Joystiq

Activision's Kotick is now among the highest-paid CEOs in the US [Update]

Mike Suszek — Sat, 27 Apr 2013 18:00:00 EST

Activision CEO Bobby Kotick is now among the highest-paid CEOs in the United States, Bloomberg reported. According to a document filed to the SEC, Activision increased Kotick's compensation to $64.9 million in 2012. The majority of Kotick's earnings came from stock awards valued at $55.9 million. By comparison, Kotick earned $8.3 million in 2011, and Blizzard Entertainment President and CEO Michael Morhaime earned just over $9 million in 2012.

As Bloomberg noted, Kotick's $64.9 million earnings stretch out over five years, plus he could still garner $16 million more should he meet the "highest performance targets." Kotick saw his base salary increase to $2.1 million in January this year.

Update: To clarify, since the awards vest over a five-year period, Kotick received $8.33 million in compensation for 2012, not all $64.9 million.

Activision's Kotick is now among the highest-paid CEOs in the US [Update] originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 27 Apr 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kotick on why firing West, Zampella was easy, turning down a CoD film

Jessica Conditt — Sun, 16 Dec 2012 18:00:00 EST

Activision CEO Bobby Kotick settled a lawsuit with former employees Jason West and Vince Zampella, both now of Respawn Entertainment, in May. Kotick fired West and Zampella in 2010, after learning they were going to bail on their contracts to sign under EA, Kotick said, and from there, his job was easy:

"You find out two executives are planning to break their contracts, keep the money you gave them and steal 40 employees. What do you do? You fire them," Kotick told The New York Times in an extensive profile. West and Zampella sued Activision for royalties they said they never received from Modern Warfare 2, and though the terms of the settlement were never disclosed, the case's conclusion had West smiling.

Kotick's NYT profile extended from his high school years, when he would pick up friends in a chauffeured limo to visit Studio 54, to his time in college and to the present, when he fended off offers from Hollywood to turn Call of Duty into a high-budget film. Kotick said movies based on games rarely do well with fans and could blemish the Call of Duty brand.

He might be on to something there.

Kotick on why firing West, Zampella was easy, turning down a CoD film originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 16 Dec 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Diablo 3 surpasses 10 million sold [Update: Expansion incoming, date unknown]

David Hinkle — Wed, 07 Nov 2012 16:52:00 EST

During today's Activision earnings call, CEO Bobby Kotick revealed that Blizzard's Diablo 3 has managed to sell over 10 million copies so far. "Year-to-date, Diablo 3 is the top-selling game overall based on enough meta, digital and retail sales in North America and Europe. Diablo 3 has sold already in excess of 10 million copies," Kotick said.

Diablo 3 launched back in May, with 3.5 million snatching the game up within the first 24 hours. In North America, NPD stated that Diablo 3 sold one million retail copies across May. The current version of the game, 1.0.5, has been available since October 25.

Update: An expansion for the game is also in the works, Blizzard Entertainment president Mike Morhaime announced during the call: "We do have an expansion planned for Diablo [3], I don't have any timeline to talk about. I think the most important thing for us always comes down to the quality of the expansion and the gameplay, so that will be a big factor in terms of driving our schedule."

Diablo 3 surpasses 10 million sold [Update: Expansion incoming, date unknown] originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 07 Nov 2012 16:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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CoD goes to China with 'Call of Duty Online,' from Activision and Tencent

Ben Gilbert — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 08:30:00 EST

Activision, partnering with Chinese game company Tencent, is launching a free-to-play Call of Duty shooter in the Chinese market, the companies revealed this morning. "Call of Duty Online" is the name, but beyond that little is known - the image above is from the game's teaser site, and the site contains no other information (unless you're into reading legalese, that is).

That said, after two years of hearing about such a game, we've got some ideas of what it might be. For instance, Activision CEO Bobby Kotick said back in 2010 that Activision had "dedicated teams in these new markets creating content for the audiences that, to date, have only been satisfied by Blizzard games." Kotick said that the new CoD game would leverage CoD's "fantasy of being a soldier," which he said is a shared global sentiment, regardless of cultural differences. Today's news also makes those Activision URL registrations a lot more logical, eh?

Tencent apparently has the "exclusive license" to run Call of Duty Online in China, and Activision CEO Bobby Kotick is "very excited" about the game's prospects.

Update: A press release about the game says it "will capitalize on the rich multiplayer experience that the Call of Duty franchise is known for," and that it will also implement, "a new gaming model designed specifically for the Chinese market." Said model sounds like the game's free-to-play microtransaction system. "Using an in-game store, players can enhance their weapons, gear, and perks built specifically for the Chinese market," the release reads. Apparently the game is more than just online play, with "an original story told through a series of Special Operations missions based on the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare universe."

Continue reading CoD goes to China with 'Call of Duty Online,' from Activision and Tencent

CoD goes to China with 'Call of Duty Online,' from Activision and Tencent originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 03 Jul 2012 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Activision hires ex-Microsoft CFO Dennis Durkin

David Hinkle — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 11:45:00 EST

Dennis Durkin may not be a name you recognize, but for 12 years he's worked in the belly of the beast that is Microsoft as corporate VP, COO and CFO of the company's Interactive Entertainment Business. The last few years he's worked specifically in the games division. Today, Activision has snatched Durkin up, Microsoft has announced. Mitchell Koch, currently Microsoft's VP of worldwide sales and marketing, will succeed Durkin effective March 19.

Dennis Durkin will report directly to Activision CEO Bobby Kotick as the company's chief financial officer, overseeing all finances for the publisher. Thomas Tippl has served as interim CFO since 2010, when he was bumped up to COO.

Activision hires ex-Microsoft CFO Dennis Durkin originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 06 Mar 2012 11:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bobby Kotick joins Coca-Cola board, will advise on digital media

Mike Schramm — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 17:06:00 EST

Shortly after appearing in a cameo for Moneyball, Activision Blizzard CEO has picked up another choice role: He's joined The Coca Cola Company's board of directors. Kotick will help oversee the classic sugar water giant, and advise the company on its entries into digital media. Kotick also serves on a few educational institution boards, the board of directors at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and as the founder of the Call of Duty Endowment, Activision's nonprofit arm, built to support US armed forces veterans and their families. Kotick also served on Yahoo!'s board of directors previously.

