While Activision's new CEO said earlier this week at Gamescom that EA should stop trash talking Call of Duty because it "hurt the entire industry," one of EA's top executives has a different point of view. The Battlefield publisher threw some verbal jabs at Activision's former AAA franchises and predicted that the Call of Duty franchise would collapse "In 2-3 Years."
"Welcome to the big leagues Eric," EA spokesperson Jeff Brown said in a comment issued to Kotaku addressed directly to Eric Hirshberg, CEO of Activision.
"I know you're new in the job," Brown continued, "but someone should have told you this is an competitive industry. You've got every reason to be nervous. Last year Activision had a 90 share in the shooter category. This year, Battlefield 3 is going to take you down to 60 or 70. At that rate, you'll be out of the category in 2-3 years. If you don't believe me, go to the store and try to buy a copy of Guitar Hero or Tony Hawk."
Brown's crack about Guitar Hero and Tony Hawk was a particularly harsh shot because those once dominant Activision franchises now sleep with the fishes.
Source: Kotaku
Comments
Re: EA's Brown Trash Talks to Activision CEO
I've said it before and I will say it again....
We should have never allowed the "suit" executive types to infiltrate the gaming community. Both of these guys are an embarrassment to gaming. I swear there are game developers that look like they might have just come from a rave, with their "candy-flipping" clothes, that act more adult than these two gasbags.
Re: EA's Brown Trash Talks to Activision CEO
The trash talking is sad when both companies have a habit of turning good concepts into rubbish in the span of two to three years. All the trash talking boils down to is which company is vying to be the worst company in the industry. I wouldn't mind the trash talk if they had fresh IP's to back it up as opposed to regurgitated garbage.
Re: EA's Brown Trash Talks to Activision CEO
Just some amusing back and forth for us to be entertained by. I love it.
Re: EA's Brown Trash Talks to Activision CEO
hey jeff brown, allow me to remind you of a few series that your company has run into the ground; Command & Conquer, the Bard's Tale, Black & White, Ultima and Ultima Online, Dungeon Keeper, moto racer, Rock Band (unless you consider the iOS crap), Sid Meier's games, and Simcity just to name a few. i hope you enjoy your massive pedestal made of excrement.
Re: EA's Brown Trash Talks to Activision CEO
Look at it this way. If there's any company that be said to have more firsthand experience than Activision with the effects of running a franchise into the ground, it's EA.
Re: EA's Brown Trash Talks to Activision CEO
not just the franchises, but the studios too. anyone remember Westwood, Origin or Mythic? I'm actually afraid that EA's going to do that to Bioware as well in the near/far future.
Re: EA's Brown Trash Talks to Activision CEO
Oh, let's not forget The Sims series. Or how about the endless supply of repetitive sports games?
Including expansions, there's over 30 games in The Sims alone, and many of their sports games have around 15-20 in their respective franchises, but adding very few to the sequels.
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Randi Tastix - http://randomtastic.com
Re: EA's Brown Trash Talks to Activision CEO
Oh, let's not forget The Sims series.
Including expansions, there's over 30 games in that series.
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Randi Tastix - http://randomtastic.com
Re: EA's Brown Trash Talks to Activision CEO
+1
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Randi Tastix - http://randomtastic.com
Re: EA's Brown Trash Talks to Activision CEO
That isn't enough internets.
Re: EA's Brown Trash Talks to Activision CEO
EA have no right to try and take any moral high ground, because they've been running series into the ground for years.
Whilst I don't disagree with his statements, I disagree with the position he's trying to take.
I've been saying that Activision is going to be the sole reason Call of Duty dies out, and I've been saying this for years alongside hundreds of other people. The concept isn't new. But you know what else isn't new? EA also making shoddy sequels, having horrible business practices, and buying out formerly decent companies for the sole purpose of milking them dry.
Just because EA have started looking better in the past year or so doesn't erase their past. They're no better than Activision. Take a good hard look at the Battlefield series. Does it have as many titles as Call of Duty? Probably not, but it's hardly innovative. Neither of the series add anything "new" or "exciting" to the FPS genre as a whole (note: I'm not saying they're bad games because of this).
EA also have numerous other franchises that aren't exactly world firsts in "new technology". Activision might be beating a dead horse but EA's done it for years alongside heaps of other companies.
Brown can talk all the shit he likes, but he's wallowing in just as much of the stuff as Activision is.
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Randi Tastix - http://randomtastic.com
Re: EA's Brown Trash Talks to Activision CEO
Oh, sure, when Activision talked shit about EA, it was friendly ribbing, but now that EA is taking the first shot by pointing out that Activision's business plan is "let's run this shit into the ground," it's bad for the industry. Pfft.