- Xbox 360 ››
- Simulation ››
- Guitar Hero 5
Activision CEO wants to 'take the fun out of making games'
- September 16, 2009 00:46 AM PST
- Email this!
CEO Bobby Kotick cheerfully promised to remain profitable, deliver content without a console, and "take all the fun out of making video games."
Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick spoke yesterday on the future of games as an industry at the Deutsche Bank Securities Technology Conference in San Francisco.
According to a summary posted by GameSpot, Activision has considered removing Guitar Hero as a franchise from the console cycle in favor of delivering content directly to your TV. "Expect many of our products to be playable independent of a console," warned Kotick, suggesting that in the future players may be able to stream a game like Guitar Hero directly from their PC to a high-end television with wireless capabilities.
Games like Guitar Hero may no longer be available on consoles after this generation.
"I think what the untethered Guitar Hero does is equal the playing field a little more and give you some leverage with first parties when it comes to downloadable content and the business model," said Kotick. He later suggested that offering Guitar Hero as pure downloadable content enabled Activision to expand the social gaming experience by adding features like Facebook functionality, but was quick to reassure the audience that games would continue to be developed for console release as long as there was a compelling reason to do so.
Kotick further suggested that one of the reasons Activision Blizzard has remained profitable during times of economic hardship has been his emphasis on turning a profit irregardless of the consequences, citing an incentive program for employees that "really rewards profit and nothing else."
Robert Kotick believes pessimism and fear are good for business.
"We have a real culture of thrift," claimed Kotick. The CEO championed his no-nonsense approach, claiming that focusing on a game's prospective profit margin and establishing a corporate culture of "skepticism, pessimism, and fear" regarding the recession has been a successful business strategy.
"You have studio heads who five years ago didn't know the difference between a balance sheet and a bed sheet who are now arguing allocations in our CFO's office pretty regularly," said the CEO.
"The goal that I had in bringing a lot of the packaged goods folks into Activision about ten years ago was to take all the fun out of making video games."
Kotick may be blunt, but at least he's honest about his business practices. Game development might be fun, but it's still a business. As long as Activision keeps cranking out great games, I can't complain.
More Top GamePro Stories
Comments [23]
-
- Jump To Page:
- [ 1 ]
- 2
- 3
- 3
-
- Sep 15 2009 at 01:38:29:PM PST
-
wow this makes me not like activison....mw 2 is the last game im gonna buy from them.ever.
- Vote:
- Down
- Up
- +3
- report user
Well, I'll be selling my Activision stock. No console support = Bankrupcy. Plus I don't how many more Guitar Hero games I can take. I got World Tour for Christmas last year and haven't hardly touched it.
- Vote:
- Down
- Up
- +3
- report user
I can understand wanting to make some cash and have a succesful buisness...but..goadamn!! what a dick!...i was gonna get MW2 on pc to try out my new rig(nothing to fancy..but sweet)..but..fuck that..go die Kotdick!...i hope someone shits on your doorstep!........-cough- i'll br buying Diablo 3 tho................dick!
- Vote:
- Down
- Up
- +2
- report user
Seriously, this is just a dumb move. All of my TV ports are filled with came systems or other video systems, and I don't like having to move my TV to unplug something that is already there just to play a few songs in guitar hero. I definitely will be avoiding All of Activision's games now.
As for Blizzard games, I will still be buying them since they are still 2 separate companies. I can't fault blizz's developers for the stupidity of Activision's management even if they all share the same roof now.
- Vote:
- Down
- Up
- +2
- report user
I cant blame the man for tring to keep a steady profit during this recession but taking away console games will make activision go bankrupt real fast and wanting to thake the fun out of making games is just fucking retarded it will just make games boring and will turn the gaming industry into nothing
- Vote:
- Down
- Up
- +3
- report user
If they only "untether" music games then I could care less and it would probably help them sell better if people don't need to buy a console first. I stopped supporting GH after GH3 which was the first and only one I bought.
- Vote:
- Down
- Up
- +0
- report user
If this was still going make games for consoles like XBOX 360. This be fin way to get extra money. And it be for poeple that only want GH6 and not planing to get other game for a gaming console. but come on man. At less make some console version. So rest of us can play it. Well dude you just gived the crowned to ROCK BAND. Becoues they will be the only reall music game in the market.
- Vote:
- Down
- Up
- +0
- report user