In completely unrelated news, Coca Cola also announced an "online pass" for its sodas going forward: You'll get all the water and carbonation of your soda with the initial purchase, but the actual syrup flavoring will require an extra charge. Ice will require a complete subscription.

Bobby Kotick joins Coca-Cola board, will advise on digital media originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 18 Feb 2012 17:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kotick: New Call of Duty planned for 2012, Diablo 3 still launching this year [Update: Diablo 3 in Q2!]

David Hinkle — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:55:00 EST

As far as the first part of that headline goes, yeah, we know -- truly gasp-worthy. Activision head honcho Bobby Kotick revealed plans for a new Call of Duty in the company's quarterly financial report, and that Activision is aiming to grow the Call of Duty Elite service year. Activision is "hard at work on Elite 2.0 with several features to be included in the next Call of Duty release," Activision Publishing CEO Eric Hirshberg added.

Kotick also reiterated that Diablo 3 would launch this year -- though we're assuming it won't make its previous "early 2012" date, unless Activision's idea of early in the year is within the first six months. Diablo 3 has undergone a substantial beta run, and it's still underway.

"Our extraordinary employees around the world are focused on making 2012 another great year for our audience and stakeholders," Kotick said. "Blizzard Entertainment plans to have multiple highly-anticipated titles to release, including Diablo 3, and Activision Publishing expects to release a new Call of Duty game. In addition, Activision Publishing expects to continue to grow Call of Duty Elite and launch Skylanders Giants."

Update: A slide in Activision's presentation (seen above) shows the company is aiming for a Q2 launch for Diablo 3.

Kotick: New Call of Duty planned for 2012, Diablo 3 still launching this year [Update: Diablo 3 in Q2!] originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kotick: SWTOR better for Lucas than EA, Skylanders could sell out

Christopher Grant — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 14:30:00 EST

Next month, Electronic Arts will release its second title this year meant to undermine the hearty foundations of cross-industry rival Activision. Last month Battlefield 3 went "above and beyond the call" - though notably didn't go above and beyond Modern Warfare 3's sales numbers or Xbox Live rankings - and next comes The Old Republic, which hopes to provide lapsing World of Warcraft subscribers with a Star Wars-flavored MMO-ternative.

"Lucas is going to be the principal beneficiary of the success of Star Wars," Activision CEO Bobby Kotick said at the Reuters Media Summit, referring to EA publishing partner (and more importantly Star Wars license owner!) LucasArts. "We've been in business with Lucas for a long time and the economics will always accrue to the benefit of Lucas, so I don't really understand how the economics work for Electronic Arts."

Earlier this year, EA said half a million subscribers would be all it needed to make the immense investment in The Old Republic a profitable one. With more than 1.1 million players abandoning Azeroth between March and November of this year, EA won't have a hard time hitting that minimum, but longevity is the true sign of a successful MMO and something that WoW has in spades.

While analysts and investors worry about Activision's lack of diversity in its portfolio, Kotick points out that Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure has outperformed expectations and the game's superpowered figurines run the risk of selling out. "(Skylanders) are in high demand," Kotick said. "Retailers across the board are concerned that they will be out of inventory well before Christmas." But can't Santa just make more?

[Image credit: Flickr user yum9me]

Kotick: SWTOR better for Lucas than EA, Skylanders could sell out originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 29 Nov 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Why Bobby Kotick has a cameo in Moneyball: The charitable conclusion

Jessica Conditt — Sun, 07 Aug 2011 15:00:00 EST

Bobby Kotick has a lot of things, including money, notoriety and a collection of fluffy, collared sweaters, but he also has something most people overlook -- a heart. He's alive, after all, and most living people need a beating mechanism to circulate blood throughout their bodies, and Kotick is no exception (unless he really is a cyborg sent from the future who got lost in the stock market on his way to kill a teenage boy). He also, however, has a sense of compassion, at least a little bit.

Kotick has a small cameo (0:17 above) in the coming Brad Pitt movie, Moneyball, and we didn't know why he was in it -- turns out, it's all for charity. Kotick is buddies with Moneyball director Bennet Miller (Capote), who asked Kotick to be in the film. Kotick said yes, but only if Miller made a movie for the Call of Duty Endowment, Kotick's non-profit company that helps veterans transition into civilian life after their service. Kotick doesn't want a credit in the film and doesn't intend to pursue an acting career; he just wanted to help America's veterans. It's downright heartwarming.

Why Bobby Kotick has a cameo in Moneyball: The charitable conclusion originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 07 Aug 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bobby Kotick talks Guitar and DJ Hero, the fall and the coming rise

Jessica Conditt — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 16:30:00 EST

Bobby Kotick earned more than $4.4 billion through Activision Blizzard last year, which means his business success is obvious -- but so are his failures. In an interview with Forbes, Kotick described the downfall of the Guitar Hero and DJ Hero franchises with the kind of detail that can only come from lying awake every night for four years straight, obsessing over what went wrong.

"So we bought the company, and after a few iterations of the game it became one of the most successful games of all time," Kotick said. "And then we didn't really take the time that we usually take to understand audience behavior.... But we created this critically acclaimed, highly rated game -- and these are the hardest failures, when you put your heart and soul into it and you deliver an extraordinarily well received game, and nobody shows up to buy it. So that's what happened with DJ Hero. At the same time we were so excited about going down this new direction with DJ Hero, I think we abandoned a bit of the innovation that was required in the Guitar Hero franchise.

"And so it was the double whammy of DJ Hero was unsuccessful, and then Guitar Hero became unsuccessful because it didn't have any nourishment and care."

Kotick said ending the music-game franchises was a smart move, but that doesn't mean they'll be gone forever. "So we're going to take the products out of the market, and we're not going to tell anybody what we're doing for awhile, but we're going to stop selling Guitar Hero altogether," Kotick said. "And then we're going to go back to the studios and we're going to use new studios and reinvent Guitar Hero. And so that's what we're doing with it now."

Kotick promised Activision Blizzard listens to its consumers and will use fan input to innovate Guitar and DJ Hero. That Kotick plans to resurrect the series must mean some fans, somewhere, are inputting something other than "Kill it, Kotick."

