Activision Is Platform Agnostic, Says Kotick

[Logan Westbrook]

Activision Is Platform Agnostic, Says Kotick

Kotick says he sees opportunity in every platform and doesn't mind shelling out a little to widen Activision's net.

According to Activision CEO, Bobby Kotick, the publisher does not play favorites when it comes to platforms, and remains neutral at all times. What's more, he added that anything that could run Activision-made content was potentially of interest to the publisher.

Speaking during a conference call that accompanied the recent earnings report, Kotick said that as long as a device had a processor and a display, and was capable of delivering an experience that Activision's audience would enjoy, then the publisher was willing to invest in it. He was also seemingly unconcerned about the costs involved in getting Activision games on new platforms, saying the likes of Nintendo and Microsoft invested billions of dollars into producing hardware that made Activision games possible, and that they deserved to be compensated for it.

While Kotick's comments make a nice change from the usual quotes that are attributed to him, he's likely to take some heat from gamers for saying that Activision doesn't favor one platform over another. Despite Kotick's comments that Activision would put a game on anything that could run it, the publisher has been criticized recently for ignoring social and casual gaming [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/108658-Ngmoco-Sees-Rocky-Road-Ahead-for-Activision ].

Additionally, the complaints [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/107163-Gaming-Advocacy-Group-Reports-Black-Ops-to-UK-Government ] about the PS3 and PC versions of Call of Duty: Black Ops stemmed from the belief that Treyarch and Activision had devoted the majority of the resources to the Xbox 360 version of the game, as thus delivered a lesser experience on other platforms. Whether these accusations of favoritism towards the Xbox 360 are true or not, the perception that they're true isn't really diminished by the timed exclusivity deal that Activision has with Microsoft for Black Ops DLC.

Source: Gamasutra [http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/34574/Activisions_Kotick_Stresses_Importance_Of_Remaining_Platform_Agnostic.php?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+GamasutraNews+%28Gamasutra+News%29]











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[Togs]

You see I read this and Ijust picture him rubbing his hands together, dollar signs in his eyes.

"What else can I leech the lifeblood out of today?"

 

[Bags159]

Never would have guessed that Kotick was only interested in money. Though if that's true then there really shouldn't be any favoritism unless one platform is a smaller market.

Nintendo and Microsoft invested billions of dollars into producing hardware that Activision games possible, and that they deserved to be compensated for it.

Proofreading is a good skill to have.

inb4 haters.

 

[Marter]

Whether this these accusations

...typo, right?

OT: Funny, but I don't play many of their games anyway. Don't really like Call of Duty, and that's the big selling point for them right now. I hope that this statement is true, but it does seem that they play favourites -- if only just a little.

 

[Lt. Vinciti]

You see I read this and Ijust picture him rubbing his hands together, dollar signs in his eyes.

"What else can I leech the lifeblood out of today?"

No, I think he always looks like that....

 

[Tartarga]

You know some people consider watching clothes spin around in the dryer entertaining, maybe he could find a way to make money off of that.

 

[Denamic]

I don't think 'agnostic' means what you think it means.

 

[Hyper-space]

Wait, wasn't the PS3 version rated the highest? i only played the PC and PS3 version myself and i thought the PS3 version was the shit.

 

[vxicepickxv]

Additionally, the complaints [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/107163-Gaming-Advocacy-Group-Reports-Black-Ops-to-UK-Government ] about the PS3 and PC versions of Call of Duty: Black Ops stemmed from the belief that Treyarch and Activision had devoted the majority of the resources to the Xbox 360 version of the game, as thus delivered a lesser experience on other platforms. Whether this these accusations of favoritism towards the Xbox 360 are true or not, the perception that they're true isn't really diminished by the timed exclusivity deal that Activision has with Microsoft for Black Ops DLC.

I don't play Black Ops, but I would like to point out that the majority 360 development was done because it's faster, cheaper, and easier.

 

[Atmos Duality]

I don't play Black Ops, but I would like to point out that the majority 360 development was done because it's faster, cheaper, and easier.

Well, Activision obviously spent that extra money on providing better support for the PC and PS3 versions of the game...

...oh wait.

 

[Zipa]

Wait, wasn't the PS3 version rated the highest? i only played the PC and PS3 version myself and i thought the PS3 version was the shit.

I know a few console users that have used my PC to play BOPS and they all pretty much said that the difference was incredible as it seemed that the PC ran the game much smoother and better than the consoles.

 

[Quellist]

While i dont like Kotick this is a good attitude for a company to have, even if he only believes this because he can make more profit out of it.

I find 'xxx console only' games just tend to piss off a lot of people.

 

[Hyper-space]

Wait, wasn't the PS3 version rated the highest? i only played the PC and PS3 version myself and i thought the PS3 version was the shit.

I know a few console users that have used my PC to play BOPS and they all pretty much said that the difference was incredible as it seemed that the PC ran the game much smoother and better than the consoles.

The PC version crashed for me too many times and when i try to change the settings, the screen flashes yellow, dunno what the hell is going on.

 

[beema]

Except for that Activision very obviously favors Xbox 360, you know like by releasing things month(s) ahead on that platform over the PS3 and PC.

Also, "agnostic" is completely the wrong term here.

 

[Assassin Xaero]

Bullshit. I've heard (never wasted the money on) the PC version of MW2 and BLops were horrid console ports, and if they don't play favorites, why does 360 always get everything first? Hmm?

 

[squid5580]

While i dont like Kotick this is a good attitude for a company to have, even if he only believes this because he can make more profit out of it.

I find 'xxx console only' games just tend to piss off a lot of people.

Is there any better reason for a ceo of a company to believe that? He does run a company not the toyshop at the north pole. What is with "they make games so they shouldn't worry about profits" mentality?? What makes developing games any different from any other company?

 

[JoshGod]

Criticized for ignoring casual gaming, I consider CoD to be casual gaming. Also why is he trying to say he favours no console when realistically he does, whichever is cheaper/brings in more money.

 

[DTWolfwood]

anyone else thinks this is a most obvious statement?

Bullshit. I've heard (never wasted the money on) the PC version of MW2 and BLops were horrid console ports, and if they don't play favorites, why does 360 always get everything first? Hmm?

Activision plays favorites to whoever gives them more money. Microsoft pays for the timed exclusives

and its probably the cheapest to develop on the 360 first and port it, than to waste money co-developing for each platform. Highly doubt its due to favoritism tbh. But hey you could be right too ^-^