Activision's Kotick: I'd Raise Game Prices Even More

Bobby wants MORE

Posted by Staff
Bobby Kotick
Bobby Kotick
Activision raised a lot of eyebrows last month with the revelation that Modern Warfare 2 will cost £55, but it's not enough for the company's CEO, Bobby Kotick. He wants all your money.

In Activision Blizzard's investor relations conference call, ActiBliz's bigwigs were asked by analyst Tony Gikas about their 'comfort level' regarding some of their more expensive games, with a nod to those that include expensive peripherals. The company's president and CEO of publishing, Michael Griffith, was diplomatic, noting "very strong retailer acceptance and support for all parts of our plan, including ... our price points".

Bobby, however, is not one to mince words. "And Tony, you know if it was left to me, I would raise the prices even further."

Apparently the £99.99 retailers are listing for Tony Hawk Ride and the $149 you'll pay for the 'prestige' release of Modern Warfare 2 (there's no solid UK price yet) aren't enough.

Sometimes, we're surprised Kotick can even see, with all those dollar signs in his eyes...

Source: Seeking Alpha

Comments

Showing the 20 most recent comments. Read all 60.
WtF 7 Aug 2009 05:47
41/60
geataloaf.... oookkk then...

You realize he was the same one who wanted sony to lower their console price? Maybe he was being a communist then? To me he has to be an idiot to say the things he does to the media.
Its pretty much opposites saying sony should drop prices and then saying he would make games cost more.
F#CKTIVISION 7 Aug 2009 09:09
42/60
@HuttyLoca
Dude, that is so funny. I am pissing myself. "I'd give him a boner by showing him a wad of my hard earned benefit money", is f#cking classic. I love it man!!!! F#CK Kotic!
more comments below our sponsor's message
fafajkitu 7 Aug 2009 10:03
43/60
This guy looks like a jackass on that pic. And he sure is.
name 7 Aug 2009 10:09
44/60
to any game journalist cam you do me a massive favor?
ask this guy how does it feel to be the most hated person in the world.
than ask him how it feels to be the CEO of the most hated company in the world.
i would love to hear hes response, not that i think he cares as long as hes rolling in the $$$ and keeping his 60M dollar mansion hes happy.
than spit in his face and knock him unconscious.
thanks
name 7 Aug 2009 10:28
45/60
@punisher
that couldent be further from the truth.
im using a 3 year old PC at the time it cost me 1500 bucks to build myself, and it will run every single game out there.
PC gaming is expensive but only when you go for the top end of things, sticking in the middle its cheap and still kicks the tripe out of any console.
zuromil 7 Aug 2009 10:40
46/60
Games are too short u asshole
Anon 7 Aug 2009 10:53
47/60
You kow it's not going to stop at 55. Dont forget that DLC they've probably already got in place for release 2 months after launch.

This bobby fella is only helping the games industry fall to its knees. In times of recession less games are gonna sell at 55 a pop. And if other publishers take their lead. There's goning to a whole glut of tat games being punted out at 55. This is only going to dent the industry as a whole.
Alfalfa 7 Aug 2009 11:40
48/60
Pro-Kotick wrote:
Cheap damn gamers. This isn't communism! Games cost money and developers expect to get paid. Every one of you lazy ass gamers would pirate everything if you could. Hence the death of PC gaming. I only hope that whatever you do for a living gets outsourced to India or they hire immigrants to do your job.

lol....don't tell me you're among the Activision PR crew. What is he paying you for defending his enormous ego? Lemme guess....you get to s**k his rash-smitten d**K, right? F**K you, get off this board and go blow your beloved CEO, fag-tard.
Joji 7 Aug 2009 12:11
49/60
@Anon

I agree with you. These big industry cats don't know what side their bread is buttered on, and when its all about the cash, they always want more. As a business, this makes sense, but when dishing bad will to loyal customers, it shows a lack of respect to them.