Bobby Kotick talks Guitar and DJ Hero, the fall and the coming rise originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 23 Jul 2011 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Activision head Bobby Kotick positive but unsure on Vita; sees Wii U as 'really necessary' for Nintendo

Ben Gilbert — Sat, 02 Jul 2011 13:30:00 EST

When Bobby Kotick's not busy making appearances in major motion pictures alongside Brad Pitt, he heads up Call of Duty publisher Activision. And as head of one of the largest (if not the largest) third-party game publisher, what he says about the future of various consoles can have some major implications. It seems that, like Activision has done in the past with new platforms, Kotick's stance on both Nintendo's Wii U and Sony's PlayStation Vita is "very interested" with a heavy side of apprehension.

In an interview with The Guardian, Kotick spoke to his feelings on the PS Vita. "Technically, we're super excited about what we can do on it, it's really something incredible. The question is, where is the market?" While he's excited by the capability of the PS Vita, and his company has already pledged support, Kotick acknowledged the burgeoning smart phone market for games as well. "It's a really nice product and its very well differentiated from what you can get in even the most capable smartphone or tablet today," he professed.

As for Nintendo's Wii successor, the Wii U, Kotick said that Activision has had dev kits "for awhile now" and that, while Nintendo has yet to fully clarify its online system even to him, the console apparently makes "rich multiplayer games" a possibility -- a first for Nintendo, if true. As far as timing goes, Kotick stated that Nintendo's hardware reveal was a necessity. "For the kinds of games we create, it was becoming very difficult for us to support the Wii with the expectations that our gamers have ... from a development perspective, having a Nintendo device that is on parity with the other hardware from a graphics perspective was really necessary." As you might expect, Activision is apparently "very enthusiastic about it," though he wouldn't detail any specific titles in development at the publisher.

When pressed on new intellectual properties, Kotick deferred to Bungie's unannounced project, as well as "the new MMO from Blizzard" (the rarely spoken of "Titan" project). And as expected, he spoke ambiguously regarding this year's Guitar Hero franchise gutting. "Until we can deliver a really high level of innovation and tap into the high level of creativity and inspiration of the people we have making games, we won't put the products out," he admitted. "That goes for everything -- we've always subscribed to that philosophy." We're not sure that the last few Guitar Hero and Tony Hawk titles would back up Mr. Kotick's claim, but then we're not the corporate figurehead of an enormous public company.

Activision head Bobby Kotick positive but unsure on Vita; sees Wii U as 'really necessary' for Nintendo originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 02 Jul 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Brad Pitt's latest includes a cameo from ... Bobby Kotick?

Christopher Grant — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 15:50:00 EST

While you'd think the trailer for Brad Pitt's latest movie, Moneyball - being firmly ensconced in the underdog baseball archetype - would provide little in the way of surprises, a cameo at 0:58 threw quite the curveball!

... wait, is that Bobby Kotick? "We're not New York," Kotick's character, presumably a baseball franchise owner, tells Pitt. "Find players with the money we have." If you're wondering why Bobby Kotick is making an appearance as a rich white dude - admittedly, a well-cast appearance for the well-to-do CEO of Activision Blizzard - you're not alone. We reached out to Activision and a spokesperson confirmed that it was indeed Mr. Kotick and that he had been "asked to be in the movie."

We imagine it went something like this: "Who do I know that's really really really really rich?" Check out the trailer from Entertainment Tonight after the break.

Continue reading Brad Pitt's latest includes a cameo from ... Bobby Kotick?

Brad Pitt's latest includes a cameo from ... Bobby Kotick? originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 16 Jun 2011 15:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Former Infinity Ward heads seek to void original contract with Activision

Ben Gilbert — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 10:50:00 EST

The complex and claim-ridden story of Activision and Infinity Ward won't get any legal clarification for some time still, but that doesn't stop former IW heads Jason West and Vince Zampella from trying to annul their original contract with Activision. According to a GameSpot report, an amended complaint filed by the duo late last week alleges that Activision began development of "Modern Warfare and Call of Duty games and related products" without the express consent of the two men, and seeks to void the original contract they signed with Activision -- a move that would put at least partial control over the Modern Warfare brand back in the hands of West and Zampella.

"Activision did not inform West or Zampella of such plans or seek their input or approval for them. Indeed, while breaching the creative authority provisions of the MOU [Memorandum of Understanding], Activision continued to pay lip-service to them, in an attempt to mask its secret development efforts," the updated complaint reads. Furthermore, the aforementioned MOU was allegedly signed by West and Zampella with pressure from Vivendi's merger with Activision weighing on it, which West and Zampella say helped them land an agreement (detailed by the MOU) that kept them in control of the Modern Warfare brand.

The MOU, however, contained one passage that the ex-IW heads "remained skeptical" of, where the agreement would only continue as long as the two remained employed at the company. It's claimed that Activision CEO Bobby Kotick responded to this concern by saying, "Don't worry about it. It's impossible for you guys to get fired."

Former Infinity Ward heads seek to void original contract with Activision originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 04 Apr 2011 10:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Beachhead studio to work on Call of Duty 'digital platform' [update]

Andrew Yoon — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 17:12:00 EST

Did you know "about as many people have played Black Ops as there are members of Netflix?" That should, hopefully, put into perspective how massive the Call of Duty audience is -- and why Activision's Bobby Kotick is so focused on "the sustained online engagement and enjoyment of Call of Duty audiences."

Map packs have been generating big bucks for the company, so it's no surprise that Activision has created a new "wholly owned" studio, Beachhead, to work exclusively on "the development of an innovative new digital platform and special services for our Call of Duty community," Without going into specifics, Kotick said that Beachhead's role would be to "[focus] on the delivery, digitally, of new, innovative Call of Duty content and services [that] will enable tens of millions of players around the world to continue to enjoy the experience that Call of Duty offers."

This sounds like a potential subscription service, something Activision has expressed interest in the past. Since then, the company has promised "never" to charge for multiplayer. So, what could this possibly mean? More map packs? Or is Activision proving Pachter, who has long predicted subscription fees for the franchise, right?

Update: Kotick described "Project Beachhead" in further detail. The full quote is offered after the break.

