Bobby Kotick strikes back!

[JobivanHiob]

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/94711-Bobby-Kotick-Wants-to-Take-the-Fun-Out-of-Making-Games

"We have a real culture of thrift," he said. "The goal that I had in bringing a lot of the packaged goods folks into Activision about 10 years ago was to take all the fun out of making video games."

And then, to ensure there was no confusion in his message, he added that he has tried to instill "skepticism, pessimism, and fear" of the economic downturn into the corporate culture at Activision. "We are very good at keeping people focused on the deep depression," he said.

What an Huge *******! :mad: But an honest one. :(

If he continues with this he will become the new Jack Thompson!

[StrikerMan780]

Bastard doesn't deserve to run a game company. If I were to work at a studio, I want to enjoy my work, otherwise, IT AIN'T F*CKIN WORTH IT, NOW IS IT? Greedy mother ****s, ruining the video game industry beyond repair. All the corporate SWINE care about is lining their own pockets with gold, and driving their workers like slaves.

That guy's reasoning is flawed, if the worker is not having fun, and not being enthusiastic about their work, their performance is gonna be a hell of a lot worse, I can ******* guarantee it.

[Commando Nukem]

Wow. That guy... Reminds me of George Soros.

[ReadOnly]

Oh, come on. Like he's somewhat different than the others... At least he's honest.

Plus I see his point. Take out the fun because fun is a changeable thing. People aren't having "fun" working in some office or at the factory. Well, they might, but not because of the work itself. And because of that, their personal lifes can't distract them in a vital way from their work. But if the artist is having a hard time then his work will suffer from this since it is emotion driven.

[Echo Black]

I love how you don't even have to picture a stereotypical douchebag. He looks like one of these caricature CEOs you'd see on a webcomic like Penny Arcade:

http://img24.imageshack.us/img24/1263/douchebagzy.jpg

[JobivanHiob]

uh yeah lets post some pics of him...like back in the day with Jack Thompson!

http://www.ripten.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/bobbysaystimeoff.jpg

http://cache.kotaku.com/assets/resources/2008/03/scorpio.jpg

---------- Post added at 09:55 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:25 PM ----------

I finally know the truth why Activision is selling songs for 2 freaking € per song! I'll never buy your downloadable songs for Guitar Hero Bobby!!!! :mad:

http://www.vg247.com/2009/09/15/kotick-explains-how-to-sell-a-50-game-and-get-500-out-of-it/

[Sang]

[/COLOR]I finally know the truth why Activision is selling songs for 2 freaking € per song! I'll never buy your downloadable songs for Guitar Hero Bobby!!!! :mad:

http://www.vg247.com/2009/09/15/kotick-explains-how-to-sell-a-50-game-and-get-500-out-of-it/

It's a good business strategy and you as a customer have the choice to buy it or not. €2 per song might be a little bit on the steep side but it's not like it makes him the Devil Incarnate.

Would you feel any different if he had said "charging money for expansion packs to Guitar Hero ensures our survival and allows us to bring you more Guitar Hero content"?

I could understand if the normal standard Guitar Hero game would come out incomplete, but I don't know if that's the case. If the standard package is great on its own, asking a price for expansions is not that unreasonable.

[ZuljinRaynor]

I hated Activision before it was cool. :cool:

[Hudson]

Wow a douche in the industry, say it ain't so :p

[Jiminator]

well, seeing how sales have dropped the joke is on him. this is also what happens when you get one company buying up all the others. with no competition there is no incentive to price competitively. The solution is simple, if you disagree with his stance, don't buy his games, buy the competition instead.

[ReadOnly]

If the game is great, I'm sure wouldn't care whether or not it was published by the Devil himself.

[JobivanHiob]

^so true... back in May I even said I won't buy a Take 2 game again! The reason I'll still buy Mafia 2, GTA games, Bioshock 2 is why I'm not buying the devil I'm buying the game! :P

[Monkey Butler]

People aren't having "fun" working in some office or at the factory.

Factory workers and the majority of office workers aren't in creative jobs though. You tell an author to focus on deadlines and profit margins and you'll wind up with another dozen Dan Brown novels. And nobody wants that.
Everyone says it, but the Pixar business model makes so much sense I don't understand why more people don't follow it. "Quality is the best advertisement". You don't have to break new ground with every single title, but do it well, and it'll make money. Treating people like ants isn't conducive to that at all.

