Tue, Aug 18, 2009 | 23:18 BST
Kotick: “People are happy with exisiting franchises”
Activision’s Bobby Kotick, has told The Economist that despite criticism that the company is too dependent on exploiting franchises, many gamers feel the opposite.
“A small segment of very vocal gamers say everything has to be new and different every year,” he told the site. “Actually, people are happy with existing franchises, provided you innovate within them.”
The trick, according to Kotick, is to strike a balance “between the familiarity of a trusted brand and ‘innovative and inspiring’ new features.”
Guitar Hero 5 is out in September.
Via EndSights.
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11 
Posted in: Activision Blizzard, Development
Tags: balance, Bobby Kotick, familiarity, innovation
11 comments
#1
Yoshi
18/08/09, 11:21 pm
And the Guitar Hero franchise is always new every time =/
#2
Stephany Nunneley
18/08/09, 11:31 pm
Glad someone picked up on my sarcasm
#3
deanimate
18/08/09, 11:38 pm
yeah nice touch on GH5. But seriously now…how the fuck do people enjoy that shit? oh wow I pressed the right button at the right fucking time? I know it’s each to their own but those sort of games are so damn SHIT.
#4
fearmonkey
19/08/09, 2:29 am
douche!!!!!
#5
hitnrun
19/08/09, 3:30 am
If you have to use the word “brand” in discussing the merits of a videogame, you’ve lost my interest completely.
#6
Michael O'Connor
19/08/09, 5:15 am
“But seriously now…how the fuck do people enjoy that shit? oh wow I pressed the right button at the right fucking time?”
Isn’t that… essentially the basis of every single video game, ever?
#7
Tonka
19/08/09, 6:29 am
He’s right though. Kotick that is, not guy who never played GH.
#8
stvw74
19/08/09, 7:58 am
insider trader muthafekka .. hate this guy!!
#9
Blerk
19/08/09, 8:12 am
Are people happy with you charging more money for them every year as well, Bobby?
#10
Tonka
19/08/09, 8:20 am
My bet is that they will have no problem selling MW (last years number + 1) for many years to come. At slowly increasing prices.
#11
SticKboy
24/08/09, 2:36 pm
Somebody, please put this man out of my misery.