Former Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick slammed the 2016 Warcraft film adaptation, calling it "one of the worst movies I've ever seen" in a recent Grit interview. Kotick, who helmed Activision Blizzard for 32 years before his departure in December 2023, attributed the film's negative impact to resource drain and significant distractions for the World of Warcraft development team. He cited the movie as a contributing factor to veteran designer Chris Metzen's 2016 exit.

Kotick described Metzen as the "heart and soul of creativity" at Blizzard, highlighting the designer's burnout. He explained that the movie, a pre-existing deal Activision inherited, consumed substantial resources, pulling developers away from their core game development tasks. The involvement in casting and on-set work proved a major distraction, leading to delays in expansions and patches.

While the Warcraft movie underperformed in North America, earning a modest $47 million domestically, its international success, particularly in China, pushed its global gross to $439 million. Despite this, Legendary Pictures considered it a financial failure due to its substantial budget.

Kotick revealed that Metzen, deeply affected by the film's production, ultimately left to establish a board game company. Kotick later attempted to persuade Metzen to return as a consultant, but Metzen expressed dissatisfaction with the planned expansions, demanding a complete overhaul. Subsequently, their interactions remained minimal, with Kotick prioritizing Metzen's creative autonomy.

The final expansion, however, showcased Metzen's influence, receiving high praise, including a 9/10 rating in our World of Warcraft The War Within review, which lauded it as a revitalizing experience for the long-running MMO.