Continue reading Beachhead studio to work on Call of Duty 'digital platform' [update]

Beachhead studio to work on Call of Duty 'digital platform' [update] originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 09 Feb 2011 17:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kotick: App Store and Facebook games not a 'big opportunity' for Activision

Mike Schramm — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 08:00:00 EST

"We don't view the App Store as a really big opportunity for dedicated games," Activision boss Bobby Kotick told the Global Media Summit in New York earlier this week. Much of the game industry is extremely interested in the growing mobile and social game markets, but according to Kotick, Activision believes it can reach a wider customer base by focusing on its most popular franchises and platforms. "The place where you have the opportunities for growth," he said, "is within the communities of franchises we control."

But while Activision holds off on the mobile and social markets in favor of pushing traditional franchises, competitor EA is laying all kinds of groundwork there. Opportunity, it seems, doesn't look the same to everyone.

Kotick: App Store and Facebook games not a 'big opportunity' for Activision originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 02 Dec 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bobby Kotick on the business of Call of Duty: DLC, Treyarch, Infinity Ward

Christopher Grant — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 17:00:00 EST

This is the second part of Joystiq's in-depth discussion with Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick, in which we've covered his side of the Brutal Legend situation, Activision's Bungie partnership, and why Kotick's been cast in the role of video game industry villain. Up second: The Call of Duty business, from Xbox Live to DLC to a rotating stable of development teams.

"You know, Call of Duty games probably represent more than 50% of the total Xbox Live traffic," Bobby Kotick told me when I asked him about Microsoft's recent $10 Xbox Live price hike. You see, Activision is tasked with monetizing an immensely popular online game through a traditional - and inflexible - system: a retail disc played in a video game console controlled by another company. And despite a constant refrain of Call of Duty subscription rumors, the only subscription you may pay to play it online isn't to Activision at all; it's to Microsoft.

"I think the thing that sometimes even I don't fully appreciate - and I think I have a greater appreciation for it today, having spent a lot of time up with Microsoft recently - but they invest billions of dollars in the Live platform. Billing, credit collection, things like foreign currency conversion, being able to manage point systems. All of that is extremely expensive to manage and maintain." Of course, this is all to say that it deserves something, but how do Activision and its customers factor into Microsoft's agenda?

"Because of our Blizzard experience we have an incredible understanding of how important the provision of appropriate customer service is," Kotick said, citing 2,500 World of Warcraft customer service employees for the US and Europe alone. "What we'd like to ideally see is that the investment in the subscription fees going towards the provision of a higher level of customer service [...] to see some portion of the subscription fees go towards game enhancement." Activision does enjoy a "very modest amount of the subscription fees," Kotick told us, but he's more interested in seeing any cost increase in the service go towards "directly benefitting the Call of Duty players."

Continue reading Bobby Kotick on the business of Call of Duty: DLC, Treyarch, Infinity Ward

Bobby Kotick on the business of Call of Duty: DLC, Treyarch, Infinity Ward originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 12 Nov 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Activision's Kotick on Brutal Legend drama: 'That's not really what happened'

Christopher Grant — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 19:30:00 EST

This is the first part of Joystiq's in-depth discussion with Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick, in which we cover Activision's Bungie partnership, the Infinity Ward situation, Treyarch's time in the spotlight with Call of Duty: Black Ops, and why Kotick's been cast in the role of video game industry villain. Up first: The real story behind Activision's Brutal Legend lawsuit:

In 2009, for the first time in years, E3 felt like a celebration again. The annual video game trade show had reemerged after a period of austerity, newly invigorated. For Brutal Legend, it was an especially momentous debutante's ball -- the game had suffered from delays and publisher battles, but it had finally found a suitor in EA Partners and a booth alongside Electronic Arts' other games. Then on June 4, the last day of the show, developer Double Fine got sued.

The difficult thing about lawsuits is this: None of the parties can say much. The inevitable result of that vacuum is confusion and misunderstanding. On the surface, it looked like Activision -- amidst the chaos of a merger with Vivendi and its Sierra and Blizzard games business -- simply chose to pass on Brutal Legend, leaving creator Tim Schafer and the team at Double Fine without a path to market. That's where EA Partners comes in, like a knight in shining armor. Then, perhaps in an effort to keep its biggest competitor from releasing a highly-anticipated game, Activision -- a company whose corporate persona had been portrayed as increasingly villainous in much of the gaming press -- sued the developer. During E3. The celebration.

But there was that vacuum: Double Fine couldn't say much; Activision couldn't say much; and that left Electronic Arts -- the white knight, if we're following the characterization of the press at the time -- to speak up. And the publisher did, issuing the following zinger which set the tone for the conflict:

"We doubt that Activision would try to sue. That would be like a husband abandoning his family, and then suing after his wife meets a better looking guy."

And why not? Without any other commentary, the press, readers and fans all wanted an answer. Nature abhors a vacuum and, just like that, Activision wrote its own role, as the devious, conniving villain.

Continue reading Activision's Kotick on Brutal Legend drama: 'That's not really what happened'

Activision's Kotick on Brutal Legend drama: 'That's not really what happened' originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 08 Nov 2010 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Activision and EA trade barbs over corporate cultures

Mike Schramm — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 18:05:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

Activision's Bobby Kotick and EA's Jeff Brown engaged in a little Battlefield of Duty: Corporate Warfare 2 match this week, lobbing sound bites back and forth at each other. Kotick was first, boasting in the latest issue of Edge (via Next-Gen.biz) that his company allows its studios to maintain their independent cultures; citing Treyarch, the embattled Infinity Ward and Sledgehammer Games as examples. Kotick suggested that EA doesn't offer this luxury, and that's why Activision has successfully hired developers from its competitor's ranks. "We have no shortage of opportunity to recruit out of EA," he said. "That's their biggest challenge: Its stock options have no value. It's lost its way."

Of course, Brown, EA's corp comm VP, was quick to respond: "[Kotick's] company is based on three game franchises -- one is a fantastic persistent world he had nothing to do with; one is in steep decline; and the third is in the process of being destroyed by Kotick's own hubris." Though Brown didn't clarify which franchises he was referring to, we'll throw out three names for you -- and you can play the matching game! Here goes: Guitar Hero, Call of Duty and World of Warcraft.

