Kotick insults indie developers..except Bungie

[Maul]

Can we get a bashing activision/kotick subforum please?

[dejai]

I write indie games in my spare time does that make me non existant? I certainly hope not. I would like to inform you us indie game developers are still alive and kicking even if we get bullied off the PC, PS3 and WII. We are going strong in the mobile market we practically made the iphone what it is and on the xbox360. Not everyone wants a gun ho gears of war or god of war clone people are over that it is about innovation and getting back to what makes games fun!

[hyde]

Valve is indepedent. It's not even on the stock market. There is no "Parent company" . There is no "contracts" or anything. The closest thing they have is that they publish their games physically through a partnership with EA. But they can release whatever the hell they want on STEAM.

It's soley owned by this one man.




How is that not independent? They used to have a publishing agreement with Sierra --- > Vivendi Games ---- > Birth mother to Activision Blizzard.

Then they had a huge lawsuit and won publishing rights for HL2. Developed Steam and have a friendly system for indie guys who want to license the Source Engine for profit.
Not to mention the amount of Indie games that have been born/sold/gone successful on the STEAM platform.

Valve is independent and shits on anything Activision has published.




P.S.

*facepalm*

This is why I say away from OT.

Then leave :P . You know what I said is true. I've personally bought Modern Warfare 2 (Though my first and LAST COD product in my life) to see what it was about - and give a fair judgment on something. Half the forums here moaned and bickered about StarCraft 2....jeez how many of them DON'T have a SC2 license on a battle.net account? I don't know what you want to do.
But personally I think discussion about Blizzard's other half side is fair, especially since he has influence over Blizzard indirectly. I could care less if he fired everyone at Bungie (kidding..but HALO is overrated). But I believe that Blizzard has changed indefinitely from your neighborhood friendly game dev to your friendly neighborhood crack dealer.

Anyways, it was a reply to Pando - it seems like you're ripping me out of context and pinning me to the wall as a prime example of the greatness of "Off Topic"

[TheRabidDeer]

Valve is indepedent. It's not even on the stock market. There is no "Parent company" . There is no "contracts" or anything. The closest thing they have is that they publish their games physically through a partnership with EA. But they can release whatever the hell they want on STEAM.

It's soley owned by this one man.


How is that not independent? They used to have a publishing agreement with Sierra --- > Vivendi Games ---- > Birth mother to Activision Blizzard.

Then they had a huge lawsuit and won publishing rights for HL2. Developed Steam and have a friendly system for indie guys who want to license the Source Engine for profit.
Not to mention the amount of Indie games that have been born/sold/gone successful on the STEAM platform.

Valve is independent and shits on anything Activision has published.

VALVe is a corporation. They are not an independent company. Find me a single reference anywhere that says that VALVe is an independent game developer. Its true that they arent supported by a publisher though, but thats because they dont need one. What you are saying is something akin to saying that Microsoft is an independent software developer.

[Dean63]

Among those bothered by Kotick's talk was former Bungie executive vice president, and
current president of Atomic Games, Peter Tamte. He sent Kotaku this Letter to the Editor
which, as we've done sometimes in the past, we're running here in its entirety..

Mr. Kotick:
You were quoted saying that Bungie is the last remaining high quality independent
developer. As a former executive vice president of Bungie, I need to tell you: If this is true,
you're screwed.

Activision and every other big publisher have grown by acquiring independent developers.
The industry needs a constant supply of new independent developers to buy because
they're the ones creating innovative games that become franchises.

Gears of War. Portal. Borderlands. None of these games re-hashes the same old
formulas. They innovate. And, they're made by independent developers, of course.

So, we challenge you.

You've called Activision the industry's online leader. If you think the newest Call of Duty
online experience is that innovative, let players buy just the online part of Call of Duty
Black Ops and charge them a fair price.

In fact, we'll make you a deal. Let consumers buy just the online part of Call of Duty, and
we'll give you a starring role in our new online game, Breach. Trust me, starring in your
own videogame would give you huge street cred. We've even mocked up a screenshot to
show you how cool you'd look in Breach.

As an independent developer, Atomic can't spend its way to big sales, like Activision can.
We have to innovate. So, if you're confident Activision can innovate without independent
developers, this is your opportunity to prove it.

