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Kotick: I would raise game prices higher if I could photo

Modern Warfare 2 might be causing a stink in the UK thanks to its disgusting RRP of £54.99, but if you think evil publisher Activision cared, you'd be mistaken. In fact, CEO Bobby Kotick has admitted, without a shred of shame, that he would raise game prices even higher if he could.

Kotick's response came after Mike Griffith answered an anylyst question on price points: "And then on the second question, Tony, on the pricing, we’ve had for all of our launch titles in the back half of this year, some of which contain peripherals, as you point out, very strong retailer acceptance and support for all parts of our plan, including our merchandising plans, our marketing programs, and our price points."

To which Kotick added: "And Tony, you know if it was left to me, I would raise the prices even further."

That's cool. I'm glad Kotick has always been so open and frank about how little he respects his consumers and how much he revels in his own greed. Activision of course has the right to do and say as it pleases, and that's good. Of course, we as consumers have a right to buy used games if we so desire, and I fully recommend that everybody does that, especially when it comes to Activision games. 

After all, Kotick has just shown you how much he loyalty and respect he has for his customers. You'd only be responding in kind.


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150 comments | showing # 1 to 50

Losari's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2009 11:03
Losari
I've never been much of a used-games buyer; however, that is going to change.
Activision needs to come down to Earth.
Magnalon's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2009 11:04
Magnalon
Did you guys post the news that Tony Hawk Ride is roughly $170?

I can't wait for the shitstorm.
Losari's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2009 11:04
Losari
Edit: After Modern Warfare 2 that is...
Xhumation's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2009 11:05
Xhumation
He's not Satan Jim. He's just an out of his mind businessman with too much power for his own good.
MowDownJoe's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2009 11:06
MowDownJoe
And this, despite how much praise the game's been getting, is why I'm not buying Prototype... or any other Activision game.
Captain Quincy's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2009 11:10
Captain Quincy
Yeah I think I'll be passing on buying Modern Warfare 2 new. I wish a slow and painful death upon you Kotick ya douche.
HB Draug's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2009 11:10
HB Draug
You would figure with the rise of digital distribution, ala markets such as Valve's Steam, PSN, ect, that prices would be dropping. There's always that one factor though– greed. You can never know just how much avarice wankers are going to have these days.
Daxelman's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2009 11:12
Daxelman
Yeah, waiting for a used copy of Modern Warfare 2 is like waiting for a dollar discount. It's just not worth it, I have a better chance of getting a sale on the game than waiting for a used copy.
Cuba Gooding Jr's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2009 11:14
Cuba Gooding Jr
The fact that he would start off by saying how well Activision's games are currently selling, then continue to say that, for no apparent reason, game prices should be raised (in this economy, no less), is a huge "fuck you" to consumers. I used to think EA was pretty low, but god have they ever redeemed themselves, especially in light of Activision's recent actions and this asshole's wanton words.
covah's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2009 11:18
covah
thus why I'm not buying any activision game new anymore. I'll wait the week or so it shows up at game stop used.
Chronic Logic's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2009 11:18
Chronic Logic
Honesty, how refreshing.
Havoc Fang's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2009 11:18
Havoc Fang
"So, we're making money and the customers are already getting pissed off, preparing their middle fingers and ready to shout 'Fuck you' and take out a good chunk of our market. How can we change this?" "You know, I've always thought that games should cost the same as weekly food shopping..."
KIDA26's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2009 11:20
KIDA26
Kotik will lead to the demise of video games. When the industry collapses on itself and there are only two companies left (Activision and EA) we all know who to point the finger at. It's too bad that MW2 is going to be an amazing game. Maybe I'll wait a week and pick it up used. Activision can fuck off.
wanderingpixel's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2009 11:20
wanderingpixel
The amount of disrespect Activision has for it's consumers is staggering. What they don't realize is that this is all going to come back and bite them in the ass some day. Guitar Hero and Call of Duty won't last forever. Activision is going to need new franchises, and I bet that they are going to go down the same road as EA. Releasing crap games like Golden Eye: Rogue Agent, in some vail attempt at creating success all over again. In fact, it's a little scary just how closely they are mirroing EA from the previous generation. I just pray that when they learn their lesson, something good comes out of it.
Losari's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2009 11:21
Losari
I'm afraid this guy is going to screw us over next generation.
Dimnos's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2009 11:22
Dimnos
Yeah I would love to boycott Activision but... MW2... I just cant wait man... Like Losari said after MW2. However after MW2 whats going to be the next game we have to have to wait after to boycott Activision? >:(
SilverDragon1979's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2009 11:27
SilverDragon1979
You guys can be as angry as you want, but if you were in Kotick's position, you would be saying the exact same thing.
grasslunatic's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2009 11:31
grasslunatic
I have decided to buy any Activision game preowned.
ChainThrow's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2009 11:34
ChainThrow
Keep it up Bobby, I'm sure your horrible attitude isn't translating to increased piracy and sales of pre-owned games!
Rogue Trooper's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2009 11:34
Rogue Trooper
He could at least be polite enough to lie about how he wants to shaft all of us.
aaronf's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2009 11:38
aaronf
GameStop's used game department loves you, Bobby.
ndschroede23's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2009 11:39
ndschroede23
Bitch and moan all you want, but the guy has a point. He can raise the price as high as he wants and people will still buy it. When demand doesn't change much with a price increase - as evidenced in the UK - it was underpriced to begin with. Don't like the new price, don't buy it.
KIDA26's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2009 11:40
KIDA26
Can we get Kotik's email so we can all send him big "Fuck You" in the mail?
falinter's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2009 11:40
falinter
This pretty much shatters all my hopes of games being $50 bucks next generation.