I'm of the view, that now more than ever, the industry thrives more, because games prices drop to and at a more reasonable rate, six-twelve months after a game release. Back in the SNES/MD days, once game got released at that dangerous 55-60 mark, more copies sat on shelves until the console gen died out. Those in the industry have to decide, do they want to dance with the devil of preowned games and accept it as a given (like they should), or do they want the deep dark blue sea, (of piracy and unsold official games). Actvision are being unreasonable cocks and they know it.

As for the PC thing, its true that because PC tech moves at such a fast rate, that the vast majority of customers find it hard to keep up. I'm all for pushing the bounderies of tech, but beyond the hard core owners, everyone was tired of chasing that lofty ideal PC. Don't get me wrong, I love my PC, but for games they are a bitch of complications, that the average joe doesn't want to deal with, (especially so, if you work with PC all day). The simple plug and play of consoles is why this industry is still going, and PCs play their part in the creation of the content for them. Its a sybiotic relationship, no matter which you favour more. Add the rise of HDTVs and lower prices for huge displays, and you'll understand why PC gaming has been largely taken a back seat, beyond certain titles like WoW.

Those are the breaks, just accept that Wii is more popular with the masses than PC, disagree with chargrin and move on.
GetALoaf 7 Aug 2009 14:40
50/60
Joji wrote:
@Anon

I agree with you. These big industry cats don't know what side their bread is buttered on, and when its all about the cash, they always want more


It is all about the cash. F**ks sake people. To make games you need to pay people, to pay people you need cash its a cycle. If you want games then expect to pay for the motherfuckers - nothing don't come for free thank f**k. Kotick is just sayin' out loud what every other muthafucker is sayin' in private.

Grow up or move to any place other than where money talks and bullshit walks. OR STFU and play some f**king video games you whiney f**ks.
Rutabaga 7 Aug 2009 14:51
51/60
GetALoaf wrote:
Joji wrote:
@Anon
I agree with you. These big industry cats don't know what side their bread is buttered on, and when its all about the cash, they always want more


It is all about the cash. F**ks sake people. To make games you need to pay people, to pay people you need cash its a cycle. If you want games then expect to pay for the motherfuckers - nothing don't come for free thank f**k. Kotick is just sayin' out loud what every other muthafucker is sayin' in private.

Grow up or move to any place other than where money talks and bullshit walks. OR STFU and play some f**king video games you whiney f**ks.


Your language is rather colourful Bobby, why the anger?
GetALoaf 7 Aug 2009 15:36
52/60
Rutabaga wrote:
Your language is rather colourful Bobby, why the anger?


Cos all this crying about a simple staement from the head of a sucessful company makes me mad is all. What do all you children think the guy does for a living? He dozent give a f**k about anything else but making f**king money and neither should. Its his job to make money. Times are tough, he's got employees and stockholders to worry about not gamers who no matter WHAT they whine WILL by MW2 and Ride and Transformers and anything else that is put in front of there spineless faces. F**k off and start a company and make it a success and then don't say "I would charge more if I could!" you would be f**king retard not to.

THIS IS A INDUSTRY! It is about making money not 'art' or any of that assery.
Rutabaga 7 Aug 2009 16:10
53/60
GetALoaf wrote:
Rutabaga wrote:
Your language is rather colourful Bobby, why the anger?


Cos all this crying about a simple staement from the head of a sucessful company makes me mad is all. What do all you children think the guy does for a living? He dozent give a f**k about anything else but making f**king money and neither should. Its his job to make money. Times are tough, he's got employees and stockholders to worry about not gamers who no matter WHAT they whine WILL by MW2 and Ride and Transformers and anything else that is put in front of there spineless faces. F**k off and start a company and make it a success and then don't say "I would charge more if I could!" you would be f**king retard not to.

THIS IS A INDUSTRY! It is about making money not 'art' or any of that assery.


You should work in PR. But one thing you seem to forget is without the customer his company would be worth nothing. If you keep pissing off enough people eventually they will piss off. As I said he's fortunate to have a killer app, that he wants to apply drug dealer economics too. Ride and DJ hero don't have that luxury, it will be interesting to see their sales.

