This is some rather unsurprising news, but it lends further credence to the idea that Activision has truly taken EA's place as the crowning dick of the industry. When asked why Activision decided not to pick up certain titles it had spurned (think Ghostbusters or Riddick), CEO Bobby Kotick simply said that his company was interested only in games that could be "exploited" and turned into huge franchises.
Wow ... at least Activision doesn't pretend it's in this business for anything but cold, hard cash.
Kotick confirmed that Activision abandoned a number of Vivendi's games because they "don’t have the potential to be exploited every year on every platform with clear sequel potential and have the potential to become $100 million franchises. … I think, generally, our strategy has been to focus… on the products that have those attributes and characteristics, the products that we know [that] if we release them today, we’ll be working on them 10 years from now."
Kotick added: "You still need to have production of new original property but you have to do it very selectively … the focus at retail and for the consumer is to continue to be the big narrow and deep high profile release strategy … We’ve had enough experience that I think the strategy we employ is the most successful."
So, the basic message seems to be that Activision is only interested in originality if it can keep re-using that originality for ten years. Something tells me that if the videogames market has another crash like the famous one of 1983, Activision will have a big hand in its arrival.
Jim Sterling serves as reviews editor for Destructoid.com, head of the Podtoid podcast, and produces a number of news stories, original features, one-of-a-kind videos. With his passionate argumentative style, controversial opinions, harsh delivery, and dedication to brutal honesty Sterling is a name that you can't help but recognize.
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Contest:
8:01 AM on 11.06.2008
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I really wanted those Guitar Hero World Tour drums too... sigh...
I almost feel ashamed that I like Guitar Hero
...nah, no I don't.
At least he is honest, but Activison still suck balls.
I also agree with J03yyz, there's nothing they're putting out that particularly interests me.
Oh wait.
Hell, it makes a lot of financial sense to bank on exploitable franchises than it does to take chances these days. We gamers don’t support anything that isn’t a sequel to an established franchise after all, at least not to any meaningful degree. How many good studios have shut down or stopped taking chances because we didn’t likewise take a chance on an untested game or three? Too many. So while this guy might very well be King Douche, it’s largely our fault for fostering an industry that thrives on sequels and licensed crap. Until we start speaking with our wallets and supporting unknown IPs, then expect more of the same. Especially seeing as it’s economically more viable to stick to what you know gamers are going to buy these days than it is to spend millions developing a potential gem, only to see it languish on shelves because it isn’t a sequel or extension to an established IP.
Hell, it makes a lot of financial sense to bank on exploitable franchises than it does to take chances these days. We gamers don’t support anything that isn’t a sequel to an established franchise after all, at least not to any meaningful degree. How many good studios have shut down or stopped taking chances because we didn’t likewise take a chance on an untested game or three? Too many. So while this guy might very well be King Douche, it’s largely our fault for fostering an industry that thrives on sequels and licensed crap. Until we start speaking with our wallets and supporting unknown IPs, then expect more of the same. Especially seeing as it’s economically more viable to stick to what you know gamers are going to buy these days than it is to spend millions developing a potential gem, only to see it languish on shelves because it isn’t a sequel or extension to an established IP.
They still gots a way to go. But Activision sure does have high hopes and lofty ambition.
Say what you want about the 50 Cent game; the last one sold really well, and BotS probably would have done well too. But Ghostbusters would have sold a fuckton of copies. And the passed on it because they couldn't find a way to DLC it to death.
Activision is DEFINITELY the new EA. Fuck 'em, I'll just give my monies to someone else.
Meanwhile, EA is the new sex.
Other than it's easier for you neckbeards to play?