“His obligation is to his shareholders,” Schafer tells Eurogamer. “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.”
Schafer’s beef is understandable, given his history with Kotick and Activision over the bungled publishing deal for his last game, Brutal Legend.
“He [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,” he adds.
“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?”
Tim Schafer, don’t you ever change.
Double Fine’s Tim Schafer [Eurogamer]
weresmurf
Wednesday, July 14, 2010 at 9:24 PMThank god for people who speak their minds. Im sick of the usual pc-pr friendly press releases. Good work Tim!
Chuloopa
Wednesday, July 14, 2010 at 9:29 PMhahaha one of the many reasons we all love timmy so much.
I’m glad he has the guts to say it. Kottick is an absolute prick and a half. To call him scum is an insult to scum and a gross understatement.
Will Higgins
Wednesday, July 14, 2010 at 9:39 PMWow, I love this guy: ‘something that suits his passions more; Weapons manufacturing’
Bloody well done.
The Iron Jedi
Wednesday, July 14, 2010 at 9:47 PMI didn’t ever buy Brutal Legend, but after reading this, I might go get it tomorrow!
David Brady
Wednesday, July 14, 2010 at 9:49 PM+1 Total Legend!
Catalyst_27
Wednesday, July 14, 2010 at 9:51 PMHe has braved the heights of the mightiest mountains …
He has found,lost, broken and reforged the games of ages …
He has looked into the slavering maw of darkness …
He has spoken the purest truth …
It’s encouraging to see that our views on Kotick; based on his statements and the policies and practices of Activision, are firmed by such comments from someone who has worked closely with and under Activision. I do wonder what BL would have looked like had Activision been absent from the picture.
Ad
Wednesday, July 14, 2010 at 10:37 PMThere is nothing that is not completely awesome about Tim Schafer.
TheRev
Wednesday, July 14, 2010 at 11:06 PMlol “something that suits his passions more. Weapons manufacturing?”
The guy is a friggin legend :)
Matthew Herne
Wednesday, July 14, 2010 at 11:09 PMTim Schafer has always been a legend, this only cements it further. At last someone in the industry speaking out against what Activision is doing to game development.
Also, Brutal Legend is awesome (but not quite as awesome as Grim Fandango or Full Throttle).
Cameron Wynn
Wednesday, July 14, 2010 at 11:12 PMJust for this I’m going to go out and pick up a copy of Brutal Legend.
metalisticpain
Thursday, July 15, 2010 at 1:57 AMIts really awesome game. Action RPG with Tactics. I found it hilarious.
I sent tim a facebook message. I dont know if he reads em, he prob gets a million, but my god do i agree with him
milali
Thursday, July 15, 2010 at 6:48 AMHe is complete win!
Korwin
Thursday, July 15, 2010 at 11:02 AMWell put.
Personally I think he’s hitting on one of the major things that is damaging the gaming scene as a whole. It’s the same scenario that’s been ruining the film industry for the past 20 years. This movement towards Big Money making mass produced block busters. Most of which are mediocre, designed to appeal to the lowest common denominator, and over hyped/marketed “products” instead of titles crafted by people who have a genuine passion to put together fun, exciting and creative new titles.
People like Kotick are sucking the soul out of the games industry before it’s even had a chance to fully develop. Unfortunately the unwashed masses just keep hoovering up Call of Duty and Guitar Hero Title after Call of Duty and Guitar Hero title. It’s a little saddening for people not unlike myself who grew up playing games, and defended that passion even when it wasn’t cool to do so.
Michael York
Thursday, July 15, 2010 at 12:51 PMIn response to this, you can’t really blame the executives, since they’re just responding to market forces. The sad fact is that the lowest common demoninator marketing works, and it’ll continue to work as long as people keep buying. Which they will. So really the only solution to the kotick’s of the world is not to be sucked into marketing hype and to buy games based on quality and passion. Companies cannot survive if you don’t buy their crap, so stop buying their crap.
Ross Moir
Thursday, July 15, 2010 at 4:28 PMAs gaming becomes more “mainstream” this will become more common.
At the moment, gaming is under attack from all sides by detractors, opportunists, the ill-informed and the ignorant.
This is a trial of fire and all new media goes through a similar period.
However, in the current political and commercial environment, it is easier to tear something down than to build something worthy. The best we can do is ignore the negative, support the positive and don’t reject the new out-of-hand just for being new or we become what we hate.