[Steve]

What's this!? PEOPLE ARE HAVING FUN AT WORK!? How fuxing dare they!

[Water12356]

This thread was getting out of hand. Please stay on topic, or this thread might not be here for much longer.

[ReadOnly]

Factory workers and the majority of office workers aren't in creative jobs though. You tell an author to focus on deadlines and profit margins and you'll wind up with another dozen Dan Brown novels. And nobody wants that.


Apparently, Bobby does.

I'm not saying that I agree with him, but I see his point and what he wants. He haven't said something truly outragious. He was just being honest and utopic.

[Orochi Avlis]

A look back at things said. (http://www.geeks.co.uk/7282-activision%E2%80%99s-bobby-kotick-hates-developers-innovation-cheap-games-you)

[Echo Black]

A look back at things said. (http://www.geeks.co.uk/7282-activision%E2%80%99s-bobby-kotick-hates-developers-innovation-cheap-games-you)

See? It's amazing how he fits the "evil bean counter" stereotype to a tee. All that's missing is the cigar-chomping.

[prophecy holder]

Bastard doesn't deserve to run a game company. If I were to work at a studio, I want to enjoy my work, otherwise, IT AIN'T F*CKIN WORTH IT, NOW IS IT? Greedy mother ****s, ruining the video game industry beyond repair. All the corporate SWINE care about is lining their own pockets with gold, and driving their workers like slaves.

That guy's reasoning is flawed, if the worker is not having fun, and not being enthusiastic about their work, their performance is gonna be a hell of a lot worse, I can ******* guarantee it.

Some people don't get the opprotunity to have a job they like. Some of us have to get a job that we despise just to pay the bills, You got to do what you got to do.

Sucks being a middle class citizen.

Back on topic:

The video game industry is going down a slippery slope.

[Kalki]

“In the last cycle of videogames you spent $50 on a game, played it and took it back to the shop for credit,” he told attendees. “Today, we’ll you a $100. You might add a microphone or drums, you might buy two or three expansions packs, different types of music. Over the life of your ownership you’ll probably buy around 25 additional song packs in digital downloads. So, what used to be a $50 sale is a $500 sale today."

“And the best of all margins – the 25 percent operating margin business – has the potential as we can see with World of Warcraft to be a 50 percent operating margin business. What used to be a low 20s return on invested capital business is now growing to a plus 40 percent return on invested capital business.”

Explains StarCraft 2.

[Monkey Butler]

I agree, but you kinda hope that Blizzard has the integrity to include enough value to justify 3 full-priced games. There will definitely be complainers, but if (and I don't think that's too big an 'if') each full-priced game has the content of the entirety of SC1, then where's the beef? Seems to me it would be like people are looking at SC2 as akin to, say, paying full price for the HL2 episodes, when really they should be looking at it as akin to, I dunno, Halo 1, 2 and 3 - you get a full single player campaign (but only part of the full story) and 100% functional multi in each game, and there's really no need to buy all three if you don't care about the full story.

[ReadOnly]

How much do add-ons cost? Because "new campaign" is pretty much an add-on if graphics and everything else remains the same.

[Monkey Butler]

Well, what about the shift from Command & Conquer to Red Alert? The engine was the same, some of the units were the same, it played more or less the same, but there was a new campaign and you played as new sides.
I think it's the value that you get out of a game that's important - you may be paying full price for what some consider an expansion pack, but if that pack includes a 20+ hour campaign with full production values then I'm not going to complain. I think of the Guitar Hero series in the same way - Activision may be shamelessly milking the franchise, but as long as each version of the game is fully featured that's their prerogative. GH: Metallica or GH: Van Halen or GH: Shitty Boyband Songs may just be effectively add-ons to a particular GH game, but if you're getting your moneys worth, what's the problem?

