Ben-DutkaThere's no doubt that video games is big business. There's no doubt that we need businessmen – and not just gamers – to create and maintain successful companies. Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick is one such man and it's tough to deny his success, but he's starting to rub people the wrong way.
During a speech to investors and analysts at the Deutsche Bank Securities Technology Conference in San Francisco, Kotick spoke for 45 minutes about the future of game development, and while it was indeed relevant considering the audience, his focus seemed to be more about making money and less about satisfying the consumer. For example, Kotick spoke about an interesting advancement in the world of music-based games: Guitar Hero will eventually become playable without a console. Essentially, this means he's not all that enthusiastic about producing three different versions of every new Guitar Hero entry. This may seem easier on the consumer because everything is all designed around one all-encompassing system, but it also means we'd all have to buy yet another set of peripherals; i.e., more Guitar Hero packages. And speaking of packages, you may have noticed that Activision is all about those things lately; DJ Hero , Tony Hawk: Ride , and the pricey Prestige Edition for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 all drop for the holiday season.
Then, Kotick made a statement that has already shot around the Internet at lightning speed:
"The goal that I had in bringing a lot of the packaged goods into Activision about 10 years ago was to take all the fun out of making video games."
Yes, you're reading that correctly. Kotick also added that he likes "skepticism, pessimism, and fear" from his employees at this moment in time because he wants them to remain focused on the low economy. So we'll have a new way of playing our music video games in the future, which will likely require another expensive package purpose and Kotick's apparent desire to rule with an iron fist isn't entirely appealing. But hey, can we really deny Activision's success in this generation? It's this whole Machiavellian debate…
In the words of Homestar Runner:
I hate that freaking marshmallow.
Kotick is "an abomination! And he is coming to your house after schoooooooool!!!"
Can we build a Berlin Wall of sorts around this guy?
He belongs in the Casque of Amontillado.
I'll second that!
Its just nasty acid out of his god forsaken mouth…
Q!
"i am home"
Some of Edgar Allen Poe's finest works.great story.
This D-bag is really starting to take all of the fun out of PLAYING games. I think I will start treating Activision like I do EA Sports and just not purchase any of their games NEW and only buy PREOWNED copies so they get none of my money.
At least make sure the developers get their cut. We need them to make more games.
If only we could all unite and agree to NOT BUY any Activision game, then he'll learn SOME GREAT SENSE!
Good luck finding a "Pre-owned" copy of MW2 before the pending release of MW3.
And Johnld:
Make up your mind. In one reply you seem to be favoring purchasing new games, yet here you are suggesting gamers buy it used.
Well I sure as hell can't be blamed for idiots like this making money.
As Activision's products gets more ridiculously expensive, it will inevitably lead to their down fall. That is if there were people stupid enough to let themselves get f*** in the a**, as George Carlin would put it.
How can I respect a company that doesn't allow you to review their games until the day before release? Activision can get bent.
Well, to be fair, a lot of publishers are like that. I had NHL 10 weeks ago but the embargo date on the review lifted only on the 15th (launch day).
True, but he does that for every Activision game. Some EA games do have early reviews, Need For Speed: Shift had an early review.
What happened to the music industry is now happening to video games. They find a generic successful formula, and do it thousands of times to have repeated success. These businessmen take over the industry, throw away any artistic value, and concentrate on making the big bucks.
The only thing they fail to consider is the fans of the specific industry begin to take notice and rebel. They get tired of the over-saturation of the market and stick to the lesser-known companies and the ones who are trying to do new and interesting things. Sure there are always those who will buy mainstream all the time and always do the popular thing, but there's always a group that goes against the flow. This has already started to happen with the music industry with the ever-increasing in popularity in indie music, and I believe that it's starting to happen in the gaming industry.
It's time to show Mr. Kotick that his plans will fail, and I plan to do that by ignoring Activision. I can live without MW2, and nothing else on the horizon for them interests me.
As I've stated many times before, none of his titles, NO not even the COD series comes close to the offerings of Sony's amazing Top notch Exclusive titles.
Sony has the best exclusives and I don't think activision or any multiplatform company can compete with Sony's first party developers. Look at all the amazing AAA titles we've seen in the past (Unchartered Drakes Fortune, GT5 Prologue, Warhawk, Resistance 1 & 2, LBP, Motorstorm, The perfect MGS4, and gorgous Killzone 2), and all the amazing triple A titles upcoming, and Activision and most other multiplatform developers just don't even seem to be in the same universe in terms of Next Gen Technical perfection as Sony's exclusive parties offerings.
So for this D bag to make such big brutish statements like he's some God or something is plain nuts and shows how shallow his mentality is. Plus MR. Kotick you're COD MW2 has some huge competition in a huge Exclusive called MAG which is having a great Beta test and untouched 256 online support. Plus it offers a fresh taste and feel for a FPS, whereas you're COD is the same S**T almost every episode with a sprinkle of pepper and Salt added to it to add some flavour. I heard the game doesn't even support 720P. Kinda funny if you think about it.