You surely cant miss the irony of him shouting that Sony should bring down the price of the PS3, when he wants to sell one trick pieces of plastic for a small fortune.
anonymous 7 Aug 2009 18:41
54/60
ok so the guy wants to bring prices up good for him he runs a company to make money. but theirs more to gaming then just money its a art and so it should be treated like such and just not tossed around. on the other hand normal people who work for a living and don't earn insane amounts of cash and cant keep paying 50-60 dollars every time a game they want comes out. if u raised the price then more and more people wouldn't buy their games so maybe lowering the prices would be a good idea instead of raising them. from a business perspective if u lowered the cost then more people would buy the game new instead of used and u would make more money that way then selling few games at high prices.
Joji 7 Aug 2009 21:35
55/60
Get a Loaf, you certainly need to get a loaf or two.

I'm no business guru, just a gamer and an industry customer, but I still understand the basics. By your dumb ass logic, all other business shouldn't give a f**k what their customers think either. If you had any business and didn't care about your customers, you would not last very long. I hope, if you have a car

I've worked in games retail and seen first hand what happens when things are good and very bad. If you treat your customers well with intelligence and respect, they are more likely to return.

I can see a sketch coming on:

'Hey all you customers, you are all stupid f**ks. Guess what, we are going to raise the prices and fleece you some more, because we aren't content getting £40, and our greed knows no bounds.'

Oh yeah, and you know those preowned games the industry is trying to kill, well those we no doubt be on the rise, as people look to get their hit at a decent price. Piracy would also rise. I believe in paying a fair price for a game and £40 is that price. Start messing with that, and I'll just be buying less games and the industry as a whole will loose out. Damn, imagine paying for Terminator Salvation (an average to cheese game) for £60? You'd feel robbed.

Its a shame that from those now in bed with WoW, a game built on the foundations of good community links, would pull this crap, giving us all the finger and saying f**k community and f**k you too. Just shows how money can corrupt. I feel sorry for the devs of MW2, to have such suits spoiling what they've built.

I have more respect for the likes of Capcom, Atlus and Valve who treat their customers right, and reap the cash rewards. This is why I buy their games more. And what do you know, free Left 4 Dead content coming in Sept 09, that my friend is what I call good customer service.
GetALoaf 10 Aug 2009 13:17
56/60
Joji wrote:
I'm no business guru, just a gamer and an industry customer, but I still understand the basics. By your dumb ass logic, all other business shouldn't give a f**k what their customers think either. If you had any business and didn't care about your customers, you would not last very long. I hope, if you have a car"


What? If I have a car, what? Dumass. I never said anything about not caring about what your customer thinks. I said that Kotick was right when he said that he'd like to sell games at bigger prices. Theirs no argument there. He is head of a company that sells things. He reports to a board. Thats it.

Joji wrote:
I've worked in games retail and seen first hand what happens when things are good and very bad. If you treat your customers well with intelligence and respect, they are more likely to return.


Right, your a shop assistant. Makes sense.

Activision Hater 10 Aug 2009 15:05
57/60
The main issue is that this guy is a hypocrite. Sony lower your prices so idiots have more money to spend on our games with over priced peripherals made of paper thin plastic. I don't think so.
If he was so bothered about games and the people who do all the hard work surely he would spread a little of his reported $15 million pay packet around to those guys.
Rather than chasing games that they let go because they didn't have a clue how to sell it unlike EA with Brutal Legend!
Soup 16 Sep 2009 03:12
58/60
This guy should be fired. He will run Activision into the ground, which doesn't really bother me, but Blizzard and possibly Infinte Ward will be sucked down too. Someone shove a cash roll up his ass and show him the door.
Bowlssssss 26 Mar 2010 00:25
59/60
Kotick eats babies
FuckKotick 13 Jun 2010 16:22
60/60
This man is money-psyKotic and may find himself watching his back if he keeps this up...
Posting of new comments is now locked for this page.