Bobby Kotick wants people to know that he's actually a decent guy, but the Infinity Ward guys and Tim Schafer? They're totally jerks.
Activision CEO Bobby Kotick seems to be taking swings at just about everyone these days. Earlier, it was revealed that the man isn't above taking potshots at his competition in the videogame industry. Now, it turns out that he doesn't have a problem saying unkind things about people he's worked with, either.
In the same interview with Edge Magazine that Kotick criticized game publisher Electronic Arts, he also discussed - vaguely - what happened with Infinity Ward's executives and - specifically - his feelings on Tim Schafer.
According to Kotick, Infinity Ward's Vince Zampella and Jason West were fired because "We didn't have any choice!"
Kotick didn't explain the specifics about what happened, but he painted a broad picture in which he appeared as the victim of some shady behavior and all but accuses the two executives of stealing from Activision. "The frustrating thing about that is," he told Edge, "the stuff that these guys did, I never would have expected them to do. We're a public company, we've got ethics obligations, and the things they did were... I would go to jail if I did them."
"You can't use the company and the company's assets for your own personal benefit, and you can't use the leverage that you might have for personal benefit - you're not allowed to do that! And so we didn't have any choice."
"It shook my belief in two specific people, who were my friends," Kotick said.
"The guy comes out and says I'm a prick," he said.
"I've never met him in my life - I've never had anything to do with him. I never had any involvement in the Vivendi project that they were doing, Brütal Legend, other than I was in one meeting where the guys looked at it and said, 'He's late, he's missed every milestone, he's overspent the budget and it doesn't seem like a good game. We're going to cancel it.'
"And do you know what? That seemed like a sensible thing to do. And it turns out, he was late, he missed every milestone, the game was not a particularly good game..."
Reading through the entire interview, it feels like Kotick is finally trying to do some damage control after years of being perceived as one of the principle villains of the videogame industry. Whether or not this attempt to repair his reputation pays off remains to be seen, but I'm not sure bashing a whole bunch of people is the best way to do it.
Kotick, this is a stain that will not come out no matter how much you try and wash it, And rubbing it with other foods doesn't help. I see your point but I see nothing that the Infinity Ward guys did wrong. Tim Schaefer, he made a... all right game. Could have been better, but it probably would have been better if you didn't drop him out of development.
Calumon: Jack, if he keeps saying bad things, you aren't going to go Super Saiyan, are you?
Brutal legend a bad game? Wut /end fanboyism HAHAHAHAHAH He tries to justify his actions against infinity ward by saying that some of their members are criminals? Dear god all he needs to do now is pollute the enviroment and a he'll be a Captain Planet villian with all the greedy corporation stuff he does.
Bobby Kotick just needs to shut the fuck up. Seriously, if he shut his goddamn mouth for a couple of years, most people would forget about him, and Activision wouldn't be perceived as being evil. Then they could do whatever kind of shady shit that they want without telling us about it, like everyone else does. This man should either be fired or forced to wear duct tape on his mouth at all times. That is the only way Activision will get a better reputation.
Well to be honest he can trash talk all he wants. Every else feels its right to insult him publically and as such he has a reason to insult them back.
Also I would probably would have quit Brutal Legend when I had the chance if he was missing important milestones and such. Also its hardly his fault if it was mainly Vivendi trying to get it back.
All in all, he knows what the masses want and gives it to them even if to the hardcore gamers that makes him the devil in human form.
Wow. Who pissed Kotick off this month? There's a story about this every three days or so. Kotick talks so much shit his esophagus is classified as a bio hazard zone.
"I've never met him in my life - I've never had anything to do with him. I never had any involvement in the Vivendi project that they were doing, other than I was in one meeting where the guys looked at it and said, 'He's late, he's missed every milestone, he's overspent the budget and it doesn't seem like a good game. We're going to cancel it.'
"And do you know what? That seemed like a sensible thing to do. And it turns out, he was late, he missed every milestone, the game was not a particularly good game..."
To be totally fair, this part does actually make sense. That's just how business works.
Of course, that still doesn't explain why they sued Schafer for turning to EA.
They've also never explained exactly what the IW guys did that was so awful. Doesn't he notice that he refuses to go into specifics as to what West and Zampella did, while IW's story describes in great detail how Activision withheld their bonuses (even using exact numbers)?
As much as Activision needs him (he apparently knows what he's doing), I'm just surprised that he hasn't figured out that no one likes it when he talks.
So if he had done what they did, he'd be in jail. Then why aren't they in jail? Wouldn't saying that encourage an investigation, and wouldn't that also imply that Kotick was guilty of obstruction?
"I've never met him in my life - I've never had anything to do with him. I never had any involvement in the Vivendi project that they were doing, other than I was in one meeting where the guys looked at it and said, 'He's late, he's missed every milestone, he's overspent the budget and it doesn't seem like a good game. We're going to cancel it.'
"And do you know what? That seemed like a sensible thing to do. And it turns out, he was late, he missed every milestone, the game was not a particularly good game..."
Yeah, but he's also capable of not appearing as a complete cock-end 100% of the time. Unlike Kotick, who seems to live on pure hatred (In direct contrast to Valve, who live on love. And the irritation of everyone waiting for Ep3.)
