Wed, Jul 14, 2010 | 12:17 BST
Schafer: Bobby Kotick is a “total prick”
Oh dear.
DoubleFine’s Tim Schafer has told Eurogamer that Activision boss Bobby Kotick is both a “total prick” and a “dick,” speaking at Develop today.
It’s worth remembering that Brutal Legend was supposed to be published by Activision until the Blizzard merger, after which is sort of “wasn’t”. The game was eventually published by EA.
“His obligation is to his shareholders,” Schafer said. “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.”
He added: “[Kotick] makes a big deal about not liking games, and I just don’t think that attitude is good for games in general. I just don’t think we’re an industry of widgets.
“We can approach it like we approach bars of soap, where you’re just trying to make the cheapest bar of soap. He definitely has that that kind of widget-maker attitude. I don’t think he’s great for the industry, overall. You can’t just latch onto something when it’s popular and then squeeze the life out of it and then move on to the next one. You have to at some point create something, build something.
“Hopefully he’ll go back to another industry scene. He could go to an industry that makes more money. Ball bearings… something that suits his passions more. Weapons manufacturing?”
Not much to add to that, really.
28 
Posted in: Activision Blizzard, Hot, Stuff
Tags: Bobby Kotick, doublefine, Tim Schafer
28 comments
#1
V_Ben
14/07/10, 12:18 pm
Nice! Go Shafer!
#2
Blerk
14/07/10, 12:19 pm
glol! Tim, you’re a fucking hero!
#3
cookiejar
14/07/10, 12:20 pm
Brilliant.
#4
McLovin85
14/07/10, 12:24 pm
Lol weapon manufacturing, brilliant!!
#5
Robo_1
14/07/10, 12:24 pm
Oh braaavo Tim, bravo.
#6
theevilaires
14/07/10, 12:26 pm
Guy has the biggest balls in the industry. Take notes game industry. Now Tim insult Kaz Harai please
#7
StolenGlory
14/07/10, 12:29 pm
This article is constructed of the finest win.
#8
loki
14/07/10, 12:32 pm
You absolutely right, Bro! I can not wait when Acti go bankrupt
#9
Johnny Cullen
14/07/10, 12:35 pm
“Activision assassins on shoot-to-kill orders on Tim Schafer in 5, 4, 3, 2…”
#10
Blerk
14/07/10, 12:39 pm
You can’t kill Tim. If you strike him down, he shall become more powerful than you could possibly imagine.
#11
Freek
14/07/10, 12:45 pm
**aplause**
The rest of the interview is a great read too.
#12
ninjanutta
14/07/10, 12:48 pm
its a shame more devs didnt have this attitude,it would be fucking brilliant for the gaming industry,just not for acti.lol
#13
frostquake
14/07/10, 12:49 pm
Hopefully he won’t retract this and keep his balls to the wall. It is so refreshing to see someone “inside” the industry to actually get what gamers have known all along, and then GASP, actually voice his Opinion. My respect for TS has gone up exponentially!
#14
Hunam
14/07/10, 12:55 pm
Brutal Legend was a bit shit though.
#15
Retroid
14/07/10, 12:55 pm
BOOM! Total prick shot
#16
justiceblob
14/07/10, 1:07 pm
Does he really hold that much weight in the industry though? Despite agreeing with what he is saying and as much as I loved Psychonauts, after the sales of his recent games, does his opinion really have any impact on Bobby Kotick anyway.
+10 points for effort though
#17
mington
14/07/10, 1:09 pm
takes one to know one
#18
freedoms_stain
14/07/10, 1:14 pm
The words Hit, Nail and Head come to mind.
Particularly about squeezing franchises. It’s extremely short sighted. Very few franchises that have been squeezed as hard as Kotick has been squeezing certain Activision franchises have maintained high sales and popularity.
Kotick is sacraficing long term profitability for short term gains which is going to be bad for the industry eventually.
#19
KrazyKraut
14/07/10, 1:19 pm
schafer is the new warrior..a hybrid of Chuck Norris and Steven Seagal..formed by the Gods of a holy piece of mud to destroy the evil Empire of Activision. His punchs are nuclear warheads and his kicks are lava tsunamis.
Prepare for your ultimate end Activision!
#20
AHA-Lambda
14/07/10, 1:20 pm
Not a big fan of schafer’s games tbh but damn I respect him alot more now!
#21
RETARDED VIKING
14/07/10, 1:21 pm
HA! you’re DA man TIM!!!!!!!!!@14 BRÜTAL LEGEND was fucking awesome!
#22
Shalashaska
14/07/10, 1:22 pm
Dance Off!!!!!
#23
joshua nash
14/07/10, 2:30 pm
Tim Schafer speaks truths and makes awesome games, and yet I’m shocked that it took him til now to actually tell the world what he thinks of Bobby “Satan” Kotick, but kotick ain’t a “total prick” he is “THE PRICK KING”
#24
Dr.Ghettoblaster
14/07/10, 2:38 pm
Schafer’s comment is awesome. Never cared for his games though.
#25
mojo
14/07/10, 3:18 pm
legend!
#26
bluemanrule
14/07/10, 3:56 pm
Best way to put it without sounding like a frustrated gamer. I love Tim Schafer for this! Thank you sir. You just earned another purchase of a new Brutal Legend.
#27
Bloodyghost
14/07/10, 4:25 pm
Yeah! There you go! Tell ‘em off mate!
#28
mightyhokie
14/07/10, 7:40 pm
I love this guy.