Activision Aims High: Plans To Be "Biggest Entertainment Company"
See Full ImageBobby, Bobby, Bobby. Oh, what have you gone and said now?
We all know that the digital age presents problems for publishers and retailers in the video game industry, and Activision head honcho Bobby Kotick says Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo will "struggle" to find a solution in an online-dominated future. But hey, Kotick and Co. already have it figured out. At this point, the CEO says his company isn't even competing with "console dependent companies" due to its own "online dominance." In fact, Kotick says their closest competitor is actually Facebook. Here's what he had to say at the recent America Merrill Lynch Media, Communication and Entertainment conference:
"Our competitor online [is] Facebook in some respects. Even though they don't create content, they provide it. There are a lot of new social gaming companies that are emerging and take mindshare - not from our consumer, [because they're] a different demographic. But there's the potential that some of the social games will start appealing to our consumers so we're making a lot of investments in that area.
"But the traditional companies - the Electronic Arts, or Sony or Microsoft or Nintendo or Disney - that make console-based video games, are going to really struggle [in future] to figure out how to get into these online business we're in today."
Kotick added that the merger with Blizzard really helped because there was "so much built-up expertise at Blizzard," and they're now applying that expertise to huge franchises like Call of Duty, Tony Hawk, and Guitar Hero. In the end, he says this puts Activision "in a much better position than many of the very console-dependent companies we used to compete against." So now that Activision has swatted one big threat, what's next for the company?
Why, not merely the "biggest interactive entertainment company" but instead, the "biggest entertainment company." Well, of course.
Tags: bobby kotick, activision, sony, games industry
9/21/2010 9:00:58 PM Ben Dutka
Put this on your webpage or blog:
Email this to a friend
Follow PSX Extreme on Twitter
Comments (61 posts)
BikerSaint
Tuesday, September 21, 2010 @ 9:42:03 PM
Reply
Does it really feel that good when you're blowing hot air up your own a$$, huh???
I mean come on now, fess up, as seeing how you're constantly doing it.
F'ing Alfred E. Newman wannabe!!
Last edited by BikerSaint on 9/21/2010 9:43:22 PM
14 up, 2 down
B-RadGfromOV
Wednesday, September 22, 2010 @ 2:16:20 AM
0 up, 2 down
manofchao5
Thursday, September 23, 2010 @ 12:29:12 PM
activision is so great, but yet, they have no console
sony has the psp, ps2, and ps3
nintendo has the wii and ds
microsoft has the xbox 360 and its own operating system run on much of the worlds computers
apple has the ipod touch, iphone and macs
and all Booby Kotick has is an ego so big that it swallows all these consoles and rips our very world apart
hopefully someday he will speak with his mouth and not his ass
0 up, 0 down
Scarecrow
Tuesday, September 21, 2010 @ 9:52:47 PM
Reply
Instead he talks about how they're gonna try to monopolize everything.
17 up, 1 down
WorldEndsWithMe
Tuesday, September 21, 2010 @ 9:56:45 PM
Reply
The man has finally lost it. Console sales of MW2 lined his pockets with platinum and gold and diamonds and the fool responds with this?
Activision is a console-dependent company because PC sales on everything but Starcraft 2 are sagging big time and they make their money by bilking console gamers out of good money with trash products.
Last edited by WorldEndsWithMe on 9/21/2010 9:59:30 PM
7 up, 1 down
GuernicaReborn
Wednesday, September 22, 2010 @ 12:26:20 AM
All those companies he listed are already on top of their respective markets, while Activision cant decide if they want to make the next farmville or a cut-scene movie. Kotick is a moron.
7 up, 1 down
Alienange
Tuesday, September 21, 2010 @ 9:59:26 PM
Reply
0 up, 4 down
Vitron
Tuesday, September 21, 2010 @ 10:11:05 PM
1 up, 1 down
Vitron
Tuesday, September 21, 2010 @ 10:08:47 PM
Reply
P.S. Vitron is back!!!