"I've never met him in my life - I've never had anything to do with him. I never had any involvement in the Vivendi project that they were doing, other than I was in one meeting where the guys looked at it and said, 'He's late, he's missed every milestone, he's overspent the budget and it doesn't seem like a good game. We're going to cancel it.'
"And do you know what? That seemed like a sensible thing to do. And it turns out, he was late, he missed every milestone, the game was not a particularly good game..."
To be totally fair, this part does actually make sense. That's just how business works.
Of course, that still doesn't explain why they sued Schafer for turning to EA.
They've also never explained exactly what the IW guys did that was so awful. Doesn't he find it a little suspicious that he refuses to go into specifics as to what West and Zampella did, while IW's story describes in great detail how Activision withheld their bonuses (even using exact numbers)?
As much as Activision needs him (he apparently knows what he's doing), I'm just surprised that he hasn't figured out that no one likes it when he talks.
well legally i dont think he can say what the IW guys did, cause there is a court case involved, and if he did say, he could get the case thrown out or jail time.
I'm beginning to think that this guy is perfectly aware of the public perception of him, and is purposely perpetuating it. He's such a character, and every time he opens his mouth all it does is drum up awareness of the Activision brand. There is no way in hell the few people who actually stop buying Activision products (like I have) will effect the bottom line, with the money train of WoW, the Guitar hero/rhythm game loyals and the big chunk of Call of Duty gamers that are most likely oblivious to video game politics. (Not to generalize there, but every CoD player I know of in real life really doesn't give a shit about too much else gaming wise.)
If only there was a way for everybody to tune out this increasingly obvious PR stunt.
Dude, Kotick really must like the taste of his own feet... I mean, to get such a bad reputation then come out and continue to bash others? If you really are this great and wonderful guy you say you are, why not just do the whole Pope John Paul - Dude who Shot him "I forgive you." and let it be?
Denamic: This guy is such an asshole that 'asshole' doesn't quite cut it. Frankly, it's an insult to assholes. We need a new word to describe this man.
Hmm... I've got it! Kotick! That man is such a Kotick.
That is a great idea. That should be in the next dictionary.
What gives this douchebag the right to diss Tim Schafer? The guy has made some of the best adventure games known to gaming. He has Grim Fandango and Psychonauts under his belt. Even if Brutal Legend wasn't the masterpiece hoped for (I also doubt the game's poor reviews are because of one guy), I'm pretty sure Activition doesn't have a perfect track record, either.
Virgil: You know who probably dislikes Kotick the most? The Activision PR department.
I imagine they start drinking at 10 AM and just don't stop.
But seriously, though? Kotick is a businessman. He's a good businessman, too. He's just really bad at self-censoring.
so you approve of all this?
at the risk of sounding pretentious ,bros, i personally think kotick isn't the problem in the gaming ''industry'', more like a distraction or a focus of petty hate and raeg of a cynical consumer.
ultimately, he serves the share holders/investors, if he doesn't please them by returning a profit they can easily pull out and encorage other investors not to invest.
"And do you know what? That seemed like a sensible thing to do. And it turns out, he was late, he missed every milestone, the game was not a particularly good game..."
Bobby Kotick's Trash Talking Spree Continues
Bobby Kotick wants people to know that he's actually a decent guy, but the Infinity Ward guys and Tim Schafer? They're totally jerks.
Activision CEO Bobby Kotick seems to be taking swings at just about everyone these days. Earlier, it was revealed that the man isn't above taking potshots at his competition in the videogame industry. Now, it turns out that he doesn't have a problem saying unkind things about people he's worked with, either.
In the same interview with Edge Magazine that Kotick criticized game publisher Electronic Arts, he also discussed - vaguely - what happened with Infinity Ward's executives and - specifically - his feelings on Tim Schafer.
According to Kotick, Infinity Ward's Vince Zampella and Jason West were fired because "We didn't have any choice!"
Kotick didn't explain the specifics about what happened, but he painted a broad picture in which he appeared as the victim of some shady behavior and all but accuses the two executives of stealing from Activision. "The frustrating thing about that is," he told Edge, "the stuff that these guys did, I never would have expected them to do. We're a public company, we've got ethics obligations, and the things they did were... I would go to jail if I did them."
"You can't use the company and the company's assets for your own personal benefit, and you can't use the leverage that you might have for personal benefit - you're not allowed to do that! And so we didn't have any choice."
"It shook my belief in two specific people, who were my friends," Kotick said.
Meanwhile, regarding Tim Schafer - specifically, how Schafer called Kotick names earlier this year - the CEO was less than kind.
"The guy comes out and says I'm a prick," he said.
"I've never met him in my life - I've never had anything to do with him. I never had any involvement in the Vivendi project that they were doing, Brütal Legend, other than I was in one meeting where the guys looked at it and said, 'He's late, he's missed every milestone, he's overspent the budget and it doesn't seem like a good game. We're going to cancel it.'
"And do you know what? That seemed like a sensible thing to do. And it turns out, he was late, he missed every milestone, the game was not a particularly good game..."
Reading through the entire interview, it feels like Kotick is finally trying to do some damage control after years of being perceived as one of the principle villains of the videogame industry. Whether or not this attempt to repair his reputation pays off remains to be seen, but I'm not sure bashing a whole bunch of people is the best way to do it.
Source: Edge via Eurogamer and Eurogamer
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