[Pansa]

Well, what about the shift from Command & Conquer to Red Alert? The engine was the same, some of the units were the same, it played more or less the same, but there was a new campaign and you played as new sides.
I think it's the value that you get out of a game that's important - you may be paying full price for what some consider an expansion pack, but if that pack includes a 20+ hour campaign with full production values then I'm not going to complain. I think of the Guitar Hero series in the same way - Activision may be shamelessly milking the franchise, but as long as each version of the game is fully featured that's their prerogative. GH: Metallica or GH: Van Halen or GH: Shitty Boyband Songs may just be effectively add-ons to a particular GH game, but if you're getting your moneys worth, what's the problem?


well, you could just look at the numbers kalki posted.
they basicly imply that
a) these numbers stem from more effective resourcemanagment, which would support Kotick's claim that fear and angst are effective in a creative environment.
b) they found a succesful way to charge us more for the same
c)the growth stems from something unrelated (like the growth of the market in general.)

it might even be that a) is fully untrue but is masked by b) , and b) isn'T defined only by "good" ways.

i guess kotick likes to think that a) is true without actualy testing that theory, and imho no way to achive b) is to be concidered "wrong".

which reminds me of something meant ironicly but wasn't.
a political party made an ironic add about the predjudices people hold against their members and voters, one of the things being "we want "believe in the healing powers of the market" to be a religion on facebook".

which was actualy not very ironic to begin with, and after thinking about it, it actualy would make sense ^^. Because i think its quite a blind faith^^.

[ZuljinRaynor]

How much do add-ons cost? Because "new campaign" is pretty much an add-on if graphics and everything else remains the same.

I'm assuming the StarCraft 2 Expansions will be $40 (or $30, but I doubt it). The base game will be $50. And of course they will be chock full of goodies.

[ReadOnly]

Imagine Bobby's reaction if it goes through...
http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o66/rassele/captainkirk8sx.gif

http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/23/rumor-microsoft-looking-to-take-over-ea/

[JobivanHiob]

Imagine Bobby's reaction if it goes through...
http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o66/rassele/captainkirk8sx.gif

http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/23/rumor-microsoft-looking-to-take-over-ea/

LMAO

wow this thread gets some serious business!

ActivisionBlizzard and MicroElectronics SoftArts

whos left? Ubisoft, THX...and some minor. :o

[ReadOnly]

Take-Two Interactive :)

[JackpotDen]

I offer £50 for the person who brings me the severed head of Bobby Kotick.

How do you put out a proper bounty on someone's head?

[wayskobfssae]

Plus I see his point. Take out the fun because fun is a changeable thing. People aren't having "fun" working in some office or at the factory. Well, they might, but not because of the work itself. And because of that, their personal lifes can't distract them in a vital way from their work. But if the artist is having a hard time then his work will suffer from this since it is emotion driven.

Actually... if a worker is having LESS fun, he/she is even MORE likely to start daydreaming, which could weaken the end product, and result in wasted hours. If your job owns, it's something you look forward to and will put your heart into. If your job sucks, AND on top of that, you have a prick like that guy as a boss, not only will your heart not be in it, but you're going to do just enough to get your paycheck, and no more.

[ReadOnly]

I'm saying not about when the job sucks or owns. Something in between is the right amount.

Btw, ask yourself a question why do people work? To have money. And it is the right mentality to do just enough to get your paycheck. Because if you're doing more and your paycheck remains the same then you're just working for free for the company. I don't want to do that.

[prophecy holder]

I offer £50 for the person who brings me the severed head of Bobby Kotick.

How do you put out a proper bounty on someone's head?

Put word out on the street and if your job sucks you will put less effort into it just to get the money (that's just commen sense). Some people work not to get money, but to be around others or just to do something (money to them is a bonus) so they don't go insane.

[Monkey Butler]

Btw, ask yourself a question why do people work? To have money. And it is the right mentality to do just enough to get your paycheck. Because if you're doing more and your paycheck remains the same then you're just working for free for the company. I don't want to do that.

So, so wrong. If you've got that attitude you're in the wrong field of work.

[Pansa]

I'm saying not about when the job sucks or owns. Something in between is the right amount.

Btw, ask yourself a question why do people work? To have money. And it is the right mentality to do just enough to get your paycheck. Because if you're doing more and your paycheck remains the same then you're just working for free for the company. I don't want to do that.

some people work to create something or achieve ssomething.
the problem is that latly the only "something" that is rated well in society as a whole is "money" that's a problem.
because capitalism projected on the workforce concludes "do as little as possible for as much money as possible" that creed does not breed an effective workforce, and enhances overhead.