0 up, 1 down
LimitedVertigo
Wednesday, September 22, 2010 @ 9:30:21 AM
4 up, 1 down
Kangasfwa
Tuesday, September 21, 2010 @ 10:10:43 PM
Reply
-Bobby Kotick, every morning while looking in the mirror, mirror, on the wall
Last edited by Kangasfwa on 9/21/2010 10:11:59 PM
7 up, 1 down
Bugzbunny109
Tuesday, September 21, 2010 @ 10:12:49 PM
Reply
2 up, 1 down
WorldEndsWithMe
Tuesday, September 21, 2010 @ 10:16:32 PM
Reply
5 up, 1 down
Snaaaake
Tuesday, September 21, 2010 @ 10:28:06 PM
Reply
Good thing my Activision games for the last 7 years are all pirated copies.
And this will further agitate the Japanese company, they're struggling to make more profit while Activision can simply release a few games every year and earn billions.
4 up, 2 down
Snaaaake
Wednesday, September 22, 2010 @ 10:03:30 AM
I was still in school and didn't had the money to buy original copies.
Though all those Activision games are all PS2 Marvel games, mostly Spiderman.
My PS3 library doesn't have Square Enix, Capcom and Activision games.
Games from them I only borrow from my friends.
Not willing to support companies that doesn't deserve it.
2 up, 1 down
Alienange
Tuesday, September 21, 2010 @ 10:30:53 PM
Reply
1 up, 1 down
Deleted User
Tuesday, September 21, 2010 @ 10:36:35 PM
Reply
5 up, 1 down
tes37
Tuesday, September 21, 2010 @ 10:43:27 PM
Reply
3 up, 1 down
rossinator_99
Tuesday, September 21, 2010 @ 10:52:46 PM
3 up, 1 down
LimitedVertigo
Tuesday, September 21, 2010 @ 11:03:33 PM
2 up, 1 down
rossinator_99
Wednesday, September 22, 2010 @ 1:01:01 AM
2 up, 1 down
Snaaaake
Tuesday, September 21, 2010 @ 10:53:56 PM
Reply
Uhh.......he is looking down on everyone in the gaming industry and has he forgotten about Apple as well?
Sony do more than just game, Microsoft is still the software big daddy.
Sorry Bob but you can't become the biggest entertainment company if all you're selling is Call of Duty, Tony Hawk and Guitar Hero.
2 up, 1 down
Orvisman
Wednesday, September 22, 2010 @ 8:02:33 AM
1 up, 1 down
LimitedVertigo
Wednesday, September 22, 2010 @ 9:31:24 AM
0 up, 1 down
Orvisman
Thursday, September 23, 2010 @ 8:52:09 AM
“In December 2007, it was announced that Activision would merge with Vivendi Games which owns fellow games developer and publisher Blizzard, and the merger would later close in July 2008. The new company is called Activision Blizzard and is headed by Activision's former CEO, Robert Kotick. Vivendi is the biggest shareholder in the new group. The new company is estimated to be worth $18.9 billion, ahead of Electronic Arts who is valued at $14.1 billion.”
0 up, 0 down
Deleted User
Tuesday, September 21, 2010 @ 11:21:42 PM
Reply
0 up, 1 down
main_event05
Tuesday, September 21, 2010 @ 11:35:24 PM
Reply
Last edited by main_event05 on 9/21/2010 11:35:57 PM
1 up, 2 down
Vitron
Tuesday, September 21, 2010 @ 11:41:30 PM
Reply
1 up, 3 down
Snaaaake
Wednesday, September 22, 2010 @ 12:15:01 AM
Hell, not even on other sites.
1 up, 1 down
GuernicaReborn
Tuesday, September 21, 2010 @ 11:57:03 PM
Reply
3 up, 1 down
BikerSaint
Wednesday, September 22, 2010 @ 12:27:01 AM
Reply
It's probably just because Boobie thinks his blow-up doll talks to him, & tells him what a real man he is.
Either that, or he paid his mirror a minimum wage to lie to him.