Not to say the upcoming MW2 isn't gonna be a great game, but nothing what it could be had it been a Sony Exclusive using the true power of the PS3. The fact that again it will only support 18 players because Live can't run anymore without taking a crap in the Lag department, kinda spells fail. World at War's maps were to big to have so few that I found myself running more than shooting to find targets. Needs at least 24 or 32 players to be more fun. Something Pissbox 3fixme can't support.
Anyways, some xbot fans on here may flame me, but I think the majority of you true PS3 gamer fans will totally agree with me. Activision is kinda walking a fine line now with Koticks big mouth and huge ego. Don't trip MR. Kotick.
Last edited by HOODGE on 9/15/2009 10:50:52 PM
They ought to fire Bobby Blowstick.
Not to be an ass but comparing first party and third party is no contest on quality. First party developers can achieve technical perfection while third party(multiplat) developers only wants to achieve technical equality and they're happy as long as it sells. Sometimes i wish i can just make a copy of a videogame, ps3 and/or 360, without loosing anything then just send my money straight to devs like infinity ward
Good thing I am not interested on any of their upcoming games, not really into music based games and I can pass up on modern warfare 2 since I will be busy with Uncharted2 and some other big exclusives from Sony. Uncharted2 and GT5 alone will keep me busy until God of War III comes along. So, Kotick and Activision wont get any of my money. Activision needs to sedate this guy to calm him down.
You dont have to skip it. If you buy it used, they dont get a cut.
@johnld
Not directly, but they benefit indirectly.
How? The person who originally bought the game (new and likely at full price) probably took the prospect of getting some of his (her) money back later into account when he (she) bought the game. He (she) probably wouldn't have paid full price (or bought the game at all) if he (she) couldn't get trade-in value for it. Likewise, you might not have bought the game. So, the publisher (Activision in this case) gets a full-price sale which might otherwise have been no sale or two rentals.
If you really want to hurt Activision, you can't buy their games at all. The only thing you're really accomplishing by buying it used is giving extra money to GameStop (or whomever).
The good news: everyone shouldn't feel too guilty about buying used games from good publishers.
Last edited by Fane1024 on 9/16/2009 4:17:30 AM
I always took this guy as another business man, from his past comments, but after saying that….WOW, makes you wish this guy was struck by lightening.
I hope EA reclaims their spot as number 1 company again, they have turned around completely.
Yeah, I agree with you Charger. Does feel like EA has turned around completey.
Kotick making me hate Activision now. He keeps saying stupid stuff. First He say's We(Activision)will boycott Sony if no price cut comes soon. Then say oh if it was up to me, I'd double game prices. Now this.
Thank goodness I don't touch that Guitar Hero Crap. Play the real thing, its more rewarding.
Amazing. The sad thing is, there are many consumer that will never read or hear about this. I'm disgusted.
On an off-topic note, NfS: Shift rocks!
So True Fluffer Nutte. Most people won't.
It's up to us. Spread the word. Start the revolution and so forth.
I've already informed my family about this crap. I'm on a mission.
I kept telling people NFS: SHIFT was going to rock ^_^
But those same people will never know that SMS was making SHIFT and NFS always has different developers.
If you guys want to read the whole article go to Gamespot.com….There is a lot more in the article that is listed here. He wants to totally abandon the console generation all together and put his games on Twitter and Facebook only. I read it last night and it is the craziest information in history. He sounds like the new Hitler!
I just read that article. I'm still disgusted. I only have a few of their games but luckily I got them for very, very cheap ($10 and under) and one was a gift. I'll be sure not to support them in the future.
I can't wait till Bobby Krotch-pick runs Activision to the ground to the point that they have to start offering incentives for people to buy their games.
When that happens, i hope sony picks up infinity ward.
… ?
With a CEO like this, it must suck nads to be an Activision employee these days.
If I were an Activision employee I would have been fired for beating the ever living sh** out of Kotick a loooong time ago.
Every time this guy opens his mouth I wonder if he somehow gets off on being hated. I mean I'm sure he's not exactly the only leech in this business, let alone business in general, but aren't you supposed to at least try to convince them you're something other than a leech/stay on the public's good side?
The masses will continue to buy all the mainstream garbage so he's safe to some extent but it's not even like his company has that many great franchises, it's got 2. 1 of which is trumped in pretty much every way by rock band 2 and we all know how much they love introducing fresh new ones.
Bobby Kotex, today's Worst Person in the World!
WorldEndsWithBobby.
TheWorldEndsBecauseOfBobby 🙁
Q!
"i am home"
ActivisionEndsBecauseOfKotex. We play games that are made and sold and supported by gamers, instead of suits who only worry about turning a quick buck.
Last edited by CH1N00K on 9/16/2009 9:01:17 AM
ahh, Bobby Kotick, mindless creature…..
Wow, that's not fu**ed up. I thought they cared about the gamers back at Activision!.
Last edited by MadKatBebop on 9/16/2009 1:03:57 AM
Maybe he has dementia.
Its called a God Complex. And Delusion of Grandure
Last edited by LowKey on 9/16/2009 8:45:45 AM
Stupid people in esteemed positions always seem to make my day.
o god wont some one please kill this greedy bastard.
well as the saying goes if you want something done you have to do it yourself.
now where is that shotgun?
Acti-no-vition gets no love from me.