[Sang]

I'm saying not about when the job sucks or owns. Something in between is the right amount.

Btw, ask yourself a question why do people work? To have money. And it is the right mentality to do just enough to get your paycheck. Because if you're doing more and your paycheck remains the same then you're just working for free for the company. I don't want to do that.

You know I love you, ReadOnly, but that post is full of shit.

[Echo Black]

Btw, ask yourself a question why do people work? To have money. And it is the right mentality to do just enough to get your paycheck. Because if you're doing more and your paycheck remains the same then you're just working for free for the company. I don't want to do that.

Some people are fortunate enough to work on what they love and because they enjoy doing it, not just "to have money". And a lot of people work on projects and other undertakings without even earning a dime, simply out of passion. Sorry if it doesn't apply to you.

[ReadOnly]

I know. :love:

OK, perhaps that was a hypocrisy on my part. Perhaps, that was just my wishful thinking to be like that. Because I do care about what I do at the work. Because otherwise most of the stuff I've done at work wouldn't have been done since no one actually asked me to do this or cared.

Some people are fortunate enough to work on what they love and because they enjoy doing it, not just "to have money". And a lot of people work on projects and other undertakings without even earning a dime, simply out of passion. Sorry if it doesn't apply to you.

If they working without earning a dime then it's a hobby, not work.
And would you go to work if you could receive N(=your current wage) dollars per month without working? I'm certainly wouldn't. Of course, there are other reasons, but when it comes to the main reason, it's the money so you could eat, be healthy, buy clothes and enjoy your true hobbies. If your work is also your hobby then good for you. But for most people that's not true. And they rather wouldn't lose that much time working.

[ZuljinRaynor]

Only if you love to work hard or are a workaholic will you do more than you have to at something you don't enjoy.

[Sang]

when it comes to the main reason, it's the money so you could eat, be healthy, buy clothes and enjoy your true hobbies. If your work is also your hobby then good for you. But for most people that's not true. And they rather wouldn't lose that much time working.

This is true but the part that makes your post bullshit is where you state that "I'm just gonna work to the minimum of what is asked so I can get my money because I hate this job" is a good mentality. A better mentality would be "I'll see about getting a different job" or "I'm gonna try to make my job seem less shittier somehow" or "I'm gonna get a different education".

On the other hand there are those jobs that almost nobody wants to do but that need to be done, so if we apply my idea of a "better" mentality there... that's not gonna work.

So we do need unmotivated people with depressing jobs :p

[ReadOnly]

Hold on there. I wasn't saying about doing as less as possible. I was saying about not doing something way more. Because employer could then try to use you even more without trying to raise wage. You wouldn't be rewarded for this. Work normally and that's all.

Some people are working frequently overtime. Are you saying I should take a cue from them?

[wayskobfssae]

Hold on there. I wasn't saying about doing as less as possible. I was saying about not doing something way more. Because employer could then try to use you even more without trying to raise wage. You wouldn't be rewarded for this. Work normally and that's all.

That's a problem in management as well as at the employee level. If effort goes perpetually unrecognized, then whoever is in charge doesn't even deserve to be there.

However, effort is rather important, especially in the art industries. It's also important in things like sales. You're much more likely to be able to sell services to a client, if you work for a company you actually give a crap about. And that's not to do with whether or not you want money, that's to do with what your mind/heart knows about the company.

---------- Post added at 03:15 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:11 PM ----------

If your work is also your hobby then good for you. But for most people that's not true. And they rather wouldn't lose that much time working.

Yeah, and the people who have in all likelihood worked their asses off to get a position in a job that is actually their hobby, deserve far more than to have some thick-walleted prick step in and decide that your career, that you've spent years of your life getting an education for and plan on spending the rest of your life in, shouldn't be fun anymore.

Art & industry have always butted heads in this case. But even the "evil ones" at the top floor of the skyscraper see loss of fun as little more than an unfortunate bi-product of pushing for more productivity. I've never heard of anyone going out of their way to take the fun out of working.

