Activision CEO admits that if it were left to him trade price hikes would have been higher
With retail and consumers alike still getting to grips with the prospect of shelling out £54.99 for November’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, Activision CEO Bobby Kotick has admitted that he would like to push prices even higher.
When asked about the controversial subject as part of Activision’s post-financial investor call, president Michael Griffith stated: “We’ve had for all of our launch titles in the back half of this year, some of which contain peripherals, very strong retailer acceptance and support for all parts of our plan including our price points.”
At which point Kotick added: “You know if it was left to me, I would raise the prices even further.”
The CEO also went on to state that he believes there is a public appetite for Activision’s upcoming premium priced game SKUs such as the COD: Modern Warfare 2 Prestige Pack:
“As far as the premium priced product, you know, collector’s editions and things like that, I’d say we’re seeing probably more interest than we have in the past on the collector’s editions, so that’s a pretty good indication of the interest in these franchises.”
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The full investor call can be listened to here.
Comments
AARRRGGHH!!!!!!
Jesus, i hate this guy and his smug freaking face! you know if it was up to me i'd put this Kotick and Pachter in a grinder and give them away to the homeless advertisd as "FREE ASS-BURGERS".
greedy mo-fo. i'm definately not buying anything to do with this guy.
Gouaging only goes so far
COD might be great but if the price is set way too high people will not buy it, In some markets the standard edition of COD may end up being around $150 going by this and I couldn't see many people rushing to buy a disk priced at $150, no matter what was on the disk.
Source of Inspiration
This article has inspired me to spread the word of bobby kotick. That word? Punch him as hard as you can. If you ever see him treat this as a virtual 'Kick Me' Sign! He is harming our industry so much. He is clueless and wet. I really am angered by this idiot! I want his number!
Ginger dwarf
Wow this guy is unreal. Complete disregard for consumers, and no understanding or concern for the industry that swells his personal fortune. Typical CEO. To voice your displeasure, I suggest visiting his profile on Linkedin (Robert Kotick), requesting him as a connection and send him over your feelings on the matter. He probably won't read it but if a couple of hundred people or more get in contact he may just take notice.
This guy is a NUTTER!!
I've never read as much unadulterated crap as Bobby Koptick comes out with. Is this guy in league with Jack Thompson that lawyer with half a brain who tried to also destroy the games industry? The mind boggles
Having Bulls
I am no friend of this guy but to be fair every publisher whether its Sony, EA, Microsoft Konami are all posting year on year losses and yet this guys company posts a $1 Billion profit year on year. He should be admired for having the bulls to do what no one else is doing and raise an RRP. Everyone wants something for nothing these days, but obviously with things as they are the industry may die because there won't be anyone to make our beloved favourite games. At the end of the day you personal opinion of what a game is worth shouldn't determine the RRP of it. Hopefully with the RRP of these games going up they will at least make the games longer or give us more bang for our buck.
Suddenly everything becomes clear
I was wondering what happened to Peewee Herman after Pokies!
bulls hit
@AH: RRP up -> longer games -> more bang for buck -> greater dev cost -> RRP up... vicious circle.
Small indie games are the old new way ahead :P
Having Bulls
@AH above....
The reason they post 1billiion in profits is because it's Activision/Blizzard. The bulk of that money comes from WoW, which Bobby Kotich has very little to do with other then finding more ways to milk money off of it.
Bugger Him For A Lark
To hell with him. There's a reason I wont buy a single Activision title new. I generaly buy all my games new as I want to support developers but I'm, in essence, boycotting them. Any game that I want from Activision I'm buying used so they don't get one red penny of the money spent on it. Why? Becuase this is the same dillweed who said he was dropping Brutal Legend and Ghost Busters because there was no viable way to turn it in to a "multi million dollar exploitable franchise." Then what does he do? He has his lawyers announce during the last day of E3 that they are suing Double Fine (small development house but with a lot of talent and love from the public behind it) to stop release of Brutal Legend because it was giong to be coming out under EA but they "invested lots of money." Thing is they dropped it. They gave up those rights so in fact that's a load of crap. I mean these are the same people who couldn't work out a sale with the folks doing Scratch The Ultimate DJ so they bought the developer and stole the producer's technology and only gave it back when a court ordered them to. They are the new EA and EA are the new Activision. It's weird to say that but it's true.
best comments ever lol
seriously, reading these comments has made my day. thank you Bobby, i hate you too:)
reality check
ATVI did not post a billion dollars of profit. They had roughly a billion in gross revenue, 31% from WoW. Net income (profit) around 189 Million.
Smug B*stard
Take about biting the hand that feeds you!! I agree with the first post, he got a very punch able face.
Let's be honest they could save money by stop doing these pointless special editions with NVG's in it, if you really need a pair, go buy them from a specialist shop.
He should remember that it’s the people who buy the games, keep him in a job. Here’s an idea, someone start a pet ion and get the jackass fired or his salary cut.
Even better!!
Just seen Bobby's paycheque for last year. $15 million. Anyone like him more now?
Wrong Priorities
Moaning about the price of games. How pathetic !! People can go out and spend £50 in one night at the pub and have nothing to show for it except a banging hangover. Even now nearly 2 years after its release lots of people are still online playing Call Of Duty 4 on 360 , PS3 or PC. Games are miles better now than they were 10-15 years ago yet you have people moaning about paying a fair price , or even worse illegally downloading them. And for every 1 Call Of Duty success there are 10 other AAA titles that flop miserably.
That's what you get
That's what you yes men and fanboys get with your "I'll glady pay for that" attitude. You deserve nothing less than to be milked for every cent they can get.
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