Former Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick slammed the 2016 Warcraft film adaptation as "one of the worst movies I've ever seen" in a recent interview with Grit. Kotick, who helmed Activision Blizzard for 32 years before his departure in December 2023, attributed the film's negative impact to several factors, including its diversion of resources and its contribution to the burnout of key personnel.

He specifically cited the departure of veteran designer Chris Metzen in 2016, stating that Metzen, "the heart and soul of creativity" at the company, left due to exhaustion stemming from the film's production. Kotick explained that the film, though a pre-existing deal, demanded significant resources, pulling developers away from their core game development responsibilities. This led to delays in World of Warcraft expansions and patches, further exacerbating the situation.

Kotick revealed that the movie's production significantly distracted Blizzard's developers, who were involved in various aspects, from casting to on-set work. He emphasized the disruption this caused to their usual workflow, resulting in missed deadlines and compromised quality.

While the Warcraft movie achieved international success, particularly in China, grossing $439 million globally, it underperformed in North America, earning only $47 million domestically. Its massive budget prevented it from achieving profitability, leading Legendary Pictures to deem it a failure.

Kotick admitted to personally pleading with Metzen to return as a consultant after his departure to establish a board game company, but Metzen expressed dissatisfaction with the planned expansions, advocating for a complete overhaul. Despite Metzen's return, their subsequent interactions were minimal, with Kotick emphasizing his desire to allow Metzen creative freedom. Kotick concluded by expressing confidence in the quality of the latest expansion, praising its excellence and anticipating the continued success of future installments. This sentiment is echoed in a positive review of the expansion, scoring a 9/10, which hailed it as a revitalizing force for the long-running MMO.