You know once HD price goes down.

What a bunch of assholes.
Super Drybones's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2009 11:41
Super Drybones
This is a very important time for gamers. We have to show Activision that we will not pay ridiculous amounts for games(no matter how much we want them) just because they think we will pay. By all means buy there games used and don't give them the extra $5 or $10 for a game that doesn't need the extra cost. If they can get away with it then other companies will start raising their prices too. Then our industry will be in real trouble when new gamers can't or wont be able to pay such costs for games. We have to show them now that we won't take it up the metaphorical ass on anything.
fozzyozzy's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2009 11:42
fozzyozzy
So let me get this straight. The man, with no care at all for the consumers would raise prices for his games as high as he believes he could get away with it.

This same man threatens to stop supporting the PS3 unless it drops its price on the console because he claims consumers are too poor to buy PS3s.

If that's not a snake oil salesman I don't know what is...
Professor Pew's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2009 11:42
Professor Pew
Good thing for Kotick that 90% of his costumers will never even read these things.
Bigmoose85's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2009 11:42
Bigmoose85
I think its time for anon to hack this guy
KrazyKraut's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2009 11:43
KrazyKraut
i apologize for the following:

WHAT AN ASSHOLE! No...he not only wants attention, no he talks bullshit.
First it was about to not support PS3 anymore and now something like that wtf.

I remember that CoD 4 was at the original price for longer than 1 year. WTF is that? Moooooooo makes the cash cow.
bastardmaster's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2009 11:43
bastardmaster
You know, Bobby, that you can take a step back and literally fuck your own face.

Good thing I don't want any Activision games. Fact is, Bobby, I might just buy 2 copies of Brutal Legend for that.
Rogue Trooper's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2009 11:44
Rogue Trooper
@SilverDragon1979

While I don't have much faith in people, I'd like to think that most humans aren't that asshole-ish compared to this guy.
mastashake714420's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2009 11:45
mastashake714420
fuck this guy! if they raise the price of games for everbody the industry will bleed the blood of loss cause we will spend less and new ips will die cause nobody goin to risk buying something thats costs more cause money is tight these days this guy kotick needs to resign if i was a share holder i would lead a rouse to have him ousted !

support the uk gamers !
KrazyKraut's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2009 11:45
KrazyKraut
man....holy shit.....i think I will make a website stfu-kotick.com or smthng like that....and then more ppl will read it^^
Death by Yeti's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2009 11:47
Death by Yeti
@ Professor Pew
this
ace 1991's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2009 11:49
ace 1991
My god. This guy is simply shameless.
JDigital's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2009 11:49
JDigital
So how many of you are actually going to follow through with your idle-threats? I bet less than 10% of the people on here will actually not buy it or buy it used.