3 up, 1 down
aaronisbla
Wednesday, September 22, 2010 @ 1:04:56 AM
Reply
1 up, 1 down
pyrobomber70
Wednesday, September 22, 2010 @ 2:24:35 AM
Reply
2 up, 2 down
___________
Wednesday, September 22, 2010 @ 3:46:02 AM
Reply
this prick has to have the worlds largest ego!
2 up, 3 down
MadPowerBomber
Wednesday, September 22, 2010 @ 4:02:08 AM
Reply
1 up, 1 down
JackC8
Wednesday, September 22, 2010 @ 7:16:46 AM
Reply
That's a very good question. I have no idea. As the old saying goes: If you can't dazzle 'em with brilliance, baffle 'em with bull****. I'm sure his investors - who probably wouldn't know a video game from a DVD - are very impressed.
1 up, 1 down
Nynja
Wednesday, September 22, 2010 @ 8:33:09 AM
Reply
Hey Ben, you have a typo in the 2nd to last paragraph 1st sentence;
"merger with Blizzard really helped because tehre was..."
...tehre...
0 up, 2 down
Underdog15
Wednesday, September 22, 2010 @ 9:11:29 AM
Reply
The phrase "good idea" is relative.
Just once I'd love to see him brag about quality that he's already done. He already thinks his online gaming experiences are quality. And while MW2 online works pretty well from a design perspective, the lack of dedicated servers makes it questionable at best!
Remember when he said he would like to start charging an online fee to provide the quality online service they already provide? This guy is almost not even a businessman, let alone a gamer! He's like an accountant! Afterall, businessmen are concerned with quality service to go along with sales.
In the end, I don't see this guy monopolizing everything. To take out Sony, he'd have to get mad technological progressions and beef up his quality by a LOT. To take out Disney, he'd have to basically blow them up with Trinitrotoluene. To beat up Microsoft and become number 1, he'd have to make an OS greater than everything AND blow them and Apple up and assassinate every computer guru that loves Linnux. And to beat up Nintendo, he'd have to do some very illegal things to own Mario, Link, and Samus.
It won't happen, and the already established companies will prevail and remain successful. They're already adapting well.
In conclusion, Bob's a knob.
1 up, 1 down
Snaaaake
Wednesday, September 22, 2010 @ 10:05:23 AM
Reply
4 up, 1 down
BikerSaint
Wednesday, September 22, 2010 @ 2:32:33 PM
The thumbs-downer's just pissed because kotex has been forcing him to carry Kotex's over-sized balls around for him, and he's gotten a hernia from that heavy brass....er....I mean....GLASS weight of them.
2 up, 1 down
Deleted User
Wednesday, September 22, 2010 @ 10:05:59 AM
Reply
3 up, 1 down
Vidius
Wednesday, September 22, 2010 @ 10:11:34 AM
Reply
4 up, 1 down
Temjin001
Wednesday, September 22, 2010 @ 10:13:20 AM
Reply
The power of the third party dev is huge, I'm beginning to think that their influence for the coming hardware generations will be heavy enough to make or break a system if they so desired.
1 up, 2 down
spiderboi
Wednesday, September 22, 2010 @ 10:21:54 AM
Reply
"Those organizations are taking donations from the pockets of consumers. We have to get a piece of that pie"
4 up, 1 down
Underdog15
Wednesday, September 22, 2010 @ 11:38:06 AM
Last edited by Underdog15 on 9/22/2010 11:38:35 AM
2 up, 1 down
ed_winchester
Wednesday, September 22, 2010 @ 2:47:46 PM
Reply
"Hey Kotick, your wife is screwing your gardener and spending your money! oh you're still smiling"
0 up, 1 down
Kai200X
Wednesday, September 22, 2010 @ 3:26:47 PM
Reply
Now that's one goal accomplished.
4 up, 1 down
Kai200X
Wednesday, September 22, 2010 @ 6:31:03 PM
3 up, 1 down
PaiNT_kinG
Wednesday, September 22, 2010 @ 10:46:54 PM
Reply
0 up, 1 down
LimitedVertigo
Reply
Tuesday, September 21, 2010 @ 9:39:51 PM