Activision Studios to Focus on One Game at a Time

[Atmos Duality]

I can only imagine what a summary memorandum looks like in Activision right now.

"Here is a solid 4 year business plan:
1) Emphasize one game. Put out a polished title in an already popular genre to the exclusion of everything else. Needs focus group testing and targeted marketing to maximize future gains.
2) Once the franchise has been chosen, build a cluster of games around that name but emphasize one central title to carry it all.
3) Create centralized multiplayer component, offer intangible incentives to customer (possible free/cheap DLC). Put them in our playground and turn them loose.
4) Create sequels to the central title, migrating more and more away from the single player experience each time. Create gaming network to keep the customer in our territory with our sponsors and advertisements and away from competitors'.
5) Launch massive multiplayer-only title. Charge small monthly fee, hike slowly at a rate of 50 cents per year. Do not exceed minimum wage threshold with rate (1 hour to play 1 month works well and is still immeasurably profitable for us over time. Reinvest with interest).

6) Find new franchise, start from Step 1."

 

[Yureina]

Activision can do what they want. I still won't buy their games. I will admit however that trying to get studios to put more focus into their games by having them work on one at a time could be beneficial, but I can't help but see this as yet another scheme in the works to try to have these people squeeze money out of gamers who are already ticked off at these people.