Sincerely,

Peter Tamte
President
tomic Games

Source: http://kotaku.com/5645940/an-open-le...o-bobby-kotick

[hyde]

VALVe is a corporation. They are not an independent company. Find me a single reference anywhere that says that VALVe is an independent game developer. Its true that they arent supported by a publisher though, but thats because they dont need one. What you are saying is something akin to saying that Microsoft is an independent software developer.

. . . Dude. Infinity Ward, Bungie, RARE (Donkey Kong), HAL LABS (Smash Brothers), ROCKSTAR GAMES (GRAND THEFT AUTO), DICE (BATTLEFIELD, ETC)

Are all DEVELOPEMENT STUDIOS, which are ALL OWNED BY LARGER PUBLISHERS
(EA, ACTI BLIZZ, TAKE2, ETC)

NOBODY OWNS VALVE. NOBODY TELLS VALVE WHAT TO DO. VALVE HAS BEEN DOING "ITS THING" SINCE DAY 1.
Of all the above companies I listed, none of them have creative freedom. Zero. They do whatever the hell the publisher wants them to - because they are owned by them.
Yes VALVE is a corporation, but it still is an independent developer. Wtf do you think happened? From somewhere in 1998 to now, they suddenly became un-independent? When?

Jesus. IF you still don't believe me, then sorry - you are ignorant.

Gears of War. Portal. Borderlands. None of these games re-hashes the same old
formulas. They innovate. And, they're made by independent developers, of course.

-Ex Bungie Vice Exec
Portal is developed by Valve. A leading game industry personal says Valve is independent. You have your definitions of independent really screwed up man.

[TheRabidDeer]

. . . Dude. Infinity Ward, Bungie, RARE (Donkey Kong), HAL LABS (Smash Brothers), ROCKSTAR GAMES (GRAND THEFT AUTO), DICE (BATTLEFIELD, ETC)

Are all DEVELOPEMENT STUDIOS, which are ALL OWNED BY LARGER PUBLISHERS
(EA, ACTI BLIZZ, TAKE2, ETC)

NOBODY OWNS VALVE. NOBODY TELLS VALVE WHAT TO DO. VALVE HAS BEEN DOING "ITS THING" SINCE DAY 1.
Of all the above companies I listed, none of them have creative freedom. Zero. They do whatever the hell the publisher wants them to - because they are owned by them.
Yes VALVE is a corporation, but it still is an independent developer. Wtf do you think happened? From somewhere in 1998 to now, they suddenly became un-independent? When?

Jesus. IF you still don't believe me, then sorry - you are ignorant.

I think we must be operating under different terminology. VALVe falls into the same category to me as EA games, Nintendo, or Sony. All of these companies create what they want. Hell, VALVe has even acquired Turtle Rock Studios a while ago. They usually seem to pick up on people before they might identify as a development studio (the people that made counter-strike, the people that made portal, DotA, etc).

They are not an indie developer in the sense that Kotick is speaking of in the least (I dont think).
This is what I think of when you talk of independent developers:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...ame_developers

Though this might just be a recent terminology switch that is happening with Steam, xbox live arcade and whatever other online avenues are out there.

[Dean63]

September 15, 2009: At the “Deutsche Bank Security Technology Conference”, Kotick holds his best public speech yet: http://www.geeks.co.uk/7282-activisi...heap-games-you

...

Kotick noted that in the past he changed the employee incentive program so that it "really rewards profit and nothing else." He continued, "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. ... We have a real culture of thrift. The goal that I had in bringing a lot of the packaged goods folks into Activision about 10 years ago was to take all the fun out of making video games."

Yes, he just said that.

Ultimately, Kotick doesn't want his employees to take anything for granted. They should always be aware of "skepticism, pessimism, and fear" in the midst of the global economic downturn. "We are very good at keeping people focused on the deep depression," he said.

http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/view...opic_id=128252

From the things Kotick says, you'd think him insulting indie games was a drop in the bucket by now.

[Blazur]

Why do these even let this asshat talk?

[Zero]

Alright guys, most of us don't like Kotick for obvious reasons, but let's try and keep this a little above simple insults. (Not directed at anyone in particular.)

Why do these even let this asshat talk?

Very good question. As much as Kotick puts his foot in his mouth and insults the gaming community, gaming development, and pretty much anyone else having anything to do with gaming, I'm surprised that Activition's shareholders tolerate him. In today's business world, money isn't always key, and as much business as Kotick does, it won't save him if the powers-that-be decide they don't want him anymore.