The two suits probably had more to say to each other, but at that point the other players muted them both, and a few seconds later the actual match started up.

Activision and EA trade barbs over corporate cultures originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 27 Sep 2010 18:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Activision joins industry chorus against proposed violent game law

Alexander Sliwinski — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 23:00:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

Activision Blizzard and CEO Bobby Kotick have released a public statement regarding the upcoming Supreme Court hearing in Schwarzenegger v. EMA on November 2. In the declaration, the top third-party video game publisher in the world aligns itself with the ESA and almost every other group that can see the ramifications against the First Amendment and all forms of media the law would have if it stands.

Kotick notes, "The sheer breadth of support exhibited by public interest organizations, civic and media groups, legislative leaders, academia and interested parties demonstrate both the importance video games have assumed in the hearts and minds of our nation and the sacredness of certain basic tenets of our Constitution. We will never give up the fight for the freedom of expression our industry deserves and we will never forget this support."

If you're curious in the list of organizations supporting the video game industry in the Supreme Court case, we've listed those who filed briefs in support of the ESA after the break.

Continue reading Activision joins industry chorus against proposed violent game law

Activision joins industry chorus against proposed violent game law originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 21 Sep 2010 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Schafer: Comedy games need a big hit before publishers will approve

Justin McElroy — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

We had always assumed that we don't see more comedy in games because nothing could ever be funnier than the end of Limbo of the Lost. But speaking with Eurogamer before his upcoming Develop Conference keynote, Grim Fandango designer Tim Schafer said the comedy boom will come when publishers start connecting chuckles with dollar signs. "The industry is imitative," he said. "A lot of people are chasing the last thing that was a big hit. What we need is a big hit comedy game. As soon as we have one, everybody will follow, of course."

Schafer also has some choice words for Activision's Bobby Kotick, but our therapist says we need to spend more time focusing on positivity.

Schafer: Comedy games need a big hit before publishers will approve originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 14 Jul 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kotick: 'there was no gray area' in Infinity Ward firings; studio being strengthened

Christopher Grant — Thu, 06 May 2010 22:31:00 EST

Bobby Kotick / image credit: dfarber

During a quarterly earnings call this afternoon, Activision CEO Bobby Kotick took the opportunity to address (what else?) the ongoing Infinity Ward situation his company is currently embroiled in. "The decision [...] to terminate the two Infinity Ward executives, was not done lightly," Kotick admitted. "And it was not done to deprive them of their bonuses, nor was it done without a great deal of deliberation about the consequences."

Those consequences have varied from lawsuits, countersuits, studio departures ("approximately 35 others have resigned and it is likely that a few more people will leave as well," Kotick said), the formation of Respawn Entertainment, to another ongoing lawsuit from the Infinity Ward Employee Group.

After calling Infinity Ward founders West and Zampella "friends," Kotick said, "Once we began to understand what had occurred, there was no gray area. There was nothing that would have allowed us to retain their services, as talented as they might have been." But even with the loss of West and Zampella, and the 35 others that have resigned, Kotick maintains, "We have a great team in place at Infinity Ward, which continues to work on downloadable content and the studio's next unannounced project."

And he wants you to know that any rumors you've heard about a closure of the studio are not only inaccurate, they're the opposite of what's really going on. "We continue to support the culture of excellence that has defined Infinity Ward and we're already strengthening the studio with additional talent and financial resources." Well, we already assumed "additional talent," what with the considerable dent in the staff and all. Read Kotick's full statement after the break.

Continue reading Kotick: 'there was no gray area' in Infinity Ward firings; studio being strengthened

Kotick: 'there was no gray area' in Infinity Ward firings; studio being strengthened originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 06 May 2010 22:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Guitar Hero 6, another DJ Hero coming this fall

Mike Schramm — Thu, 06 May 2010 18:40:00 EST

Activision has confirmed on an earnings call today that Guitar Hero 6 will be on store shelves sometime this fall, with a new DJ Hero game coming soon after. The music game market is a changing place, admitted CEO Bobby Kotick -- it will "continue to compress," with fewer titles and brands finding success. Activision has "moved from the sell-through of higher-priced peripherals," and its new plan is for "improved economics on a higher percentage of software sales."

Kotick said that Guitar Hero "remains the leader in the category with more than 44 million games sold to date," and that both releases this year would be followed with "a full lineup of exciting downloadable content."

Guitar Hero 6, another DJ Hero coming this fall originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 06 May 2010 18:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Activision CEO teases Call of Duty plans for China, Korea

Christopher Grant — Thu, 06 May 2010 18:20:00 EST

While discussing his company's plans for the grotesquely lucrative Call of Duty series, Activision CEO Bobby Kotick teased another evolution in the war game franchise: globalism. No, we don't mean the globe-trotting "narrative" of the games, but rather Activision's plans to cash in on the rest of the planet.

"The popular global fantasy of being a soldier is allowing us to enter new geographies, leveraging expertise only companies like Blizzard have in markets like China and Korea," Kotick said. "We have dedicated teams in these new markets creating content for the audiences that, to date, have only been satisfied by Blizzard games. Soon we'll announce our plans for both China and Korea."

And that's all he said before returning to a general discussion of the Call of Duty business. Is he talking about the oft-rumored Call of Duty MMO or just a global release of the existing games, using Blizzard's proven methods? Kotick says we'll find out "soon."

Activision CEO teases Call of Duty plans for China, Korea originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 06 May 2010 18:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Activision to fund costs of Bungie project, which will occupy nearly 200 staff

James Ransom-Wiley — Thu, 06 May 2010 17:45:00 EST

Reporting today on first quarter 2010 earnings, Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick devoted some airtime to the publisher's ten-year "alliance" with Bungie. Speaking to investors during a conference call, Kotick described Bungie's new IP for Activision, which is in pre-production, as "unlike anything audiences have ever seen before." He added, "Bungie will have almost 200 people working on the project, and they're excited to have their products available on multiple platforms in many countries around the world."

Later in the call, COO Thomas Tippl declined to give specific financial details about the parternship, but said, "there was no upfront payment provided." Tippl confirmed that "Activision will be funding the development expenses," and later concluded: "We expect that, as of the first release, the deal will be accretive to Activision's operating margin every year of the alliance."