I've decided that I wont buy another FPS on a console unless it has Mouse and Keyboard support. As an old-school cal-i CSer, I just can't get my mind around controller FPS games. Considering the PS3 has native support for it, and its just up to the devs to implement (which lets face it is absolutely simple), it's absolutely lame if a FPS in this day and age doesn't have support for it.

HOWEVER:
Even if MW2 did have M+KB support (which it wont), I still wouldn't buy it for exactly this reason. #1: Its going to be just like COD4. #2: I have freaking morals and I don't mind holding off on something to make a point... besides, with GT5 right around the corner... who needs another freaking shooter?

Ok, got a little off topic... but point is, if you want something to change quit being a freaking pushover, display a little self-control, and don't buy the damn game.
jawshoeuh's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2009 11:51
jawshoeuh
This guy should not be allowed to open his mouth.
wraith808's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2009 11:53
wraith808
What would be good is to organize a month - December would be ideal, but maybe a little unrealistic - in which no Activision games would be purchased. It's not like you can't buy them, but just not during that one month. Used of course would be fair game.

That would allow the gamers to make a statement that would be heard by not just Kotick, but by his bosses- the board and the stockholders.

It's a pipe dream, but boy would it burn him... and if done correctly, could even get him replaced...
Mattchewie's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2009 11:56
Mattchewie
...says the guy who calls out Sony about their price...pffft.
Daxelman's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2009 11:58
Daxelman
@JDigital: The PS3 has mouse + keyboard support for the bullshit web browser it has, not for games.

Use a PC if you want mouse and keyboard controls.
SilverDragon1979's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2009 11:58
SilverDragon1979
@Rogue Trooper: I honestly think that 99% of people are "good people" for the most part. They don't want to harm others, and they don't want harm to come to others. That being said ....

@Everyone Else: Why does saying this make Kotick an Asshole? He has to answer to a board of directors, and to shareholders, who want him to make the company more money. His salary, and all of the salaries of his employees are paid by the sales of his games. If increasing the price of the games Activion sells could do this, he would do it without a shadow of a doubt. That doesn't make him an asshole. It makes him a good businessman.
Isay Isay's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2009 12:00
Isay Isay
@ Professor Pew

and for probably 90% of them COD would be the only game they buy for the year.
Cadtalfryn's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2009 12:00
Cadtalfryn
Yeah, that's pretty much the icing on the cake. I'm done with Activision.
SnakeDanger's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2009 12:08
SnakeDanger
This is why we should fight digital distribution tooth and freakin' nail - when we lose the option to buy used then the only other option is to boycott and it's a lot harder to pull that one off. @SilverDragon1979 - of course you're right he's being a business man but not a good one. Good business means making your consumers happy as well as your shareholders. If you lose the good will of your consumer base then the shareholders are sure to follow when the next games after Modern Warfare 2 all struggle because of a stupid call. I say buy used if you have to but the best case scenario is don't buy at all.
Emrah's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2009 12:09
Emrah
97% of destructoid users that are interested in this game will RUSH to buy MW2, new. I will be in the 3%, I'll wait for a used one, or wait for activision to drop the price to regular levels. I hereby promise that.
gatorsax2010's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2009 12:11
gatorsax2010
To everyone saying that you'll boycott AFTER MW2, all you're doing is showing that consumers are willing to spend more money (however unfairly) on the high-profile games. Buying MW2 full price then waiting for a used Tony Hawk won't help.
Lobster Mobster's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2009 12:12
Lobster Mobster
I agree, this guy is disgusting.

So, how many of you are going to buy Starcraft II three times?
aZZmodan's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2009 12:12
aZZmodan
We can second-hand buy them... Or we can pirate the hell out of Activision... Ehhh...!
JDigital's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2009 12:14
JDigital
@Daxelman

You just showed your fanboi side man... You're so engulfed in your baseless hate of PS3 that you don't even realize that PS3 has M+KB support for any game that includes it... This is why Unreal Tournament 3 can be played with M+KB on the PS3... so yea, you fail.

The moral: Educate yourself, no telling what other false information you believe because all your xbox fanboi friends told you so.
Genius's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/06/2009 12:15
Genius
Ooookk, isn't this the same asshat who was trying to threaten sony about their prices?
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