On the other hand there are those jobs that almost nobody wants to do but that need to be done, so if we apply my idea of a "better" mentality there... that's not gonna work.

So we do need unmotivated people with depressing jobs :p

A great paradox of telling EVERYONE they need to go to college. You end up with 100,000 very sharp precision knives and then 95% of them get used for nothing for their entire existence besides breaking boulders.

Anyway, that rant aside, some people can even enjoy shitty jobs. Maybe just because they're weird, or because they've just found a way to make it feel better. Most of us at least once, have encountered a janitor pushing a mop down the hallway while whistling a chipper tune.

[ReadOnly]

Btw, "Kotick" in russian means "male *****-cat". And it's an awesome word. So at least, he has a good name.

P.S. No, it doesn't mean you know what. :X
P.P.S. What the hell? I can't say *****cat?

[Rider]

If any other CEO exhibited as much contempt for his or her customers as Kotick has, their company would surely expect to face negative feedback or even a consumer boycott. But you just know that nothing like that will happen here.

The gaming “community” just doesn’t have the will or the organisation to, say, boycott Modern Warfare 2, and that – even more than Kotick’s comments – makes us truly sad.

I'd say go ahead and boycott Activision products. Screw another installment of Guitar Hero, too bad about Modern Warfare 2 but if that's what it takes to shove some shit down this guy, and this entire line of thought's throat then so be it. We'll be better off for it.

[ReadOnly]

I actually can dump GH and MW2. Don't care about StarCraft2 or WoW.

But I've just ordered Wolfenstein...

On the other hand, I don't care about online play. Which was, it seems, essential in CoD's success and longevity as of late.

[wayskobfssae]

I'd say go ahead and boycott Activision products. Screw another installment of Guitar Hero, too bad about Modern Warfare 2 but if that's what it takes to shove some shit down this guy, and this entire line of thought's throat then so be it. We'll be better off for it.

How often do boycotts ever work though? Boycotts only worked pre-globalization. There's just far too many potential customers who have no chance at encountering each other to even know there's something dubious going on, let alone convincing everyone to actually think the boycott is worth it.

Besides, I think Vietnam taught people that protests accomplish jack shit, no matter how organized your cause is.

[Sang]

Besides, I think Vietnam taught people that protests accomplish jack shit, no matter how organized your cause is.

Not comparable. Boycotting Activision doesn't require you to stop working (well, unless you work for them but you know) or to sacrifice free time. Meanwhile Activision will receive economic damage. This is all theoretic of course but if everyone joins in, boycotting a company is easier than boycotting a government.. After all the latter requires you to stop working, which hurts the government but also hurts you.

[Pansa]

Most of us at least once, have encountered a janitor pushing a mop down the hallway while whistling a chipper tune.

When Kotick sees one he's all like "look at that guy wasting coorporate resources on personal pleasure"

[Monkey Butler]

Besides, I think Vietnam taught people that protests accomplish jack shit, no matter how organized your cause is.

Yes, if there is one thing to be learned from the Vietnam war, this is it. :doh:

[ReadOnly]

After all the latter requires you to stop working, which hurts the government but also hurts you.

Why boycotting Activision doesn't hurt you? Of course, not in the aforementioned way, but still you boycott the games that you would like to play. Cause boycotting, say, Square Enix if you don't play jRPGs anyway is not really boycotting.

Of course, if you're not planning to pirate them. Which is somehow unfair in this "boycott" thing.

[Sang]

Of course, not in the aforementioned way, but still you boycott the games that you would like to play.

A small price to pay.

Cause boycotting, say, Square Enix if you don't play jRPGs anyway is not really boycotting.

lol wut? Sorry but how is this analogy relevant?

[ReadOnly]

^Huh?

For example, I don't care about CoD or Wolfenstein or Guitar Hero. I don't care for the games that Activision/Blizzard is selling. So, if I choose to boycott AB it would be the same if some PC-only guy that never played asian/console RPGs decided to boycott Square Enix which primary publish various console RPGs.

[TBZ]

For every Activision published game you guys don't buy, I'm gonna buy 3, starting with MW2, and the increased pricetag for the PC version.

