EA Makes Nice With Activision and Modern Warfare 3

[Andy Chalk]

EA Makes Nice With Activision and Modern Warfare 3

Electronic Arts suddenly and for no reason wants to make nice with Activision and Modern Warfare 3.

A quick refresher course:

"[Battlefield 3] is designed to take that game down... [We] think we've got the better product." - John Riccitiello, April 2011 [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/109072-EA-CEO-Battlefield-3-Is-Designed-to-Take-COD-Down]

"It's the beginning of the war [between Battlefield 3 and Modern Warfare 3] and [Kotick] recognizes they're going to be threatened... If that's all he's got to say, it's obviously going to evaporate as we launch all three. If you went to our press conference, you saw the PS3 footage and the Xbox footage. If Bobby thinks that is PC footage, he's in real trouble." - John Riccitiello, June 2011 [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/111005-EA-Chief-We-Got-Koticks-Goat-With-Battlefield-3]

"Welcome to the big leagues Eric - I know you're new in the job but someone should have told you this is an competitive industry... You've got every reason to be nervous. Last year Activision had a 90 [percent] share in the shooter category. This year, Battlefield 3 is going to take you down to 60 or 70. At that rate, you'll be out of the category in 2-3 years." - Jeff Brown, August 2011 [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/112486-EA-Slings-More-Mud-at-Activision]

Oh, but what a difference a week makes, particularly when it's the week following the launch of Modern Warfare 2 [http://www.amazon.com/Battlefield-3-Xbox-360/dp/B003O6G5TW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1320173410&sr=8-1] in its first day.

And now EA seems to be singing a bit of a different different tune. "We all respect what Call of Duty brings and what they're going to come with. Right now we're out in the market, and that's all I know. When they come out, they come out, and I wish them the best of luck," Executive Vice President Patrick Soderlund told IGN [http://ps3.ign.com/articles/121/1211242p1.html?]. "They're partners in this industry, and I play all their games and I look forward to many of them, and all I can do is try and make sure that people stay interested and want to have more Battlefield."

Bit of a far cry from hoping the series "Modern Warfare 3 [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/112398-Activision-Not-Impressed-By-EAs-Name-Calling] comes out on November 8 for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC, Wii and Nintendo DS.


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[Smooth Operator]

I wonder, did BF3 not sell enough and they need some extra publicity on the double?

 

[kayisking]

It's too bad that a company acting professionally is newsworthy these days.

 

[Mumorpuger]

It's too bad that a company acting professionally is newsworthy these days.

Sega does what Nintendon't.


Those were the fun days.

 

[MetallicaRulez0]

The average gamer doesn't like a game designed around camping bushes and camping vehicle spawn points so that he has a chance.

No offense to Battlefield, I'm sure it's fun, but that was the impression I got from the beta. Either you camped or you died repeatedly. That's just no fun.

 

[Irridium]

EA just wants MW3 on Origin so it can nab a bit of its profits.

 

[Just_A_Glitch]

I think this is just EA's way of saying, "The game didn't bomb, so now we can act civil."

They think they've won, or at least are winning. While they may not have outsold Black Ops, they probably feel that the people who bought Battlefield won't be buying MW3 (a few of my friends are of that mentality), so they don't expect MW3 to sell as well as past CoD games.

They're cocky. At least, that's how I perceive this.

 

[ckam]

I suppose that means EA (Battlefield 3, I think) admits defeat before they get owned in sales by Activision (Modern Warfare 3, right?). Let it be known that I'm not a fan of either series, but I'm just interested in the actions of the "responsible" parties. It just seems like EA found out that the sales figures didn't match with what their expecting and their just making themselves look as mature as possible so they don't completely look like immature idiots. Still, the smart ones know what's going on.

 

[zombie711]

why is the wii getting MW3 if we never got MW2

 

[Baresark]

I'm not sure... maybe people don't realize this but... EA is run by a bunch of manchildred.

EA just wants MW3 on Origin so it can nab a bit of its profits.

HAHA, that is my exact thought. As soon as I found out about Origin I thought to myself, "well, if they want Origin to come close to being as successful than Steam, they had better curb that." And they didn't. And now they moved quite a few units, but not enough to match MW2's first two days and they all of the suddenly look stupid.

 

[SovietSecrets]

I hear your game is going to get outsold EA.

 

[Jandau]

Well, the trash talk was there to hype their own game up. Now that it's out and is selling rather well, there's no need to be rude anymore.

 

[Eggsnham]

What is it with companies who make good games acting like total douchebags about everything?

Bethesda goes to court over something stupid with Mojang for an example off the top of my head, and EA's been getting progressively douchier over the years about their rivalry with Activision.

 

[Sizzle Montyjing]

If you're going to be boastful dicks at least go the whole hog...
Oh, but this is amusing, i might actually feel justified in buying BF3 and MW3, MW3 because i want a fun, fast-paced shooter, and BF3 because i want a really good multiplayer experience of which the developers have hopefully learnt fromtheir douchey marketing.

 

[XaVierDK]

In my head, it's two different people who said two very different things... One is respectful of the competition, the other is a total douchebag, and therefore a CEO...
Anyway, my point is, maybe their "less than expected" sales in the first week (seriously, we are a sick and twisted society, if 5 millions in sales is unimpressive... It's the same as almost 85% of my country's population buying a copy!), have caused them to feel like trying to talk nice about their competition, but to my ears, it sounds more like a couple of represetatives of the company are trying to smooth over the smack-talk some ill-adviced co-workers gave earlier...

Best Regards...

 

[.No.]

Why is the Wii getting MW3 if we never got MW2?

It's being made by Treyarch, who made the CoD 4 port for the Wii. Might as well also port this one I guess.

 

[Canadamus Prime]

If they think this is going to be enough to get them out off my blacklist, they're sadly mistaken.

 

[wooty]

Note that its all different people saying the different things, I like the last guy. Not saying that hes "admitting defeat" to MW3, but its nice to see someone involved in shooters not descending into the retarded depths of tribalism which blights this genre....and the gaming side of the internet as a whole.