The grinch who stole game design (Activision's Kotick) - Games

[url]http://www.destructoid.com/activision-wants-to-take-the-fun-out-of-making-games-148705.phtml[/url] [url]http://www.destructoid.com/kotick-explains-how-to-screw-500-out-of-a-50-game-148764.phtml[/url] Wow... just wow. I don't understand the full situation. In between their poor writing and random MS paint doodle, it's hard to understand destructiod, but one thing is certain, Kotick may have just confirmed everything we've ever thought about the team behind guitar hero. "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 videogames" "Today, we'll [charge] $100 for a guitar. You might add a microphone or drums, you might buy two or three expansions packs, different types of music. Over the life of your ownership you'll probably buy around 25 additional song packs in digital downloads. So, what used to be a $50 sale is a $500 sale today." Maybe I don't fully understand the quotes or anything, but does the game world have it's very own Hitler now? This guy is flat out an asshole. If I'm late or this is fake or something, just tell me. I'll destroy the thread.

[img]http://art.penny-arcade.com/photos/228852564_ebkPQ-L-2.jpg[/img] So appropriate it hurts.

Eh whatever

Yeah Kotick's a dick. Don't know why people hate EA for these reasons when they're really thinking of Activision. At least EA can come back from a bad game like Need For Speed Shift after Undercover. Activison doesn't even care as long as they have the brand recognition to get enough sales and enough hunks of plastic that people need to play their games with. I hope Infinity Ward leaves them one day. They don't need Activision.

The Economist actually had an article on him. [url]http://www.economist.com/people/displaystory.cfm?story_id=14209881[/url] He looks like the asshole he is.

[img]http://media.economist.com/images/20090815/3309WB0.jpg[/img] Someone photoshop him into a rapper.

Stop buying Guitar Hero and Rock Band. Problem solved.

[QUOTE=Evil_Toaster;17343634][img]http://media.economist.com/images/20090815/3309WB0.jpg[/img] Someone photoshop him into a rapper.[/QUOTE] [img]http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/168/kotick.jpg[/img]

[quote]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.[/quote] Yeah, I mean, that can't possibly be a joke or anything. Obviously he's the devil and wants to take the fun out of video games. Because that's a fucking obvious goal, it's not like you'd have to be retarded to think that's is true.

[QUOTE=thisispain;17344636]Yeah, I mean, that can't possibly be a joke or anything. Obviously he's the devil and wants to take the fun out of video games. Because that's a fucking obvious goal, it's not like you'd have to be retarded to think that's is true.[/QUOTE] He says out of making games, not out of games.

[QUOTE=power-mad;17344688]He says out of making games, not out of games.[/QUOTE] Let's use some logic. If this is true, then why is he A, still there, and B, why hasn't his work force quit. Next you guys will say "uhh yeah you see the game devs are chained and shit".

Votekick Kotick

Not to mention, EA is the one which is notorious for being sued by workers for unpaid overtime.

[QUOTE=thisispain;17344716]Let's use some logic. If this is true, then why is he A, still there, and B, why hasn't his work force quit. Next you guys will say "uhh yeah you see the game devs are chained and shit".[/QUOTE] Correct me if I'm wrong, but Harmonix was made up of people who originally worked for the Guitar Hero team. Other than that, money talks. Who needs to have fun when you have $500 being made off each customer. I don't believe the quote is in it's full context, but I don't believe he's being sarcastic or joking.

[QUOTE=Evil_Toaster;17343634][img]http://media.economist.com/images/20090815/3309WB0.jpg[/img] Someone photoshop him into a rapper.[/QUOTE] [img]http://i27.tinypic.com/16hql3l.jpg[/img]

[QUOTE=power-mad;17344882]Correct me if I'm wrong, but Harmonix was made up of people who originally worked for the Guitar Hero team. Other than that, money talks. Who needs to have fun when you have $500 being made off each customer. I don't believe the quote is in it's full context, but I don't believe he's being sarcastic or joking.[/QUOTE] No you see that doesn't make any sense. There's a reason why everyone wants to work at Google, it's because it's a very fun place to work. If you say "I'm gonna rip the fun out of this job", no-one's going to fucking work there, especially when this business is growing like crazy. Not to mention, he said this at a convention with his stockowners talking. Now, ask me this, if you owned stock in a company, and that company's CEO started saying "We are gonna make sure everyone's miserable", aren't you going to think "Well this shit's fucked up, my company is gonna be terrible under management like that". In fact, some very high key EA development members left EA to work at Activision. [editline]04:43PM[/editline] I'm just saying that you guys are way too quick to believe something as ridiculous as this.

[QUOTE=Evil_Toaster;17343634] Someone photoshop him into a rapper.[/QUOTE] [IMG]http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y222/imaguy/creations/gangsta.png[/IMG]

[QUOTE=thisispain;17344952]No you see that doesn't make any sense. There's a reason why everyone wants to work at Google, it's because it's a very fun place to work. If you say "I'm gonna rip the fun out of this job", no-one's going to fucking work there, especially when this business is growing like crazy. Not to mention, he said this at a convention with his stockowners talking. Now, ask me this, if you owned stock in a company, and that company's CEO started saying "We are gonna make sure everyone's miserable", aren't you going to think "Well this shit's fucked up, my company is gonna be terrible under management like that". In fact, some very high key EA development members left EA to work at Activision. [editline]04:43PM[/editline] I'm just saying that you guys are way too quick to believe something as ridiculous as this.[/QUOTE] It's ridiculous, that's why it's in the news... but the message isn't odd. Stock people don't care if workers are happy or sad, it doesn't change anything really. He's just talking about the money machine guitar hero is.