To put that in Kotick terms: "So, reaching these new larger audiences will be both creatively satisfying and financially rewarding for Bungie and Acivision Blizzard shareholders."

Activision to fund costs of Bungie project, which will occupy nearly 200 staff originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 06 May 2010 17:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Call of Duty has delivered 17M map packs, but continued success 'only' through retail, Kotick says

Ludwig Kietzmann — Thu, 06 May 2010 17:32:00 EST

Speaking during an investor call today, Activision CEO Bobby Kotick reflected on the publisher's multi-pronged strategy behind the immense success of the Call of Duty franchise. A key -- but still growing -- element has been digital content distribution in the form of downloadable map packs.

"Life-to-date on the Call of Duty franchise, we have digitally delivered almost 17 million map packs, which doesn't include the PS3 Modern Warfare 2 downloadable content that just launched," Kotick said. "To date, our audiences have played a staggering 1.75 billion hours of online multiplayer Call of Duty games."

Despite this notable impact, Kotick made it clear that Activision would still lean more heavily on event-driven retail releases. "While our direct-to-consumer digital business is growing, our continued success will come only through the tremendous support of our fantastic retail partners."

Having created the "the largest video game retail launch in history" with Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, Activision isn't hasty to alter the winning plan. "We have every intention of doing this again this year with Call of Duty: Black Ops," Kotick declared.

Call of Duty has delivered 17M map packs, but continued success 'only' through retail, Kotick says originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 06 May 2010 17:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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UK game retailer claims 7,500 souls with a legal agreement prank

Mike Schramm — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 00:15:00 EST

Don't think about it, just answer: Do you really read all of those agreements and legal texts that you need to scroll through when installing a game, signing up for a service or buying something online? Really? 7,500 people either don't, or they don't care about their eternal salvation, because UK video game retailer Gamestation could now legally own 7,500 souls if it wanted to. On April 1, it added a clause to its legal purchase agreement that granted the company "a non transferable option to claim, for now and for ever more, your immortal soul," and 7,500 game buyers happily clicked to agree.

The company was just April Fooling -- the claims have been legally renounced, and worried patrons can click through to the website to get their soul back (and a special discount code for their trouble). But next time, you should probably read the fine print a little more closely.

UK game retailer claims 7,500 souls with a legal agreement prank originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 16 Apr 2010 00:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EA: Activision shot its prize horse

Justin McElroy — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 22:15:00 EST

We're fully ready to stop caring about the whole EA/Activision/Infinity Ward split nonsense, but until Larry King's divorce gets even mildly scintillating, there really aren't many choices out there. So here's this: Upon the news that Activision was raising its Q1 fiscal outlook based on strong sales of Modern Warfare 2 DLC, EA spokesperson Jeff Brown told IndustryGamers, "This is kind of like announcing: The race horse I shot last month has won the Triple Crown!" [emphasis his].

You know, we're all for internet civility, but you've got to admit, that's pretty funny, right? We think even BK would be like "Ahh, you got me, JB. You got me."

EA: Activision shot its prize horse originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 15 Apr 2010 22:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Activision raises Q1 fiscal outlook thanks to WoW, MW2 map pack

Alexander Sliwinski — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 10:46:00 EST

Activision Blizzard raised its March quarter sales outlook today, expecting approximately $1.1 billion in revenues. CEO Bobby Kotick noted that the company is doing well due to continued demand for World of Warcraft (naturally) and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. He also stated that the company benefitted from the "record breaking launch" of the Modern Warfare 2 "Stimulus" map pack, which he claimed was originally expected to debut in the June quarter.

Kotick remains cautiously optimistic about the next couple of quarters due to the economy and because "the majority" of Activision Blizzard titles aren't expected to launch until autumn. The company plans to announce the financial details of its better-than-expected March quarter on May 6.

Activision raises Q1 fiscal outlook thanks to WoW, MW2 map pack originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 15 Apr 2010 10:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Activision reshuffles execs in US, UK; layoffs result

Ben Gilbert — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 10:31:00 EST

According to "internal memos" acquired by the LA Times, Activision has switched up more of its executive positions, in addition to the change in position for Thomas Tippl, who is currently co-serving CFO/CCO/COO (enough acronyms?). A representative for the company told the LA Times, "We realigned our structure to better reflect our slate and marketing opportunities and direct our resources against the largest, most profitable business segments," without directly confirming a claimed 15 layoffs in the US.

The report claims that, in an email from company head Bobby Kotick, Activision revealed that business head Mike Griffith will now serve as vice chairman and adviser to Kotick, while Thomas Tippl's new job is detailed as "the only executive reporting directly to Kotick" (and overseer of Blizzard head Mike Morhaime). Heading up licensed game properties will now supposedly be Dave Oxford, in addition to Maria Stripp taking over "all internally owned titles besides Call of Duty and Blizzard games" (CTO Steve Pearce and product head Steve Ackrich are temporarily overseeing the CoD franchise).

Further, MCV confirmed with Activision that the corporate reshuffling will result in changes in the publisher's UK division as well, though no specifics are available at this time. The site claims to have independently confirmed UK layoffs have already occurred, and we've reached out to Activision for clarification on both reports.

Source - Activision Blizzard quietly hits reset button [latimes.com]
Source - Activision UK to restructure [MCV]

If you're with Activision or a former employee and would like to speak with Joystiq regarding the company's situation, please feel free to contact us. (Your tips will remain confidential. Please leave a valid email address in case we have further questions. Thank you!)

Report: Activision reshuffles execs in US, UK; layoffs result originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 31 Mar 2010 10:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Activision CEO Bobby Kotick's full DICE speech, Jack Thompson says 'Gotcha!'

Alexander Sliwinski — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 14:00:00 EST

[Elisabeth Caren]

Activision CEO Bobby Kotick's speech at DICE was certainly a highlight of this year's convention. The polarizing figure took the stage and spoke his mind -- whether it was for better or worse was a topic of debate for the rest of the show. Some saw it as humanizing the demonized executive, who makes no apologies for running an efficient and profitable company (especially in this economy), while others couldn't believe that PR ever let him take the stage with what seemed like a fairly off-the-cuff speech.

