Activision president Bobby Kotick has made a controversial claim today. According to the corporate honcho, Bungie — whom has recently entered a ten-year publishing deal with Activision — is the last remaining “high quality” independent studio out there.
“Bungie are a very unusual company,” Kotick told the America Merrill Lynch Media, Comms and Entertainment conference.
“They’re probably the last remaining high quality independent developer. That has sort of has institutional skills and capabilities. And they’re a real company.”
Woah. I’m not sure if that statement would suit too well with the likes of Insomniac, Ninja Theory, Sucker Punch, Level-5, Gearbox, Valve or… you get my point. Best rethink your words, Mr. Kotick.
To conclude this story with a fact: Bungie is indeed an amazing developer, but they are by no means the last amazing developer out there.
Thanks, CVG.
Wow! This guys just doesn’t know when to quit, does he?
It’s crap like this that make me hate activision, along with all of the other bs they pull:
Oversatuating the market with re-hash crap games. Charging online for the privalige to play said re-hashed games if purchased uesed.
I swear, EA must be loving it right about now. Activision is making them look like saints lately.
Hey but Sucker Punch and Naughty Dog belongs to Sony, and Ninja Theory belongs to Tecmo Koei and Level 5 its a publisher to. Insomniac yes, they are indie. But you’re right, out there are a bunch of talented studios, Kotick its the worst thing that ever happen to videogames, he is very bad for this newborn art.
Ninja Theory do not belong to Tecmo Koei. You’re thinking of Team Ninja.
Sucker Punch is an independent company that’s only worked exclusively with Sony.
Level-5 is an independent developer and publisher. Occasionally, though, there games are published by other firms such as Sony or Nintendo.
I definately don’t agree with this. Not at all. Yes, Bungie is a great developer, but to state they are the “Last” remaining great Independent developer is quite insulting.
Surely, as already stated in the article, developers like Gearbox, Valve and Level-5 are considered “high quality” developers? The entire statement sounds like something a forum fanboy might come out with – not the president of something like Activision.
I have always been a supporter of Independent developers, and there are far more out there than we care to look into. the PC market for example is full of lower budget, indie titles which, while lacking in graphical or technical polish, are immersive and brilliant games in their own right.
A strange statement indeed…
It’s typical that he says this, afterall, Activision is running Bungie now. I bet Kodick(lol) would sell his souls for some of the developers to work for Activision.
It’s just egotistical trash talking coming from this chump.
Sal you’re right with Ninja Theory (how can i miss that one?) and Sucker Punch (i read in wikipedia now, by the by theres a movie for 2011 with that name), but Naughty its owned by Sony and Level 5 its a publisher that sometimes provides services to others companys, but you cant say that they are a indie second party when they publish some great games in Japan, or its Atlus a Idie developer too then?