Schafer vs. Kotick: The Punches Continue To Fly
See Full ImageIt's turning out to be one of the more entertaining feuds of the generation. If you haven't been following along, let's get you caught up.
Back in July, Double Fine boss and game creation guru Tim Schafer called Activision CEO Bobby Kotick "a total prick" in a Eurogamer interview this past summer. This came after Schafer needed to find a new publisher in EA after Activision opted not to produce Double Fine's latest, and then Kotick and Co. tried to stop EA from releasing it due to a rights argument. If you need a refresher, here's Schafer's exact quote:
"His [Kotick's] obligation is to his shareholders. Well, he doesn't have to be as much of a dick about it, does he? I think there is a way he can do it without being a total prick. It seems like it would be possible. It's not something he's interested in."
Now, Kotick has fired back in a new Edge interview:
"The guy comes out and says I'm a prick. I've never met him in my life – I've never had anything to do with him. I never had any involvement in the Vivendi project that they were doing, Brütal Legend, other than I was in one meeting where the guys looked at it and said, 'He's late, he's missed every milestone, he's overspent the budget and it doesn't seem like a good game. We're going to cancel it.'
And do you know what? That seemed like a sensible thing to do. And it turns out, he was late, he missed every milestone, the game was not a particularly good game..."
Then Kotick addressed what he had said about game making, and how he would "take all the fun out of video game development." He insists it was just a joke, and that if there's a small minority out there who actually believes he meant it, he can't combat that. As for not being a gamer and not caring about video games in general, Kotick said:
"This is my dream job. I've been playing games since I was 18 years old. I could have bought any company, but I bought a bankrupt game company, and I've been doing it for 21 years. This idea that I'm not passionate about videogames is ludicrous. But you say something and it gets taken out of context."
Tim? You're up. Stick 'n move.
Tags: bobby kotick, tim schafer, activision, double fine
9/28/2010 10:37:28 AM Ben Dutka
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Comments (34 posts)
Highlander
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 @ 11:00:15 AM
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Oh, wait, perhaps he's so old that he was 18 when the Atari VCS arrived? Perhaps he only played his first games on a Nintendo system? Who knows. But 18?
Considering the Atari arrived in 1977 that'd make Bobby something like 61 years old now - assuming of course that he played video games on the Atari VCS. I mean, ever since the Atari VCS, kids have played video games almost universally, whether home console or arcade.
4 up, 3 down
Sir Dan
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 @ 12:13:54 PM
5 up, 0 down
Highlander
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 @ 12:49:37 PM
4 up, 0 down
Shams
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 @ 4:01:11 PM
2 up, 0 down
pillz81
Friday, October 01, 2010 @ 1:51:10 PM
0 up, 0 down
coverton341
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 @ 11:05:59 AM
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IMHO Kotick was being a prick about it. His statements about Schafer's deadlines and the fact that the game didn't really do as well as expected might be spot on but in the end that doesn't explain why he tried blocking the game. Was it a personal vendetta against Schafer? If so, that would be considered a prick move in my book.
7 up, 0 down
FullmetalX10
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 @ 11:07:46 AM
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5 up, 0 down
Jawknee
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 @ 11:08:01 AM
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I would rather fail at something I created and cared about then sell out just to make money. I tell my friends who I write music with all the time, the integrity of the music comes first. Always. This idea is lost on Booby. Share holders are what matters, not creative vision.
10 up, 0 down
coverton341
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 @ 11:17:23 AM
4 up, 0 down
BTNwarrior
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 @ 12:26:04 PM
0 up, 3 down
booze925
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 @ 7:55:44 PM
is that supposed 2 b offensive somehow?
0 up, 0 down
spiderboi
Wednesday, September 29, 2010 @ 1:19:24 AM
Bobby K = not so
so let's maybe call him Bully King?
2 up, 0 down
mexgeo86
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 @ 11:13:12 AM
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Last edited by mexgeo86 on 9/28/2010 11:15:22 AM
1 up, 0 down
BikerSaint
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 @ 11:23:55 AM
FYI,
EA already countered kotex's statement a few days ago.
See my post from EA over at the last Kotex thread(about 2-3 days ago)
1 up, 0 down
BikerSaint
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 @ 11:17:48 AM
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So I'm now supposed to take every word from every negative thing he's said about gamers, games themselves, his own employees, & on top of that, everyone else that's even outside his company, as all that he was just making jokes?
And most of his asinine comments were made at either, board meetings or business functions, or as a keynote speaker.
Plus the fact that kotex himself, said that he only "WATCHED" somebody else play 1 video game in his entire life, & also that he didn't like it.
Sorry Bobbie, but NO, the biggest joke on earth aren't the words that spill out of your mouth & are polluting the Earth....
It IS YOURSELF, who is the biggest joke in this Galaxy!!!!!
BTW Boobie, look to me as the President of that vocal minority!
PR*CK!!!!!!
Last edited by BikerSaint on 9/28/2010 11:20:27 AM
3 up, 0 down
BikerSaint
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 @ 11:28:11 AM
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(with his own rebuttal)
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2010-09-27-schafer-hits-back-at-kotick
0 up, 0 down
BikerSaint
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 @ 11:36:41 AM
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Here ya go, I went & got it for you...
EA's rebuttal....
EA Fires Back at Bobby Kotick
http://www.industrygamers.com/news/ea-fires-back-at-bobby-kotick/
0 up, 0 down
Scarecrow
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 @ 11:59:12 AM
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Video games was and still is one of the fastest and most profitable businesses out there.
Stop trying to fool us. Sickening.
1 up, 0 down
Underdog15
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 @ 12:09:00 PM
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And do you know what? That seemed like a sensible thing to do. And it turns out, he was late, he missed every milestone, the game was not a particularly good game..."
Schafer's right. He is a prick!
Last edited by Underdog15 on 9/28/2010 12:09:09 PM
2 up, 0 down
Highlander
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 @ 8:28:20 PM
Perhaps he's a prick, perhaps not. But he was right about the game in question...
;)
2 up, 0 down
Underdog15
Wednesday, September 29, 2010 @ 9:28:19 AM
0 up, 0 down
Alienange
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 @ 12:51:14 PM
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3 up, 2 down
Underdog15
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 @ 1:14:39 PM
2 up, 0 down
WorldEndsWithMe
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 @ 1:50:21 PM
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4 up, 0 down
zork
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 @ 2:00:01 PM
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Kotick will be laughing all the way to the bank.
2 up, 0 down
LegendaryWolfeh
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 @ 2:48:47 PM
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1 up, 0 down
LightShow
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 @ 3:10:47 PM
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1 up, 0 down
THEVERDIN
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 @ 5:04:31 PM
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0 up, 0 down
Deleted User
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 @ 5:28:21 PM
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Last edited by n/a on 9/28/2010 5:28:44 PM
0 up, 0 down
booze925
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 @ 6:15:21 PM
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i do :)
Booze: 1
Kotick and Schafer: GOT NUTHIN
Last edited by booze925 on 9/28/2010 6:15:58 PM
1 up, 2 down
BikerSaint
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 @ 9:16:22 PM
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1 up, 0 down
___________
Wednesday, September 29, 2010 @ 4:13:44 AM
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cat fight! cat fight! cat fight! cat fight! cat fight!!!!!
*sits back, gets some popcorn ready, and readies the video camera for recording*
0 up, 0 down
frostface
Reply
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 @ 10:56:08 AM