Disbarred attorney Jack Thompson took the opportunity to send California State Senator Leland Yee (and the entire press) a letter declaring "Gotcha!" to a section of Kotick's speech. Using a piece he read on GamePolitics as a springboard, Thompson writes that Kotick's admission that the executive would still be really into video games if it didn't run the risk of interfering with his life and running a major publisher is an "admission [that] flies in the face of video game industry spokespersons' false, sometimes perjured assertions, that video games do not affect the behavior of minors. Here is a full-grown adult (at least in chronological terms) admitting just the opposite."

In context, though, Kotick's admission is more in line with many adults, who have responsibilities to balance along with enjoying video games. Kotick recognizes he has an addictive personality -- noting as much about enjoying food -- so he keeps his gaming in check. Watch the full Kotick speech, and read Jack Thompson's letter, after the break. Kotick mentioning why he doesn't play games at the level he did in his youth begins at the 11:30 mark.

Continue reading Activision CEO Bobby Kotick's full DICE speech, Jack Thompson says 'Gotcha!'

Activision CEO Bobby Kotick's full DICE speech, Jack Thompson says 'Gotcha!' originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 21 Feb 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Activision CEO Bobby Kotick gets introspective at DICE, shares business regrets

Alexander Sliwinski — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 21:45:00 EST

Wearing a zippered pullover, jeans and not looking at all like the CEO of Activision Blizzard, Bobby Kotick delivered a deliberately human speech at DICE today. Part autobiographical story about his start in the games business, part contrition, the Kotick who spoke at DICE conveyed the sense of a misunderstood über executive with a business to run, admitting that he's made mistakes during his time. Surprisingly, Kotick admitted that although he doesn't play very many games today (because it would affect his responsibilities), he still has callouses from playing Defender back in the day and he still wakes up in the middle of the night and sees the words like "Open door with gate key."

For his anecdotes of business regret, Kotick reiterated the story of missing out on buying Blizzard for $7 million, and it turns out he had another opportunity pre-World of Warcraft to buy it for $700 million -- the final price tag was considerably more. He also mentioned missing out on buying Maxis while Will Wright was working on "Jefferson," which eventually turned out to be mega-franchise The Sims. Another acquisition that could have gone quite differently was that when Activision was looking at purchasing Guitar Hero from RedOctane, he stated that he didn't look in Harmonix's direction, which he felt was "somewhat a failed developer of music games." Kotick alluded that had he taken the trip to Boston to meet Harmonix, the "world of Guitar Hero would have been rewritten."

The softer side of Kotick also took the opportunity today to clarify his oft-quoted "take all the fun out of making video games" statement. He explained that at the time he was trying to be humorous talking to investors and was just trying to express that the company was fiscally responsible and has a "commitment to excellence." However, even as Kotick brought the love, he stayed clear of mentioning the recent layoffs, capping his presentation with the announcement of the indie games competition.

[Image credit: Elisabeth Caren]

Activision CEO Bobby Kotick gets introspective at DICE, shares business regrets originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 18 Feb 2010 21:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kotick announces Activision's half-million dollar indie games competition [update]

Alexander Sliwinski — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 15:46:00 EST

[Elisabeth Caren]

Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick, dressed in a zipper pullover and jeans, announced at DICE that his company will sponsor an independent video game competition. Details were practically nonexistent, and he seemed to make it sound like the idea was a whim he had on the drive from the airport, but there's apparently "up to $500,000" up for grabs.

We're currently following up with Activision and will get out the details out as soon as we know more.

Update: Activision has posted a short announcement document (copied after the break) on its consumer site.

Continue reading Kotick announces Activision's half-million dollar indie games competition [update]

Kotick announces Activision's half-million dollar indie games competition [update] originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 18 Feb 2010 15:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Activision expresses interest in subscription-based Call of Duty

David Hinkle — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 18:40:00 EST

Infinity Ward may have tried to distance itself from the rumors about the Call of Duty franchise going down Subscription Lane[TM], but Activision head honcho Bobby Kotick said otherwise during the publishing giant's recent earnings call. "If you think about the success that we've had in other product categories on subscription, you can get a sense of the direction that we want to take that franchise," he said.

It's by no means a confirmation that you'll be Oscar Mike to the Inn before heading into the Den of Eternal Bunnyhoppers or whatever. But if there's anything Activision is good at, it's learning how to make more money from the massive amounts of money it's already made -- and subscription-based games generate the cash money on a monthly basis.

Activision expresses interest in subscription-based Call of Duty originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 10 Feb 2010 18:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Activision reports $113m in profits for 2009; 2010 game plan is predictable

James Ransom-Wiley — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 18:05:00 EST

Today Activision Blizzard reported the financial results of its December quarter and the entire 2009 calendar year. For the year, Activision recorded a net income of $113 million, a modest turnaround from the $107 million in net losses for the company in 2008. Led by sales of Modern Warfare 2, all signs -- at least, this one -- pointed to an outstanding Q4 for the publisher. However, figures released today indicate that Activision actually posted a $286 million net loss during the period.

"Despite these challenging times, in 2010 we remain focused on expanding operating margins by growing our high-margin digital/online revenues, directing our resources to the largest and most profitable opportunities and realizing operational efficiencies globally," CEO Bobby Kotick said. "In calendar year 2010, we expect our net earnings and operating margin growth will be driven by our product slate that includes Blizzard Entertainment's Starcraft II and the World of Warcraft expansion pack, Cataclysm, as well as a diversified lineup based on Activision Publishing's best-selling franchises including Call of Duty, Guitar Hero and Tony Hawk, together with other well-known titles such as True Crime, Spider-Man and Bakugan."

While few details were give about Activision's pending slate of sequels, spinoffs and possible reboots, Mike Griffith, President and CEO of Activision Publishing, did share a few words about the next True Crime game. "We'll be releasing a game in the $4 billion action genre, based on our True Crime franchise," Griffith said. "The game blends intense Hollywood-style driving with martial arts combat and shootouts to deliver an Asian cinema-inspired action thriller. This is a big open-world action game that looks especially strong." Griffith also confirmed that a new 007 game is still in the works for 2010.

Additionally, Activision noted that two new IPs are in development for its 2010 lineup and assured that additional DLC will continue to be released for Guitar Hero 5 (and presumably Band Hero), as well as for DJ Hero. The next installments in both music game franchises, Guitar Hero and DJ Hero, are due in "the back half of the year," according Griffith. Activision also announced that it has ceased developing new Guitar Hero games for the PlayStation 2 platform. Aw, shucks.