[ReadOnly]

Oh, I'm so gonna buy MW2. :)

[Steve]

For every Activision published game you guys don't buy, I'm gonna buy 3, starting with MW2, and the increased pricetag for the PC version.

Put me down for four!

[TBZ]

Put me down for four!

For four on the floor with some flour next to the door?! :o

[Hyperactive Slob]

So if I don't buy it and then you buy 3 can you send me one of those copies? Please .....

[TBZ]

No, I will destroy the extra 2 copies, because I can.

[wayskobfssae]

A small price to pay.

I'd think so too, but most don't. In the minds of modern humans, ANY inconvenience, no matter how small, is far too great for them to bother with. It's like those "one green thing per day" campaigns... how many people actually follow through with them? Convenience these days, is far more important to people. This is how Walmart has taken over. Their stuff is crap, but people go for the convenience of only having to shop in one store for everything.

Yes, if there is one thing to be learned from the Vietnam war, this is it. :doh:

Thank you for taking what I said completely out of context.



Disclaimer: The preceeding message, "Thank you for taking what I said completely out of context", in no way reflects a hatred or disdain for any race, religion, nationality, government, or cause... the only exception being Monkey Butler's unprecedented desire to make me look like a complete ass.

[Steve]

For four on the floor with some flour next to the door?! :o

o_O


O_O

[ZuljinRaynor]

No, I will destroy the extra 2 copies, because I can.

Oh, but when I destroyed my copy of Warhammer Online, you cried.

[TBZ]

Oh, but when I destroyed my copy of Warhammer Online, you cried.

Because you had no copy left. I would still have one copy left if I destroyed 2 out of 3.

[Sang]

For example, I don't care about CoD or Wolfenstein or Guitar Hero. I don't care for the games that Activision/Blizzard is selling. So, if I choose to boycott AB it would be the same if some PC-only guy that never played asian/console RPGs decided to boycott Square Enix which primary publish various console RPGs.

Ah - yeah that would be pretty silly. It's also kind of silly that you're posting in this topic at all then if you don't care about any of this..

[ReadOnly]

Why do you think I don't care? It was just for example. I'm gonna buy MW2 and I've ordered Wolfenstein. Not gonna buy GH5, though.

[Pansa]

Why do you think I don't care? It was just for example. I'm gonna buy MW2 and I've ordered Wolfenstein. Not gonna buy GH5, though.

well THAT kind of example usualy is indicated by conditional clauses.

as in
"for example, if i didn't care for ...."

"for example, i don'T" implies that you actualy do not care, and "you not careing" IS the example.

[prophecy holder]

How often do boycotts ever work though? Boycotts only worked pre-globalization. There's just far too many potential customers who have no chance at encountering each other to even know there's something dubious going on, let alone convincing everyone to actually think the boycott is worth it.

Besides, I think Vietnam taught people that protests accomplish jack shit, no matter how organized your cause is.

Remember the montgomery bus boycott?

[wayskobfssae]

Remember the montgomery bus boycott?

Aye, but as I mentioned, they DO work locally. In a global economy though it's impossible. Sure a company may lose money, but when you have THAT many customers, the boycott becomes about as effective as removing water from a lake with a spoon.

[Pansa]

Aye, but as I mentioned, they DO work locally. In a global economy though it's impossible. Sure a company may lose money, but when you have THAT many customers, the boycott becomes about as effective as removing water from a lake with a spoon.

especialy if the boycotted party can easely shift blame instead aknowledging problems.
- its the pirates
- its a dying concept
- the devs are at fault
- bad economy

power of the market is only true if it works for you.
If it actualy works like it should for once, its easier to ignore that, and blame someone else.

[ReadOnly]

"for example, i don'T" implies that you actualy do not care, and "you not careing" IS the example.

Point taken. Should have been clearer.

[wayskobfssae]

especialy if the boycotted party can easely shift blame instead aknowledging problems.
- its the pirates
- its a dying concept
- the devs are at fault
- bad economy

power of the market is only true if it works for you.
If it actualy works like it should for once, its easier to ignore that, and blame someone else.

And heck, knowing how f'ed up the system is these days, they could probably write it off on insurance or something. Just get a lawyer to convince them the boycott is a form of "sabotage" or something.