[QUOTE=The Gambler;17344942][img]http://i27.tinypic.com/16hql3l.jpg[/img][/QUOTE] Power-Mad, Im'a let you finish, but Activision had one of the best games of [b]ALL TIME[/b].

[QUOTE=power-mad;17345128]It's ridiculous, that's why it's in the news... but the message isn't odd. Stock people don't care if workers are happy or sad, it doesn't change anything really. He's just talking about the money machine guitar hero is.[/QUOTE] Of course stock people care. I don't know why you think all upper-corporate people fuck kids and shoot animals but even if we think completely based on the idea of money making, having unhappy employees is stupid. Companies keep employees happy so they don't quit. There's no logic to what you are saying.

[QUOTE=thisispain;17345190]Of course stock people care. I don't know why you think all upper-corporate people fuck kids and shoot animals but even if we think completely based on the idea of money making, having unhappy employees is stupid. Companies keep employees happy so they don't quit. There's no logic to what you are saying.[/QUOTE] I also don't believe companies are puppy kicking assholes, but we're talking 1 guy, not a company. And if this was a joke, what was he trying to say then?

[QUOTE=thisispain;17344952]No you see that doesn't make any sense. There's a reason why everyone wants to work at Google, it's because it's a very fun place to work. If you say "I'm gonna rip the fun out of this job", no-one's going to fucking work there, especially when this business is growing like crazy. Not to mention, he said this at a convention with his stockowners talking. Now, ask me this, if you owned stock in a company, and that company's CEO started saying "We are gonna make sure everyone's miserable", aren't you going to think "Well this shit's fucked up, my company is gonna be terrible under management like that". In fact, some very high key EA development members left EA to work at Activision. [editline]04:43PM[/editline] I'm just saying that you guys are way too quick to believe something as ridiculous as this.[/QUOTE] hey you have 25000 posts you shouldn't post again to keep it at that [I]awesome[/I] number [editline]07:58PM[/editline] Too late

[QUOTE=power-mad;17345224]I also don't believe companies are puppy kicking assholes, but we're talking 1 guy, not a company. And if this was a joke, what was he trying to say then?[/QUOTE] This one guy is the company. If someone doesn't like how he works the company, they can kick him out. CEO's are not the owner's. [editline]05:00PM[/editline] [QUOTE=BricknHead;17345225]hey you have 25000 posts you shouldn't post again to keep it at that [I]awesome[/I] number [editline]07:58PM[/editline] Too late[/QUOTE] going for 50000k son

This was the rest of his quote, from the original GameStop article... [quote]If that sounds like it would create a corporate culture that isn't all sunshine and hugs, then it's mission accomplished for Kotick. The executive said that he has tried to instill into the company culture "skepticism, pessimism, and fear" of the global economic downturn, adding, "We are very good at keeping people focused on the deep depression." [/quote] He's an asshole.

[QUOTE=thisispain;17345245]This one guy is the company. If someone doesn't like how he works the company, they can kick him out. CEO's are not the owner's. [editline]05:00PM[/editline] going for 50000k son[/QUOTE] Thisispain: Rationalising since 2005. Anyway, this guy may or may not be a complete bastard, but he is right in saying that Guitar Hero is an incredible cash cow. Compare it to something like Audiosurf and the sheer cost of the game plus all the shit you will probably buy afterwards for it is pretty daunting.

Again, it doesn't make any sense. [editline]05:05PM[/editline] [QUOTE=Generic Monk;17345305] Anyway, this guy may or may not be a complete bastard, but he is right in saying that Guitar Hero is an incredible cash cow. Compare it to something like Audiosurf and the sheer cost of the game plus all the shit you will probably buy afterwards for it is pretty daunting.[/QUOTE] Guitar Hero is a franchise. You work further towards a franchise because that is what you do. It's like criticizing Family Guy or South Park for having more than one season.

[QUOTE=thisispain;17345245]This one guy is the company. If someone doesn't like how he works the company, they can kick him out. CEO's are not the owner's. [editline]05:00PM[/editline] going for 50000k son[/QUOTE] You still didn't answer what he was trying to say. The company doesn't care to fire a man that will make them millions. It's not that they're out to be evil puppy kickers, it's just what's best. Besides, who quits their job when they're not having fun?

[QUOTE=thisispain;17345245]This one guy is the company. If someone doesn't like how he works the company, they can kick him out. CEO's are not the owner's. [editline]05:00PM[/editline] going for 50000k son[/QUOTE] yknow what's funny you're approaching up on chris123413124523 [editline]08:06PM[/editline] soon you'll be throwing hamsters at walls

[QUOTE=thisispain;17345317]Again, it doesn't make any sense. [editline]05:05PM[/editline] Guitar Hero is a franchise. You work further towards a franchise because that is what you do. It's like criticizing Family Guy or South Park for having more than one season.[/QUOTE] It's even more daunting when you look at it as a franchise, but there are a load of paid for track packs and peripherals out there developed specifically for [B]one[/B] game. When you think that the game alone costs a ridiculous sum, unless you own a previous peripheral, which there's no guarantee it will work with anyway, coupled with all the track packs you might buy even one game is might be heinously expensive.

OH NO THESE EVIL DEVS ARE STEALING OUR MONEY THIS IS NOT GOOD FOR A PR0 GAM3R LIKE MYSELF deal with it. don't buy the product.