Activision reports $113m in profits for 2009; 2010 game plan is predictable originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 10 Feb 2010 18:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Interview: Dan Amrich of Activision community site One of Swords

Justin McElroy — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 09:15:00 EST

We don't envy Dan Amrich. From the moment we heard the former OXM editor was taking on the unenviable task of putting a human face on corporate monolith Activision -- through community site One of Swords -- we've been pressed to imagine how anyone could tackle such a Herculean task. It's a great compliment to Amrich, then, that after his first interview with us, he's almost convinced us that he'll be able to pull it off.

What specifically is One of Swords? Are you One of Swords?

One of Swords is my gamer identity. I had been thinking of changing my gamertag for a little while, and when I went looking around for something else that had personal meaning, I hit on this, and the new project came up around the same time. But then I realized, okay, this can also be the name of an editorial website; this can be my home on the web. So OneOfSwords is really its own bloggy entity, a platform/portal to all the podcasts and interviews and videos and journalistic style things I want to do here.

Continue reading Interview: Dan Amrich of Activision community site One of Swords

Interview: Dan Amrich of Activision community site One of Swords originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 22 Jan 2010 09:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kotick to keynote DICE Summit Sessions

JC Fletcher — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 23:00:00 EST

Last time we heard from Activision CEO Bobby Kotick, he was explaining how terrible one of his company's franchises was. He's previously joked about increasing prices even further. If you want to be there when he issues his next great Quotick, you should go to the DICE summit -- or, barring that, wait five minutes for shocked journalists to pass it along.

The Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences announced that Kotick will open the Summit Sessions with a talk about "how creative talent drives the video game industry." That is, creative talent who is not having any fun.

"Activision Blizzard is home to some of the most talented developers in our industry and we are thrilled to have Bobby's insight on how great games are built upon great talent," AIAS president Joseph Olin said. Kotick's talk will take place Thursday, February 18.

Kotick to keynote DICE Summit Sessions originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 21 Jan 2010 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nathan Drake hoping to take home more shiny trinkets at AIAS awards

Mike Schramm — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 21:20:00 EST

We're in the thick of awards season, and video games are no exception. The Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences has announced its finalists for the 13th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards ("The 'Racties" -- we're kidding but that's what they should be called), and, as you might have guessed, award hog Uncharted 2: Among Thieves leads the pack with 15 nominations. The rest of the nominees include more of the usual suspects from 2009: Assassin's Creed II with 10 noms, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 with nine and Batman: Arkham Asylum with eight. This year's awards also features three new categories, including Outstanding Achievement in Game Design and Portable and Social Networking Games of the Year.

You can find a list of selected categories and their nominees after the break, or check out the Academy's full list in PDF form. The awards will be given out at the DICE Summit on February 18 in Las Vegas, where Activision's Bobby Kotick is scheduled to keynote. We can only guess that he'll go all Kanye on the podium if Modern Warfare 2 doesn't win.

Continue reading Nathan Drake hoping to take home more shiny trinkets at AIAS awards

Nathan Drake hoping to take home more shiny trinkets at AIAS awards originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 21 Jan 2010 21:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kotick: Activision's Spider-Man games have 'sucked'

JC Fletcher — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 22:00:00 EST

Activision CEO Bobby Kotick didn't just talk up the DJ Hero franchise in his recent Game Informer interview. According to Destructoid, he also disparaged the quality of his company's Spider-Man games.

"Our Spider-Man games have sucked for the last five years," Kotick said, inadvertently revealing that he must not have played either the 360/PS3 or DS Web of Shadows games. "They are bad games. They were poorly rated because they were bad games."

As for why they sucked: "We went away from what is Spider-Man," Kotick said. "It's about web-slinging. If you don't do web-slinging, what is the fantasy of Spider-Man?" Since this is Activision, we can speculate about how the company will focus on web-slinging: By packaging a special "web shooter" controller with the game in a big $120 box. And, of course, a new developer will be involved with whatever happens with the franchise since next-gen Web of Shadows dev Shaba Games is no more.

Kotick: Activision's Spider-Man games have 'sucked' originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 19 Jan 2010 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Activision missed opportunity to buy Blizzard for $7m

Alexander Sliwinski — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 21:00:00 EST

Activision CEO Bobby Kotick mentioned in a recent interview that he could have bought World of Warcraft developer Blizzard Entertainment back in the mid-'90s for a mere $7 million -- instead of having to do that whole $18 billion deal 12 years later. Speaking with Game Informer, the polarizing executive notes that during a dinner in 1995 he was shocked that another company bothered to buy Blizzard for $7 million. That year, Kotick says that Activision had about $60 million in revenue.

The executive thought at the time that his dinner companions were "out of [their] minds." In fairness, Blizzard only really had Lost Vikings and Warcraft in those relatively early years of the developer. It's actually Blizzard founder Mike Morhaime who is probably kicking himself more (financially speaking) now, as Kotick relays that Morhaime told him recently,"Yeah, could you imagine if I had just held out for the seven billion instead of the seven million?'"

Activision missed opportunity to buy Blizzard for $7m originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 19 Jan 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kotick: Activision 'sticking with' DJ Hero franchise

JC Fletcher — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 13:19:00 EST

We know that Activision is planning a second DJ Hero game -- thanks to David Guetta and word that Activision is looking for some new talent. Now we've heard confirmation of the game from the same source that semi-officially revealed the first game: Activision CEO Bobby Kotick.

Kotick justified the development of a sequel to the less-than-hit music game in an interview with Game Informer. "I think DJ Hero is a really innovative product," he said. "I can't wait for you to see next year's. That's the thing; we're sticking with it. We'll stick with it and get it right. But it's going to be less games, better games. That's our strategy."

That's right -- somehow, Kotick managed to use an annual DJ Hero sequel as proof of a "less games, better games" strategy. We suppose it is noteworthy that Activision's only doing one DJ Hero this year, given that 2009 saw six Guitar Hero games.

Kotick: Activision 'sticking with' DJ Hero franchise originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 18 Jan 2010 13:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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