likes of MGS4 or Uncharted 2 without the competition from the likes of EA and Activision.
Maybe they stifle innovation but I seem to be surrounded by more and more quality games that are burning bigger and bigger holes in my wallet!
Good times...
0 up, 1 down
spiderboi
Friday, November 13, 2009 @ 7:37:11 AM
3 up, 1 down
www
Friday, November 13, 2009 @ 4:51:40 AM
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0 up, 1 down
Orvisman
Friday, November 13, 2009 @ 9:03:51 AM
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3 up, 0 down
Gabriel013
Friday, November 13, 2009 @ 9:21:16 AM
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1 up, 0 down
nickert0n
Friday, November 13, 2009 @ 3:11:07 PM
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It's crap like this which degrades journalism into tabloid garbadge.
1 up, 4 down
WorldEndsWithMe
Friday, November 13, 2009 @ 4:48:14 PM
1 up, 0 down
Arvis
Friday, November 13, 2009 @ 10:51:46 PM
Heh heh, making fun of people's typos on the internet... I am SO cool. :D
-Arvis
0 up, 0 down
___________
Saturday, November 14, 2009 @ 6:59:51 AM
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thats all i can say.
there a complete rip off!
0 up, 0 down
BikerSaint
Friday, November 20, 2009 @ 5:31:10 PM
Reply
It's a damned shame we gamers can't force him to put a million dollars in the naughty jar each & every time he opens his f*cking arrogent, maggot filled yapper of his!!!!!
That way he could really fill the kitty for the Veterans, instead of using it as a publicity stunt like all the spin-doctoring he's trying to do now.
And then turn over full 100% control of his foundation to an already well-established Veteran's Help & support organization!!!!
Till then, he's nothing more than a sniveling, blow-hard, P.O.S. in my book!
But that's alright Kotick, in the end, "karma's gonna get cha" !!!!!!!
0 up, 0 down
MyWorstNightmar
Reply
Thursday, November 12, 2009 @ 9:57:06 PM